81 FR 17511 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 60 (March 29, 2016)

In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data collections. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Title and purpose of information collection: Vocational Report; OMB 3220-0141. Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) provides for payment of disability annuities to qualified employees and widow(ers). The establishment of permanent disability for work in the applicant's ``regular occupation'' or for work in any regular employment is prescribed in 20 CFR 220.12 and 220.13 respectively. The RRB utilizes Form G-251, Vocational Report, to obtain an applicant's work history. This information is used by the RRB to determine the effect of a disability on an applicant's ability to work. Form G-251 is designed for use with the RRB's disability benefit application forms and is provided to all applicants for employee disability annuities and to those applicants for a widow(er)'s disability annuity who indicate that they have been employed at some time. Significant changes are proposed to Form G-251 in support of the RRB's Disability Program Improvement Project to enhance/improve disability case processing and overall program integrity as recommended by the RRB's Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office. Proposed changes to Form G-251 include the consolidation and revision of existing items that request information about essential job duties performed and any exposure to environmental hazards; the expansion of existing items that provide information regarding an applicant's physical actions or work activities and the amount of time that they expend on such activities during an average 8 hour work day to include Balancing, Twisting/Turning, Crawling, Gripping/Holding, Foot Control, and Fine Manipulation; and the addition of new items that request information regarding any permanent working accommodations an employer may have made due to the employee's disability are also proposed. Other minor changes proposed include revisions to the ``Identifying Information'' section to add ``Province'' to the address field for applicants who may live outside the U.S. and to provide for an additional telephone number. Minor non-burden impacting, editorial and formatting changes are also proposed. Completion is required to obtain or retain a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 17511]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07130]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for 
public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data 
collections.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection 
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Title and purpose of information collection: Vocational Report; OMB 
3220-0141. Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) provides for 
payment of disability annuities to qualified employees and widow(ers). 
The establishment of permanent disability for work in the applicant's 
``regular occupation'' or for work in any regular employment is 
prescribed in 20 CFR 220.12 and 220.13 respectively.
    The RRB utilizes Form G-251, Vocational Report, to obtain an 
applicant's work history. This information is used by the RRB to 
determine the effect of a disability on an applicant's ability to work. 
Form G-251 is designed for use with the RRB's disability benefit 
application forms and is provided to all applicants for employee 
disability annuities and to those applicants for a widow(er)'s 
disability annuity who indicate that they have been employed at some 
time.
    Significant changes are proposed to Form G-251 in support of the 
RRB's Disability Program Improvement Project to enhance/improve 
disability case processing and overall program integrity as recommended 
by the RRB's Office of Inspector General and the Government 
Accountability Office.
    Proposed changes to Form G-251 include the consolidation and 
revision of existing items that request information about essential job 
duties performed and any exposure to environmental hazards; the 
expansion of existing items that provide information regarding an 
applicant's physical actions or work activities and the amount of time 
that they expend on such activities during an average 8 hour work day 
to include Balancing, Twisting/Turning, Crawling, Gripping/Holding, 
Foot Control, and Fine Manipulation; and the addition of new items that 
request information regarding any permanent working accommodations an 
employer may have made due to the employee's disability are also 
proposed.
    Other minor changes proposed include revisions to the ``Identifying 
Information'' section to add ``Province'' to the address field for 
applicants who may live outside the U.S. and to provide for an 
additional telephone number. Minor non-burden impacting, editorial and 
formatting changes are also proposed.
    Completion is required to obtain or retain a benefit. One response 
is requested of each respondent.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-251 (with assistance).........................................           5,730              40           3,820
G-251 (without assistance)......................................             270              50             225
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           6,000  ..............           4,045
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, contact Dana Hickman at (312) 751-4981 or 
[email protected]. Comments regarding the information collection 
should be addressed to Charles Mierzwa, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 
North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or emailed to 
[email protected]. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Chief of Information Resources Management.
[FR Doc. 2016-07130 Filed 3-28-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7905-01-P