TN 10 (12-17)

A career RR case involves a disability claim filed by a railroad worker who is eligible for or entitled to a Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) annuity. A worker with:

• at least 120 months of creditable RR service or

• at least 60 months after December 31, 1995, meets this requirement.

A dependent RR annuitant is someone who is eligible for or entitled to a survivor disability annuity with the RRB and files a disability claim with the Social Security Administration (SSA) under another social security number (SSN). See DI 11050.005 Categories of Railroad (RR) Claims.

• The disability determination services (DDS) and State DHU do not have jurisdiction for career RR or surviving dependent RR annuitant cases.

• If the DDS receives an RR case involving reconsideration of medical cessation or reconsideration of adverse reopenings, the DDS will send the case to Great Lakes Program Service Center-Disability Processing Branch (GLPSC-DPB). See DI 29005.020 Career Railroad and Railroad Annuitant Reconsideration Continuing Disability Review (CDR) Requests.

• If the State DHU receives a misrouted career RR or surviving dependent RR annuitant case for a disability hearing, the State DHU will send the case to the Federal DHU in the appropriate regional office (RO). Determine the DHU of jurisdiction by the individual's residence address and the RO that includes that location.

• If GLPSC-DPB cannot issue a fully favorable determination on either type of case, the Federal disability hearing officer (DHO) in the RO must conduct a disability hearing.

• GLPSC-DPB forwards the case to the RO-DHU for a Federal disability hearing.

• GLPSC-DPB coordinates the Federal DHO decision with RRB.