To receive sickness benefits you must:
- be unable to work due to sickness, injury, pregnancy, or the birth of a child;
- receive no wages, salary, pay for time lost, vacation pay, holiday pay, military reservist pay, pay under a wage continuation plan, sick pay or other remuneration from railroad or nonrailroad employment for the days you claim benefits. You must report such pay on your claim. However, payments under your own health or accident insurance policy, or group insurance policy, or under a supplemental sickness benefit plan administered by your employer or an insurance company do not prevent the payment of sickness benefits and should not be reported on your claim forms (see the section Sick Pay and Supplemental Sickness Benefits);
- obtain Form SI-1a, Application for Sickness Benefits from your employer, labor organization, or RRB office;
- have your doctor complete Form SI-1b, Statement of Sickness in support of your claim for sickness benefits; and
- complete and file the Application for Sickness Benefits (SI-1ab) within 10 days of the first day you become sick or injured. You may lose benefits if you file late. An application is considered filed on the day it is received by any office of the RRB.