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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