Under the Railroad Retirement Act, a current connection with the railroad industry is one of the eligibility requirements for occupational disability annuities, and is one of the factors that determine whether the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) or the Social Security Administration has jurisdiction over the payment of monthly benefits to survivors of a railroad employee. It is also one of the eligibility requirements for supplemental annuities.
Click here to read the questions and answers release from the RRB that describes the current connection requirement and the ways the requirement can be met.