The RRB's long history of transparency is evident by the extensive amount of information frequently published on its website (www.rrb.gov). To uphold and advance this strong commitment to transparency in the future, the RRB will continue to publish information in support of its mission to administer retirement/survivor and unemployment/sickness insurance benefit programs for railway workers and their families under the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act.
Agency Plans, Management and Reports
The RRB Strategic Plan details the RRB's long and distinguished history of excellent customer service and the continuation of that tradition by calling for the attainment and maintenance of high levels of accuracy and timeliness in paying retirement, survivor, unemployment and sickness insurance benefits. The Agency Management and Reports webpage provides information on the RRB's structure, responsibilities to the public, and communication methods. The RRB Annual Report provides information on agency operations that are distributed to officials of railway management and labor, members of Congress, officials of the Federal Government, and requesting libraries.
Agency Procedure Manuals
The Agency Procedure Manuals webpage is an index of the chapters in the various manuals used by the RRB in the processing of claims under either the Railroad Retirement or Railroad Unemployment Insurance Acts.
Congressional Requests
The Congressional Inquiry Section of the RRB's Office of Administration is responsible for responding to all inquiries from congressional offices concerning constituents, benefit claims or applications filed with the agency.
Questions about proposed railroad retirement legislation, the status of pending legislation, or congressional schedules, hearings or committee jurisdiction should be directed to the Office of Legislative Affairs. (ola@rrb.gov).
Federal Register
The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. Descriptions of agency organization, procedures for the public to obtain information, statements of agency function, rules of procedure, descriptions of agency forms, substantive rules of general applicability and statements of general policy, and any changes in material required to be published are available through the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
Financial, Actuarial and Statistical Data
The RRB Financial, Actuarial and Statistical Data webpage consists of the following sections:
- Annual Railroad Retirement Act and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act Data
- Budget and Financial Reports: Current and Projected
- Earnings Limits, Tax Rates and COLA's
- Monthly and Quarterly Railroad Retirement Act and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act Data
- Performance and Accountability Reports
Forms and Publications
The Railroad Retirement Handbook provides a comprehensive single source of authoritative information on the development and character of the railroad retirement and railroad unemployment insurance systems. The Benefit Forms and Publications webpage provides information on Unemployment & Sickness Benefits, Retirement & Survivor Benefits, Medicare, Income Tax, Protests and Appeals, and Work/Earnings. The Employer Forms and Publications webpage provides content from the Exhibits Section of the Labor Reporting, Employer Reporting and Sickness Reporting Instructions, and publications in the format of Employer Exchange Newsletters and Office of the Labor Member Questions and Answers.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The RRB is required under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to disclose records requested in writing by any person. However, we may withhold information under certain exemptions and exclusions provided by the statute. In addition, the Railroad Retirement Act, the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, and the Privacy Act restrict disclosure of information about individuals.
Information Dissemination
In accordance with Section 3506(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act and Section 515 of Public Law 106-554 the RRB has developed a procedure to allow one to seek and obtain correction of certain information RRB maintains and disseminates. Procedures to seek correction of information under section 515 do not replace other established procedures for challenges to disseminated information. Challenges to information disseminated in the course of rulemaking should be made through the channels established for that purpose.
IMPAC Credit Card Holders List
The RRB receives frequent requests under the Freedom of Information Act for a list of the IMPAC credit card holders at the agency. In accord with section 4 of the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996 (P.L. 104-231), the RRB posts the list of credit card holders.
News Releases
The RRB News webpage provides access to periodic news releases distributed to editors of railway publications and major newspapers, officials of railway management and labor, and requesting agencies and organizations in and outside of the Federal Government.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The RRB is essentially compliant with the information dissemination requirements of the PRA.
Privacy Act - Privacy Act Systems of Records
The RRB Privacy Act webpage provides information on one's right to records which the RRB maintains about individuals, including individuals in the railroad industry. The text of all of the RRB's Privacy Act Systems of Records, as published in the Federal Register, are available for study.
Records Management
The RRB records schedules are in transition. We will post updated RRB records schedules to www.rrb.gov upon completion of all remaining NARA Bulletin 2006-02-related RRB/NARA appraisal work later in FY 2010.
RRBVision
The RRBVision service allows users to view video presentations with accompanying training materials, such as PowerPoint presentations or online screens. Presentations can be viewed in real time or saved for later viewing. These presentations covered instructions in filing for sickness and unemployment benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, filing for retirement benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act, completing a variety of compensation-reporting forms and navigating the Board's Web site.