When you apply for these benefits, you can expect us to process your application within the number of calendar days shown below.

Type of application	We will make a decision within...
Employee and spouse retirement benefits
Filed in advance of the beginning date of your annuity	35 days of the beginning date of your annuity
Not filed in advance of the beginning date of your annuity	60 days of the date you file your application
Initial survivor benefits	60 days of the beginning date of your annuity
Conversion from spouse to survivor benefits	30 days of the date you file your application
Lump-sum death benefits	60 days of first notice of the employee's death
Unemployment and sickness insurance benefits
Unemployment and sickness applications	10 days of the date you file
Subsequent claims for unemployment and sickness benefits when found entitled	10 days of the date we receive your claim
Disability benefits Note:  Processing applications for disability benefits is more complex than our other benefits due to the need to develop medical evidence.  When you file an application for disability benefits, our field office staff will provide you with additional information on our processing times for decisions and payments.	100 days of the date you file

After our decision is completed

Notice of Award or Denial

You should receive a decision notice within 2 weeks.

Benefit Payment

If you are entitled to benefits, generally you can expect that the payment will be deposited in your bank account within 1 week of our decision.

Additional Information

Occasionally, claims for some benefits may take longer to handle than others if they are more complex, or if we have to get information from outside the agency.  If this happens, we will give you an explanation and an estimate of the additional time required to make a decision.

If you do not receive your payment or decision notice within the time periods stated in our standards, contact the office where you filed your application or claim.  They will provide the current status and an estimate of when you can expect a decision or payment.

Openness

• We will display in each office annually how well we are meeting the established standards.
   
• When you visit our offices, the staff you see will identify themselves by name.
   
• When you telephone us, we will identify ourselves by name.
   
• Our letters will be easy to understand and the person writing to you will give you his or her name, unless the letter is a computer-generated notice.

Accessibility

• If you have access to the Internet, you can get more information on the agency and its programs through our web site. The agency’s Benefit Online Services provides information regarding services that are currently available online.  If you take advantage of these options, generally you can expect to receive services faster than if you handled these transactions by traditional methods, though these are still available. You can also send a secure message to a field office.
   
• A toll-free automated Help Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-808-0772. You can use the Help Line to find the locations of RRB field offices, obtain information on unemployment-sickness benefits or statements of creditable service and compensation, request a letter to verify your current monthly benefit rate, secure a replacement Medicare card, or request a duplicate RRA tax statement.
   
• You may telephone our offices during our business hours if you have a question about your benefits. If you leave a message, we will generally return your call by the next business day.
   
• Before visiting one of our offices, we encourage you to make an appointment to enable us to service you more promptly.  If you cannot come to our offices, we may be able to visit you at one of our regularly scheduled Customer OutReach Program service locations.
   
• When inquiring with us by letter, we will respond to you in a timely fashion. Generally this will be within 2 to 4 weeks depending on the nature of your letter. If we cannot answer your question fully within that time frame, we will acknowledge your contact and let you know when you can expect to receive a full response.

Accountability

• The information you provide us is protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act.
   
• If things go wrong, at the very least you are entitled to a good explanation and an apology.
   
• If you don't agree with our decision about  your benefits, you have the right to ask for review and to appeal.  We will tell you about these rights each time we make a decision about your benefits.
   
• A Customer Assessment Survey form is available in every office for you to tell us how we did and how we can improve our service.
   
• If you are not satisfied with our service, you may contact the manager of the office or the Regional Director who is responsible for that office. Their names and addresses are available here.

Customer Service Pledge

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board recognizes that all its services are financed by our customers: the nation's railroad workers and employers. They are entitled to high quality service, responsive to their needs, provided efficiently at a reasonable cost. This has been recognized in the agency mission statement:

In carrying out its mission, the Railroad Retirement Board will pay benefits to the right people, in the right amounts, in a timely manner, and will take appropriate action to safeguard our customers' trust funds. The Railroad Retirement Board will treat every person who comes into contact with the agency with courtesy and concern, and respond to all inquiries promptly, accurately and clearly.

The Customer Service Plan is centered on the following principles of public service: standards; openness; accessibility; and accountability. It is published nationally and posted in each office of the RRB in order to communicate these standards to our customers and to reinforce them with our employees. There is a clear presumption that our service will progressively improve as our operations become more efficient. The plan will be reviewed and updated periodically as we gain more experience with it and as we compare our service with the best in the private sector.