The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is an independent agency in the executive branch of the Federal government. The primary function of the RRB is to determine and pay retirement-survivor and unemployment-sickness benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) to the nation's railroad workers and their families. 

Determining Benefit Payments

The benefit payments administered by the RRB are based on earnings credits, called creditable service and compensation. Service and compensation information is collected from reports of employers covered under the RRA and the RUIA, including rail labor employers. In the context of reporting to the RRB, the term “employer” refers to both rail carriers and national rail labor organizations.

The RRB maintains lifetime records of creditable service and compensation for each railroad employee for purposes of determining benefit payments. The service and compensation records are secured from employer reports. The RRB is authorized to require an employer to submit service and compensation information by RRB Regulation (20 CFR 209.2) and by RRA sections 7(b)(6) and 9, and RUIA sections 6 and 12(1). Both Acts make provision for enforcement of reporting requirements.