Prepared by Public Affairs 312-751-4777

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board’s Customer Service Plan promotes the principles and objectives of customer-driven quality service agency-wide. The RRB’s revised plan, effective October 2007, more clearly lays out the standards and expresses the time frames in terms of when the agency makes its decision. The plan still states specifically the level of service that customers can expect, and an important part of the plan is a pledge to keep beneficiaries informed of how well the RRB is meeting the plan’s standards. The plan is reviewed and updated periodically as the agency gains more experience with it, compares its service with the best in business and considers feedback received from its customers.

The following questions and answers provide information about the RRB’s performance in the key areas of retirement applications, survivor applications, disability applications and payments, and railroad unemployment and sickness benefit applications and claims during fiscal year 2008 (October 1, 2007 – September 30, 2008). Included are the customer service performance goals the RRB set for fiscal year 2008 in its Annual Performance Plan. These goals are revised annually based on such factors as projected workloads and available resources. Also included is information on the RRB’s overall performance, as measured by the timeliness index developed by the agency.

1. How does the RRB measure overall timeliness for customer service?

The RRB developed an index to measure the overall timeliness of its customer service in four benefit areas: retirement applications; survivor applications; disability applications and payments; and railroad unemployment and sickness benefit applications and claims. This composite indicator, based on a weighted average, allows for a more concise and meaningful presentation of its customer service efforts in these benefit areas.

2. How timely, overall, was the customer service provided by the RRB in fiscal year 2008, as measured by this timeliness index?

During fiscal year 2008, the overall benefit timeliness index stood at 98.6 percent. This means that the RRB provided benefit services within the timeframes promised in the Customer Service Plan 98.6 percent of the time. More detailed performance information for specific benefit areas is presented in the questions and answers that follow.

3. What standards were used by the RRB in fiscal year 2008 for processing applications for railroad retirement employee or spouse annuities and how well did it meet those standards?

Under the RRB’s standards, if you filed an application for a railroad retirement employee or spouse annuity in advance, the RRB will make a decision to approve or deny the application within 35 days of the beginning date of your annuity. If you have not filed in advance, the RRB will make a decision within 60 days of the date you filed your application.

Of the cases processed during fiscal year 2008, the RRB made a decision within 35 days of their annuity beginning date on 92.6 percent of employee and 92.2 percent of spouse applicants who filed in advance. Taking these employee and spouse cases together, 92.4 percent of this group met the agency’s standard for fiscal year 2008. Average processing times for employee and spouse applications were 15 and 10.3 days, respectively; the combined average processing time for these cases was 12.8 days.

Also, of the cases processed, the RRB made a decision within 60 days of their filing dates on 97.2 percent of employee and 95.5 percent of spouse applicants who had not filed in advance. Taken together, 96.1 percent of these cases met the agency’s standard. In these cases, the average processing times for employee and spouse applications were 19.3 and 18.1 days, respectively; the combined average processing time was 18.6 days.

The RRB’s goals in fiscal year 2008 were 92 and 96 percent timeliness, respectively, for those filing in advance and those not filing in advance.

4. What standards were used in the area of survivor benefits in fiscal year 2008?

Under the standards, if you filed for a railroad retirement survivor annuity and you were not already receiving benefits as a spouse, the RRB will make a decision to approve, deny, or transfer your application to the Social Security Administration within 60 days of the beginning date of your annuity. If you are already receiving a spouse annuity, the RRB will make a decision to approve, deny, or transfer your application for a survivor annuity to the Social Security Administration within 30 days of the date the application was filed. If you filed for a lump-sum benefit, the RRB will make a decision on your application within 60 days of the date the agency receives notice of the employee’s death.

Of the cases considered during fiscal year 2008, the RRB made a decision within 60 days of the annuity beginning date on 92.9 percent of the applications for an initial survivor annuity. In cases where the survivor was already receiving a spouse annuity, a decision was made within 30 days of the date the application was filed in 95.1 percent of the cases. In addition, a decision was made within 60 days of the RRB being notified of the employee’s death on 97 percent of the applications for a lump-sum benefit. Average processing time for all applications for recurring monthly benefits (initial survivor applications and spouse to survivor conversions) was 15.1 days. The average processing time for lump-sum applications was 9.3 days.

The goal for fiscal year 2008 was 94 percent timeliness for processing both initial survivor applications and spouse to survivor conversions. For processing applications for lump-sum payments the goal was 97 percent.

5. What standards were used by the RRB in fiscal year 2008 for processing applications for disability annuities under the Railroad Retirement Act?

Under the Customer Service Plan, if you filed for a disability annuity, the RRB will make a decision within 100 days of the date you filed your application. If it is determined that you are entitled to disability benefits, you will receive your first payment within 25 days of the date of the RRB’s decision, or the earliest payment date, whichever is later.

Of the cases processed during fiscal year 2008, the RRB made a decision within 100 days of the date they filed an application on 70.4 percent of those filing for a disability annuity. The average processing time was 85.5 days. Of those entitled to disability benefits, 94.8 percent received their first payment within the Customer Service Plan’s time frame. Average processing time was 7.6 days.

The agency’s goals were 68 percent and 94.5 percent timeliness, respectively, for disability decisions and disability payments.

6. What were the standards for the handling of applications and claims for railroad unemployment and sickness benefits and how well did the RRB meet these standards?

Under the standards, if you filed an application for unemployment or sickness benefits, the RRB will release a claim form or a denial letter within 10 days of receiving your application. If you filed a claim for subsequent biweekly unemployment or sickness benefits, the RRB will certify a payment or a denial letter within 10 days of the date the RRB receives your claim form.

During fiscal year 2008, 99.5 percent of unemployment benefit applications sampled for timeliness and 99.2 percent of sickness benefit applications processed met the RRB’s standard. Average processing times for unemployment and sickness benefit applications were 0.5 and 1.8 days, respectively.

In addition, 99.7 percent of subsequent claims processed for unemployment and sickness benefits met the RRB’s standard for fiscal year 2008. The average processing time for claims was 4 days.

The agency’s goals for processing unemployment and sickness applications in fiscal year 2008 were 99.5 percent timely for unemployment applications and 99 percent timely for sickness applications. The payment or decision goal for subsequent claims was 99.7 percent timeliness.

7. How did the RRB’s performance in meeting its standards in fiscal year 2008 compare to its performance in fiscal year 2007?

Fiscal year 2008 performance met or exceeded fiscal year 2007 performance for spouse to survivor conversions, unemployment benefit applications, sickness benefit applications, unemployment and sickness benefit claims, and disability applications. Average processing times in fiscal year 2008 equaled or improved fiscal year 2007 processing times in the areas of employee and spouse applications filed in advance, initial survivor applications, spouse to survivor conversions, lump-sum benefits, applications for sickness benefits, and disability payments. Also, the agency met or exceeded all of the customer service performance goals it had set for the year in its Annual Performance Plan with the exception of initial survivor applications.

8. Can beneficiaries provide feedback to the RRB about the service they receive?

A Customer Assessment Survey form is available in every field office allowing beneficiaries to evaluate the service they received and suggest how the agency can improve its service. Persons not satisfied with the service they received may contact the manager of the office with which they have been dealing.

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