RRB announces Spring 2015 dates for informational conferences and new pre-retirement seminars
CLEVELAND, February 26 — The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced a schedule of dates for the agency’s spring 2015 Informational Conferences and Pre-Retirement Seminars.
Informational Conferences will be held in 22 locations across the country, beginning March 13 in California. Started nearly 60 years ago by the RRB’s Office of the Labor Member, the conferences provide rail union officers with a comprehensive overview of the provisions and financing of the railroad retirement and unemployment insurance systems. These officials, in turn, pass on to their fellow rail labor membership the information acquired at the conferences.
Pre-Retirement Seminars are planned for several locations during the spring, with the first to be held April 17 in Albuquerque, N.M. Designed for railroad employees and spouses planning to retire within five years or less, the seminars familiarize attendees with the retirement benefits available to them, and also guide them through the application process. The program began in 2014 on a pilot basis.
Informational Conferences are open to union officials and their spouses by invitation only. Labor representatives who do not receive an invitation to a conference in their area should contact the RRB toll-free at (877) 772-5772 and request that they be added to the agency’s invitation database. Registration for each conference begins at 8 a.m., with the program starting at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at 12:15 p.m.
Pre-Retirement Seminars are open to the railroad public. However, persons wishing to attend are asked to print and complete a registration form, which is available by visiting the RRB’s website at www.rrb.gov, and selecting the Office of the Labor Member’s Educational Materials link in the Spotlight section of the home page. Seminar space is limited and registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Completed forms should be mailed or faxed to the RRB office listed on the form as soon as possible. Check-in for each seminar begins at 8 a.m., with the program starting at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at 12:30 p.m.
Individuals who have not previously submitted documents required when filing a railroad retirement annuity application, such as proofs of age, marriage, or military service, are encouraged to bring this material (original documents or certified copies required) to the seminar. Attendees should also bring along an additional copy of each item to leave with the RRB field personnel leading the seminars.
Those unable to attend the seminars but still seeking pre-retirement information should contact the RRB. Individual retirement counseling is available in person at an agency field office, or by phone by contacting the RRB toll-free at (877) 772-5772.
Dates and locations for the agency’s fall schedule of Informational Conferences and Pre-Retirement Seminars will be released this summer.
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Spring 2015 Informational Conference Schedule
March 2015
March 13 • Baldwin Park, Calif.
Courtyard by Marriott, 14635 Baldwin Park Towne Center
March 20 • Pikesville, Md.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Baltimore North-Pikesville, 1726 Reisterstown Rd.
March 27 • Oakland, Calif.
Ronald V. Dellums Federal Bldg., Edward R. Roybal Auditorum & Conference Center, 5th Floor, North Tower Room H, 1301 Clay St.
March 27 • Birmingham, Ala.
Birmingham/Jefferson Convention Complex, Medical Forum Bldg., Meeting Room C, 950 22nd St., North
April 2015
April 10 • Williamsburg, Va.
Fort Magruder Hotel & Conference Center, 6945 Pocahontas Trail
April 16 • Garden City, N.Y.
The Garden City Hotel, 45 Seventh St.
April 17 • Parsippany, N.J.
Sheraton Parsippany Hotel, 199 Smith Road
April 17 • St. Louis, Mo.
Drury Inn & Suites-St. Louis Forest Park, 2111 Sulphur Ave.
April 24 • St. Paul, Minn.
Corporate Conference Center, 2nd Floor, 180 E. 5th St.
April 24 • Romulus, Mich.
Holiday Inn Romulus, 8400 Merriman Rd.
May 2015
May 8 • Ashland, Neb.
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, 28500 West Park Highway
May 8 • Little Rock, Ark.
Presidential Conference Center, Comfort Inn & Suites, 707 Interstate 30, Frontage Rd.
May 15 • Kansas City, Mo.
Sheet Metal Workers Local Union No. 2, 2902 Blue Ridge Blvd.
May 15 • Parma, Ohio
Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 33, 12515 Corporate Dr.
May 29 • Lakewood, Colo.
Holiday Inn Lakewood, 7390 West Hampden Ave.
May 29 • Cincinnati, Ohio
Conference Center, 23rd Floor, 525 Vine St.
June 2015
June 5 • Billings, Mont.
Hilton Garden Inn Billings, 2465 Grant Rd.
June 5 • Indianapolis, Ind.
LaQuinta Inn & Suites, 5120 Victory Dr. (I-465 & South Emerson Ave.)
June 12 • Portland, Ore.
Hilton Garden Inn, Portland Airport, 12048 NE Airport Way
June 12 • Barboursville, W.Va.
Holiday Inn & Suites, 3551 U.S. Route 60 E
June 19 • Tinley Park, Ill.
Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Dr.
June 19 • Fargo, N.D.
Best Western Plus Kelly Inn & Suites, 1767 S. 44th St.
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Spring 2015 Pre-Retirement Seminar Schedule
Please visit the Office of the Labor Member’s section of the RRB home page for registration forms and contact information for the following seminars.
April 17 • Albuquerque, N.M.
U.S. Courthouse, 421 Gold Ave. SW, Room 410
April 22 • Salt Lake City, Utah
Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 South State Street, Room 5102
May 6 • Indianapolis, Ind.
United Transportation Union, 619 East St. Clair Street
May 15 • Central Islip, N.Y.
Alfonse M. D’Amato U.S. Courthouse
175 Federal Plaza, GSA Training Room
May 15 • Phoenix, Ariz.
Sheet Metal Workers Local #359, 2604 E. Adams St.
June 5 • Des Moines, Iowa
UAW Local 450, 4589 Northwest 6th Drive
June 19 • Atlanta, Ga.
Peachtree Summit Federal Building, Summit Exchange, 1st Floor
Thursday, February 26, 2015
bentley@ble-t.org