Proposed Collection; Comment Request

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14020-14021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7098]


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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 date 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

[[Page 14021]]

automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Title and Purpose of information collection: Annual Earnings 
Questionnaire for Annuitants in Last Pre-Retirement Non-Railroad 
Employment; OMB 3220-0179.
    Under section 2(e)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), an 
annuity is not payable for any month in which a beneficiary works for a 
railroad. In addition, an annuity is reduced for any month in which the 
beneficiary works for an employer other than a railroad employer and 
earns more than a prescribed amount. Under the 1988 amendments to the 
RRA, the Tier II portion of the regular annuity and any supplemental 
annuity must be reduced by one dollar for each two dollars of Last Pre-
Retirement Non-Railroad Employment (LPE) earnings for each month of 
such service. However, the reduction cannot exceed fifty percent of the 
Tier II and supplemental annuity amount for the month to which such 
deductions apply. LPE generally refers to an annuitants last employment 
with a non-railroad person, company, or institution prior to retirement 
which was performed whether at the same time of, or after an annuitant 
stopped railroad employment. The collection obtains earnings 
information needed by the RRB to determine if possible reductions in 
annuities because of Last Pre-Retirement Non-Railroad Employment 
Earnings (LPE) are in order.
    The RRB utilizes Form G-19L to obtain LPE earnings information from 
annuitants. Companion Form G-19L.1, which serves as an instruction 
sheet and contains the Paperwork Reduction/Privacy Act Notice for the 
collection accompanies each Form G-19L sent to an annuitant. One 
response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to 
retain a benefit. The RRB proposes minor editorial changes to Form G-
19L and Form G-19L.1.
    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:
    Estimated number of responses: 5,000.
    Estimated completion time per response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated annual burden hours: 1,250.
    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at 
(312) 751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be 
addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush 
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be 
received within 60 days of this notice.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-7098 Filed 3-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M