The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), which provides qualified railroad workers with unemployment benefits when they become unemployed but are ready, willing, and able to work, and sickness benefits when they cannot work because of sickness or injury. A new unemployment and sickness benefit year — the 12-month period during which the RRB makes benefit payments for days of unemployment and sickness to eligible railroad employees — generally begins each July 1 and ends on June 30 of the next year.
The RRB has prepared an informative list of questions and answers (Q&As) to help explain the basics of the RUIA program. Topics include eligibility requirements, benefit rates, and how to apply for and claim these benefits. Also, the Q&As describe unemployment benefit situations that are unique to train and engine service employees and extra board employees, which should be of particular interest to BLET members.
To read the full Q&A, please visit the RRB website.