*update* RRB & CARWA
2-20-2021
GO-953 Officers:
This email is about how Unemployment works with CARWA - "Continued Assistance to Rail Workers Act" of 2020, the legislation that was enacted in late 2020. These rules are only in effect for the rest of the benefit year that ends on June 30, 2021.
I have talked to several Furloughed rails who have received both their $300 weekly benefit and the full $80 per day Unemployment benefit. But I have also sent half a dozen furloughed rails to the RRB to get their benefits paid. If there is a problem with RRB Unemployment pay, the rail needs to contact the RRB and get it straitened out. I have added the easiest way to to contact the RRB to the bottom of this email.
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RRB Unemployment
The current benefit year for Unemployment started on July 1st, 2020. It is based on earnings of at least $4,012.50 during the 2019 work year, with no more than $1605 going towards that total in any one month. If 2019 was the rails first year of work, then the rail must have at least 5 months of creditable service in 2019.
Unemployment will be paid at $80 per day, until a month after the President declares an end to the Covid Virus Emergency . When you are off work, There is no wait period for benefits to begin until March 14th.
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Claims for RR Unemployment is for a 2 week checking period. 10 days is the maximum payable per 14 days. Each day a rail works, they lose a day of unemployment, as long as the rail's total compensation (from work at any job) for that 2 week checking period, is less than $1605.
If a rail has any Unemployment claim between December 27th thru March 14th, it only takes 1 day of claimable Unemployment during that 2 week checking period to qualify for the $600 CARWA benefit ($300 each week). This benefit is in addition to the $80 a day Unemployment claim.
Example: Rail is off work from January 1st - January 14th. The claim would be for $800 in Unemployment and another $600 in CARWA benefit for $1400 for the 2 week period.
Example: Rail is off Rail work between January 1st - January 14th. The unemployed rail found a part time job where he worked 9 days of this 2 week checking period, making less than $1605. The amount he would receive would be $600 in weekly CARWA benefit and $80 Unemployment.
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If a rail runs out of Unemployment (130 Days), during the benefit year (7-1-202 thru 6-30-2021) before April 5th of 2021, then an additional 55 days of benefits will be available, but for just 6 - 2 week checking periods.
Example: if a rail has less than 10 years of service, is furloughed and collects 130 days of unemployment benefits, as of March 1, 2021, then that rail could claim no more than 55 additional days of benefits, but make no unemployment claims for a date past May 24.
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If a rail runs out of Unemployment (130 Days), and that rail qualifies for a regular 65 day unemployment extension of benefits, that total of 185 days of benefits must be exhausted before April 5th in order to receive the CARWA extension of 55 days of Unemployment. If the CARWA extension is qualified for, then it must be taken in the next 6 - 2 Week checking periods.
Example: A rail with 12 years of service goes on Unemployment on 7-1-2020. That rail takes 130 days of benefits by 1-1-2021. Then starts the 65 day extension of benefits. The rail uses up the 65 days of unemployment on April 1st. The rail is working a part time job 3 days a week. Over the next 6 - 2 week checking period the rail would be entitled to 4 days of unemployment per 2 week checking period, for $320 unemployment and $600 CARWA weekly benefit. At the end of the 6th 2 week checking period, ending on June 12th, the rail would be out of benefits. It does not matter if the rail only claimed 24 days of unemployment. There are no additional claims allowed after the 6th - 2 week checking period once the CARWA extension begins.
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Contacting the RRB.
Go to RRB.GOV
click on Field Office Locator
Find office nearest you
scroll down and find that office in "US Offices" box
click on get info
scroll down to secure message
click and fill out. - A real person will CALL you when they have your issue researched.
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Talk about complicated!!! It took several hours of reading and asking questions to put this email together. Hope this makes the current Rail Unemployment more understandable.
Fraternally Yours,
Larry J. Romine
Reliable Retirement Solutions
541-910-4568
