Policy and Systems

Refuse Suitable Work/Fail to Apply for Work

If you refuse to accept suitable work, or fail to follow instructions to apply for work, or to report to a State employment office, or to a RRB office for an interview, you may be disqualified for unemployment benefits for 30 days.

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Voluntary Quit

Voluntary Quit Without Good Cause - If you leave either your railroad job or nonrailroad work voluntarily and the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) determines you left without good cause, you will be disqualified for railroad unemployment benefits until you return to railroad work and earn wages sufficient to qualify for benefits again.

Voluntary Quit With Good Cause - If you leave either railroad or nonrailroad work voluntarily and the RRB determines you had good cause for doing so, you will be disqualified from

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Separation Allowance (severance pay, buyout)

If you have been paid a separation allowance by your employer, you cannot receive unemployment or sickness benefits for roughly the period of time it would have taken you to earn the amount of the allowance.

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Disqualifications

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Benefit Reductions

Benefits are not payable to you in the full amount if you are also receiving:

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Interviews

In order to establish your eligibility for benefits and to explain your rights and responsibilities in claiming benefits, you may be required to personally report to a Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) representative for an interview. The RRB representative will also answer any questions you may have about your benefits.

The RRB's authority for conducting such interviews is contained in the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. Failure to report for an interview could result in a loss of benefits for 30 days if you do not have a good reason for failing to report.

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Requirements

To receive unemployment benefits you must:

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Eligibility

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Strike Benefits

If you are unemployed because of a strike, benefits are not payable for your first 14 days of unemployment due to the strike. If a strike is in violation of the Railway Labor Act or is not authorized by the national office of the striking labor organization, unemployment benefits are not payable to employees participating in the strike. However, employees not among those participating in an illegal strike, but who are unemployed because of the strike, may receive benefits after the first 2 weeks of the strike.

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Number of Days of Unemployment

After you have satisfied the benefit year waiting period requirement, benefits are generally paid for days of unemployment over 4 in 14-day claim periods.

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