Social Security Act of 1935, as amended, Public Law
74-271, 49 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. 7, Subchapter 2; Railroad Unemployment
Insurance Act, as amended, Public Law 75-722, 52 Stat. 1094, 45 U.S.C.
351-367; Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, as amended, Public Law 93-445, 88
Stat. 1305, 45 U.S.C. 231-231u.
To pay rail social security, rail industry pensions,
Federal windfall benefits, supplemental annuities, permanent and occupational
disability, and sickness and unemployment benefits to workers and their
families.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Under the provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act and
the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, benefits are provided for: (1)
workers who retire because of age or disability; including supplemental
annuities for long-service employees; (2) eligible spouses and divorced
spouses of retired employees; (3) surviving widows, widowers, divorced
spouses, children, and dependent parents of deceased employees; (4) unemployed
workers; and (5) workers who are sick or injured. In addition, the Railroad
Retirement Board participates in the administration of the Federal medical
health insurance program for the aged and the disabled, which covers railroad
retirement beneficiaries on the same basis as other eligible persons.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Under
the Railroad Retirement Act, for employee, spouse and survivor benefits the
employee must have had 10 or more years of railroad service or, for annuities
beginning January 2002 or later, 5 years of railroad service rendered after
1995. For survivors to be eligible for benefits, the employee must also have
been insured at death. Under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, an
employee must have earned at least $2,512.50 in railroad wages in calendar
year 2000, $2,625.00 in calendar year 2001, and $2,750.00 in calendar year
2002 (counting no more than $1005 in any month in calendar year 2000, $1,050
in calendar year 2001 and $1,100 in calendar year 2002) and, if a new
employee, must have worked for a railroad at least 5 months in a calendar
(base) year to be a qualified employee in the applicable benefit year.
Credentials/Documentation:
Proof of age for retirement benefits; proof of marriage for spouse's or
survivor's benefits; medical evidence for disability or sickness benefits;
registration for proof of unemployment; proof of relationship; proof of
military service; and other proofs as required by law.
Pre-application Coordination:
None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure:
Application for retirement, disability, survivor, unemployment or sickness
benefits should be made to any office of the Railroad Retirement Board.
Award Procedure: The Office
of Programs makes awards under the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act.
Deadlines: Benefits not
payable earlier than specified period prior to application, varying with type
of benefits; insurance lump-sum death payments application deadline is two
years after employee's death. Applicants may contact any Railroad Retirement
Board Office to obtain information relative to a specific type of benefit
administered under the Railroad Retirement Act or the Railroad Unemployment
Insurance Act.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
Varies depending upon complexity of claim.
Appeals: Initial appeals
are made to the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals. Subsequent appeals from
initial determinations may be made to the Board and ultimately to the U.S.
Court of Appeals.
Renewals: Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
Not applicable.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
Not applicable.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Various conditions
explained on the benefit application certification form as affecting
eligibility, e.g., earnings, marriage, divorce, recovery from disability,
return to employer service, should be reported.
Obligations: (Benefit
Payments) FY 01 $8,537,000,000; FY 02 est $8,758,000,000; and FY 03 est
$8,912,000,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
(1) Employee age annuities-monthly maximum $2,885, average $1,414; (2)
employee disability-monthly maximum $2,845, average $1,548; (3) employee
supplemental annuities-monthly maximum $70, average $42; (4) spouse
benefits-monthly maximum $1,375, average $555; (5) widows and widowers monthly
maximum $2,230, average $866; (6) widowed mothers and fathers monthly maximum
$1,841, average $1,076; (7) children-monthly maximum $1,639, average $706; (8)
unemployment and sickness-weekly maximum for benefit year 2002 to 2003 $260,
expected average $260.
In fiscal year 2001, benefits were paid to an estimated
737,000 retirees and their families, survivors of deceased railroad workers,
and unemployed or sick railroad workers. Under the provisions of the Railroad
Retirement Act, in fiscal year 2001, there were 38,441 applications for
benefits and 34,655 awards made. Under the provisions of the Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act, in benefit year 2000 to 2001, there were 48,769
applications for benefits and 38,351 beneficiaries paid.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
A series of free leaflets is available from the Office
of Public Affairs, Railroad Retirement Board.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office:
Colorado: Louis E. Austin, 1999 Broadway, Suite 3300 Box 7, Denver, CO
80202-5737, Telephone: (303) 844-0800; Georgia: Patricia Lawson, 401 W.
Peachtree St., Suite 1703, Atlanta, GA 30308-3519, Telephone: (404) 331-2691;
Pennsylvania: Richard D. Baird, Nix Federal Building, 900 Market Street, Suite
304, Philadelphia, PA 19107-4228. Telephone: (215) 597-2647.
Headquarters Office: Public
Affairs, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, IL
60611-2092. Telephone: (312) 751- 4777, Contact: William Poulos.
