Press Releases | RRB.Gov

RRB Names New Director of Retirement and Survivor Benefits

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has selected Letitia C. Carthans as the agency’s next Director of Retirement and Survivor Benefits, effective January 3, 2022. She will replace Valerie Allen, who is retiring after more than 31 years of RRB service.

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RRB Names Arturo Cardenas as Director of Programs

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has named Arturo Cardenas as the agency’s Director of Programs.

In that position, Mr. Cardenas will oversee all operations to process and pay benefits administered by the agency. He will also serve on the RRB’s Executive Committee, which is responsible for day-to-day operations of the agency and making policy recommendations to the three-member Board.

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RRB Names Mark Blythe as Director of Field Service

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has appointed Mark Blythe as its Director of Field Service, effective May 24, 2021. He replaces Daniel J. Fadden, who was named the RRB’s Director of Administration in January 2021.

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RRB Appoints Keith T. Sartain as Chief Actuary

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has appointed Keith T. Sartain as its Chief Actuary, effective February 15, 2021.

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RRB Names Nancy L. Bitzer as Director of Human Resources

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has appointed Nancy L. Bitzer as Director of Human Resources, effective January 31, 2021.

In this position, Ms. Bitzer is responsible for administering the agency’s staffing, recruitment, workforce planning, employee relations, labor relations, benefits, HR operations, and training and development programs for RRB employees. Before her new appointment, she served as Chief of Human Services/Labor Relations at the RRB since September 2013.

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RRB Plans Improved Access to Toll-Free Service

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has developed two changes to the agency’s nationwide toll-free telephone system that should improve customers’ access to agency staff and services. The changes will take effect on February 15.

To address lengthy wait times for callers on our toll free number ((877)772-5772), the RRB is adding a virtual hold function and increasing our total hours of availability beginning with the week of February 15, 2021.

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RRB Names Director of Hearings and Appeals

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has appointed Spiridoula Mavrothalasitis as Director of Hearings and Appeals. In this position, Ms. Mavrothalasitis will be responsible for overseeing reviews of unfavorable claims determinations by hearings officers in the agency's Bureau of Hearings and Appeals. The bureau is responsible for handling appeals on a nationwide basis in order to issue decisions in a timely, efficient manner. Her appointment was effective September 14.

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Q&A: Unemployment and Sickness Benefits for Railroad Employees

The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), which provides qualified railroaders 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. Sickness benefits are also payable to female railroad workers when they are unable to work because of health conditions related to pregnancy, miscarriage, or childbirth.

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RRB Begins Paying CARES Act Recovery Payments for Unemployed Rail Workers

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, recently signed into law by President Trump, authorized a “recovery payment” for unemployed railroad workers in the amount of $1,200 per 2-week registration period. After making necessary programming changes to claims processing systems, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) started making the payments on the evening of May 28.

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RRB Pays Extended Unemployment Benefits under CARES Act

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, recently signed into law by President Trump, authorized extended unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for railroad workers sidelined during the COVID-19 pandemic. After making necessary programming changes to agency systems, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) began processing and paying extended benefits on May 11.

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