# Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
**AGENCY:**
United States Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).
**ACTION:**
Notice of a modified system of records.
**SUMMARY:**
RRB-7, Applications for Unemployment Benefits and Placement Service under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act is used to store application data for railroad workers who apply for unemployment benefits and placement service.
**DATES:**
This system of records notice (SORN) will become effective upon its publication, except for the routine uses that have been modified as part of this modification, which will be effective at the end of a public comment period of 30 days from the date of publication. Please submit written comments on or before January 5, 2026.
**ADDRESSES:**
Interested parties may comment on this publication by writing to Ms. Stephanie Hillyard, Secretary to the Board, U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Mr. Chad Peek, Chief Privacy Officer, U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275, telephone 312-751-3389 or email at *[email protected].*
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Circular No. A-108, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has completed a review of its Privacy Act systems of records and proposes to modify a current RRB system of records titled RRB-7, Applications for Unemployment Benefits and Placement Service under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. The proposed modification to the system of records pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) adds the following categories of users to its Routine Uses section: Congressional representatives, contractors working for the federal government, law enforcement, other federal agencies and entities pertaining to breach notification, National Archives, and attorney representatives.
By Authority of the Board.
Dated: December 3, 2025.
Stephanie Hillyard,
Secretary to the Board.
**SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:**
RRB-7, Applications for Unemployment Benefits and Placement Service under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act.
**SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:**
Unclassified.
**SYSTEM LOCATION:**
U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275.
**SYSTEM MANAGER(S):**
Office of Programs—Director of Policy and Systems, U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275.
**AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:**
Section 12(l) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (45 U.S.C. 362(l)).
**PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:**
The purpose of this system of records is to be used as an individual's UI file. The records contained in the file are pertinent to the individual's claim for unemployment benefits under the RUIA.
**CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:**
Individuals who have applied for unemployment benefits and employment service.
**CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:**
Name, address, account number, age, sex, education, employer, occupation, rate of pay, reason not working and last date worked, personal interview record, results of investigations, and electronic mail address.
**RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:**
Individual applicant or their authorized representative, present and former employers, state and federal departments of employment security, Social Security Administration, and labor organizations.
**ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:**
In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records or information contained in this system may be disclosed to authorized entities, as is determined to be relevant and necessary, outside RRB as a routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
a. Disclosure may be made to a congressional office from the record of an individual in response to an inquiry from the congressional office made at the request of that individual if that individual would not be denied access to the information.
b. Disclosure may be made to contractors, grantees, experts, consultants, students, and others performing or working on a contract, service, grant, cooperative agreement, or other assignment for RRB, to the extent necessary to accomplish an RRB function related to this system of records.
c. Disclosure may be made to the appropriate agency, whether federal, state, local, or foreign, charged with the responsibility of investigating, enforcing, or prosecuting a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general statute or particular program statute, or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, rule, regulation, or order issued pursuant thereto, if the disclosure would be to an agency engaged in functions related to the Railroad Retirement Act or the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, or if disclosure would be clearly in the furtherance of the interest of the subject individual.
d. To another federal agency or federal entity, when the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board determines that information from this system of records is reasonably necessary to assist the recipient agency or entity in (1) responding to a suspected or confirmed breach or (2) preventing, minimizing, or remedying the risk of harm to individuals, the recipient agency or entity (including its information systems, programs, and operations), the federal government, or national security, resulting from a suspected or confirmed breach.
e. To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when (1) the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of the system of records; (2) the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board has determined that because of the suspected or confirmed breach there is a risk of harm to individuals, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (including its information systems, programs, and operations), the federal government, or national security; and (3) the disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to assist in connection with the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board's efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed breach or to prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm.
f. Disclosure may be made to the National Archives and Records Administration or other federal government agencies for records management inspections being conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
g. Disclosure of non-medical information in this system of records may be made to the attorney representing such individual upon receipt of a written letter or declaration stating the fact of representation, if that individual would not be denied access to the information. Medical information may be released to an attorney when such records are requested for the purpose of contesting a determination either administratively or judicially.
h. Selected information may be disclosed to prospective employers for potential job placement.
i. In the event the Board has determined to designate a person to be the representative payee of an incompetent beneficiary, disclosure of information concerning the benefit amount and other similar information may be made to the representative payee from the record of the individual.
j. Beneficiary identification and entitlement information may be released to third party contacts to determine if the inability of the beneficiary or potential beneficiary to understand or use benefits exists, and to determine the suitability of a proposed representative payee.
k. A record from this system of records may be disclosed to a federal agency, in response to its request, in connection with the hiring or retention of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the reporting of an investigation of an employee, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant, or other benefit by the requesting agency, to the extent that the information is relevant and necessary to the requesting agency's decision on the matter, provided that disclosure would be clearly in the furtherance of the interest of the subject individual.
l. Beneficiary identification, entitlement, and benefit rate information may be released to the Treasury Department to control for reclamation and return of outstanding benefit payments, to issue benefit payments, reconcile reports of non-delivery and to ensure delivery of payments to the correct address or account of the beneficiary or representative payee.
m. Information may be referred to the U.S. Postal Service for investigation of alleged forgery or theft of railroad unemployment or sickness benefit checks.
n. Beneficiary identification, entitlement, and benefit rate information may be released to the Social Security Administration, Bureau of Supplemental Security Income, and to federal, state, and local welfare or public aid agencies to assist them in processing applications for benefits under their respective programs.
o. The last addresses and employer information may be disclosed to Department of Health and Human Services in conjunction with the Parent Locator Service.
p. Identifying information such as full name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, employee identification number, and date last worked, may be released to any last employer to verify entitlement for benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act.
q. Pursuant to a request from an employer covered by the Railroad Retirement Act or the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, information regarding the Board's payment of unemployment or sickness benefits, the methods by which such benefits are calculated, entitlement data and present address will be released to the requesting employer for the purposes of determining entitlement to and rates of private supplemental pension, sickness or unemployment benefits and to calculate estimated benefits due.
r. Information from the record of the individual concerning their benefit or anticipated benefit and concerning the method of calculating that benefit may be disclosed to an official of a labor organization of which the individual is a member, if the disclosure is made at the request of, and on behalf of, the individual.
s. Records may be disclosed in a court proceeding relating to any claims for benefits by the beneficiary under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act and may be disclosed during an administrative appeal to individuals who need the records to prosecute or decide the appeal or to individuals who are requested to provide information related to an issue involved in the appeal.
t. Records may be disclosed to the U.S. Department of the Treasury when disclosure of the information is relevant to review payment and award eligibility through the Do Not Pay Working System for the purposes of identifying, preventing, or recouping improper payments to an applicant for, or recipient of, Federal funds, including funds disbursed by a state (meaning a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession of the United States, or a federally recognized Indian tribe) in a state-administered, federally funded program.
**POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:**
Paper records will be stored in file cabinets or at approved National Archives and Records Administration records centers. Electronic records are maintained on computer servers, computer hard drives, electronic databases, email, and FedRAMP approved cloud information systems.
**POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:**
Information from the system will be retrievable by Social Security number.
**POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:**
In routine cases, held for three years after the end of the benefit year in which it originated. In those with adverse activities (claims denied), held for five years after end of benefit year in which originated. At end of both periods, files are destroyed in accordance with NIST guidance.
*Paper:* Destroy 180 days after it is scanned into the system or after completion of the quality assurance process, whichever is later.
*Electronic media:* Storage drives and IBM zCloud storage: Continually updated and permanently retained. When storage drives and IBM zCloud storage or other electronic media are no longer serviceable, they are sanitized in accordance with NIST guidelines.
**ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:**
*Paper:* Maintained in areas not accessible to the public in locking filing cabinets. Access is limited to authorized RRB employees. Offices are locked during non-business hours. The building has 24-hour on-site security officers, closed circuit television monitoring and intrusion detection systems.
*Electronic media:* Computer, computer storage rooms and IBM zCloud storage are restricted to authorized personnel; on-line query safeguards include a lock/unlock password system, a terminal oriented transaction matrix, role-based access controls and audit trail. For electronic records, system securities are established in accordance with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines, including network monitoring, defenses in depth, incident response and forensics. In addition to the on-line query safeguards, they include encryption of all data transmitted and exclusive use of leased telephone lines.
**RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:**
Under 5 U.S.C. 552a (Privacy Act of 1974), individuals have the right to access and contest records maintained about them. To access or amend your records, submit a written request to the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) with:
1. Your identifying information
2. A description of the record you wish to access
The RRB may request proof of identity. To correct a record, specify the change and provide justification. If denied, you can submit a statement of disagreement to be included with the record.
**CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:**
For additional instructions, see the Record Access Procedures and Notification Procedures sections.
**NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:**
Requests for information regarding an individual's record should be in writing addressed to the System Manager identified above, including the full name and Social Security number and claim number of the individual. Before information about any record is released, the System Manager may require the individual to provide proof of identity or require the requester to furnish an authorization from the individual to permit release of information.
**EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:**
None.
**HISTORY:**
System of Records Notice revision from previous September 30, 2014 *Federal Register* notice 79 FR 58880.