An application for sickness benefits can be obtained from railroad labor organizations, railroad employers, any RRB office, or at www.rrb.gov. An application and a doctor's statement of sickness are required at the beginning of each period of continuing sickness for which benefits are claimed.
The RRB suggests that employees keep an application on hand for use in claiming sickness benefits, and that family members know where the form is kept and how to use it. If an employee becomes unable to work because of sickness or injury, the employee should complete the application and then have his or her doctor complete the statement of sickness. If the employee is too sick to complete the application, someone else may do so. In such cases, a family member should also complete Form SI-10, Statement of Authority to Act for Employee, which accompanies the statement of sickness.
After completion, the forms should be mailed to the RRB headquarters in Chicago by the 7th day of the illness or injury for which benefits are claimed. After the RRB receives the application and statement of sickness and determines eligibility, biweekly claim forms are mailed to the claimant for completion and return to an RRB field office for processing.
Employees with RRB online accounts can complete claim forms online by visiting the Benefit Online Services on our website. Instructions for establishing an online account are available by clicking on the link for requesting a Password Request Code (PRC) in that same section. For security purposes, first-time users must apply for a PRC. The agency automatically mails a PRC to any employee who files a paper application for unemployment or sickness benefits. If an individual has not received a PRC, they can request one by clicking the appropriate box in Benefit Online Services. The claim forms must be received at the RRB within 30 days of the last day of the claim period, or within 30 days of the date the claim form was mailed to the claimant or made available online, whichever is later. Benefits may be lost if an application or claim is filed late.
Claimants are reminded that while claim forms for sickness benefits can be submitted online, applications must be returned to the RRB by mail. Doctors' statements of sickness can be submitted by mail or fax (faxes must include cover sheet from doctor's office).