The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) can pay a lump-sum death payment only if the employee:
- was employed in the railroad industry for at least 120 months; or at least 60 months after 1995; and
- had a current connection with the railroad industry; that is, there was no regular employment outside of the railroad industry between the time when the employee left the railroad industry and the time of retirement (or death if the employee never retired).
If the employee was alive on October 1, 1981, we will consider that there is a current connection with the railroad industry, if the employee:
- stopped working in the railroad industry involuntarily and without cause on or after October 1, 1975; and
- had at least 25 years of service; and
- did not decline an offer to return to work in the same class or craft as his or her last railroad service.