Public Affairs | RRB.Gov

TERM	DEFINITION
Accelerated Unemployment or Sickness Insurance Benefits	Payable if employee with 10 years of service does not have sufficient earnings to qualify for unemployment-sickness insurance benefits in current benefit y

Educational Materials

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We provide informational kits full of handouts and other helpful resources to those who attend our Pre-Retirement Seminars. The following are links to online and downloadable versions of items included in program kits:

Featured Items

2025 Informational Handbook

Pre-Retirement Seminars

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Thinking of retiring soon?

We designed this program to help educate those nearing retirement about the benefits available to them, and what they can expect during the application process.

Congressional Contacts

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The Congressional Inquiry section of the Railroad Retirement Board'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.

Carl Mende
Supervisory Congressional Inquiry Specialist

Media Contact

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The Railroad Retirements Board's Director of Public Affairs is responsible for coordinating responses to media inquiries concerning the agency and the programs it administers.

Elizabeth H. Mocek
Acting Director of Public Affairs
opa@rrb.gov

Guía para la jubilación de ferroviários/ as y beneficios de sobrevivientes

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Medicare for Railroad Workers and Their Families

This booklet is issued for general information. It does not cover certain limitations, exceptions, and special cases. It is presented to you section by section as it appears in print.

Why You Should Read This Booklet
The Medicare program covers railroad workers just like workers under social security. Railroad retirement payroll taxes include a Medicare hospital insurance tax just like social security payroll taxes.

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Q&A: Comparison of Benefits Under Railroad Retirement and Social Security

Annuity rates under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) are generally higher than the benefit rates paid under the Social Security Act, especially for railroad employees who have 30 or more years of creditable railroad service. These higher rates can be attributed to the additional retirement taxes paid by employers and employees covered under the RRA.

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Agency Overview

The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is an independent agency in the executive branch of the federal government. The RRB’s primary function is to administer comprehensive retirement-survivor annuities and unemployment-sickness benefits for the nation’s railroad workers and their families, under the Railroad Retirement and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Acts. As part of the retirement program, the RRB also has administrative responsibilities under the Social Security Act for certain benefit payments and railroad workers’ Medicare coverage.

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Events That Can Affect Your Disability Benefits

Glossary of RRB Terms