To
view and download the Customer Service Plan in
PDF you need Acrobat Reader version 5.0 or higher. Download
a free copy of the latest version of
Acrobat Reader now.
Standards
- We will be courteous and
treat you with respect every time you contact us.
- The information you provide
us is protected under the provisions of the Privacy
Act.
- When you inquire with us
by letter, you will receive
a reply within 15 days of the date we receive your
inquiry. If for any reason we cannot reply within
that time frame, we will acknowledge your letter
and tell you how long it will be before we can answer
your questions fully.
- If you filed for a railroad
retirement employee or spouse annuity in advance,
you will receive your first payment, or a decision,
within 35 days of the beginning date of your annuity.
If you have not filed in advance, you will receive
your first payment, or a decision, within 65 days
of the date you filed your application.
- If you filed for a railroad
retirement survivor annuity or lump-sum benefit,
you will receive your first payment, or a decision,
within 65 days of the date you filed your application,
or become entitled to benefits, if later. If you
are already receiving a spouse annuity, you will
receive your first payment, or a decision, within
35 days of the date we receive notice of the employee's
death.
- If you filed an application
for unemployment or sickness insurance benefits,
you will receive a claim form, or a decision, within
15 days of the date you filed your application.
- If you filed a claim for
unemployment or sickness insurance benefits, you
will receive your payment, or a decision, within
15 days of the date we receive your claim form.
- If you filed for a railroad
retirement disability annuity, you will receive
a decision within 105 days of the date you filed
your application. If you are entitled to disability
benefits, you will receive your first payment within
25 days of the date of our decision, or earliest
payment date, whichever is later.
- If you think we made the
wrong decision about your benefits, you have the
right to ask for review and to appeal. We will tell
you about these rights each time we make an unfavorable
decision about your benefits.
- Claims for some benefits
may take longer to handle than others if they are
more complex, or if we have to get information from
other people or organizations. If this happens,
we will give you an explanation and an estimate
of the time required to make a decision
Openness
- We will display in each
office how well we are meeting the established standards.
- When you visit our offices,
the staff you see will identify themselves by name.
- When you telephone us,
we will identify ourselves by name.
- Our letters will be easy
to understand, and, unless the letter is a computer
notice, the person writing to you will give you
his or her name
Accessibility
- When you telephone us,
you will reach us on the first try.
- When visiting us, you will
be helped within 5 minutes of your scheduled appointment.
- You will not have to wait
more than 30 minutes if you do not have an appointment.
- If you cannot come to our
office, we may be able to visit you at home or at
one of our regularly scheduled service locations.
Accountability
- If things go wrong, at
the very least you are entitled to a good explanation
and an apology.
- A Customer Assessment Survey
form is available in every office for you to tell
us how we did and how we can improve our service.
- If you are not satisfied
with our service, you may contact the manager of
the office with which you have been dealing, or
the Regional Director who is responsible for that
office. Their names and addresses are available
in each office.
For more information on
the RRB and its programs, visit the agency's web site
at www.rrb.gov. A toll-free automated Help
Line is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week at 1-800-808-0772. Railroad employees can use the
Help Line to obtain information on unemployment-sickness
benefits or statements of creditable service and compensation,
and railroad retirement beneficiaries can use it to
verify their current monthly benefit rate or secure
a replacement Medicare card. Information on the locations
of the RRB's field
offices is also available on the Help Line.
The
U.S. Railroad Retirement Board recognizes that all
its services are financed by our customers: the nation's
railroad workers and employers. They are entitled
to expect high quality service, responsive to their
needs, provided efficiently at a reasonable cost.
This has been recognized in the agency mission statement:
In carrying out
its mission, the RRB will pay benefits to the right
people, in the right amounts, in a timely manner,
and safeguard our customers' trust funds. The RRB
will treat every person who comes into contact with
the agency with courtesy and concern, and respond
to all inquiries promptly, accurately and clearly.
The Customer
Service Plan is centered on the following principles
of public service: standards; openness; accessibility;
and accountability. In arriving at this plan, we have
considered the findings of a customer satisfaction
survey, the results of focus group research, and the
responses received on point-of-service evaluation
forms. This Customer Service Plan is published nationally
and posted in each office of the RRB in order to communicate
these standards to our customers and to reinforce
them with our employees. There is a clear presumption
that our service will progressively improve as our
operations become more efficient. The plan will be
reviewed and updated periodically as we gain more
experience with it and as we compare our service with
the best in the private sector.
|