When RRB receives an application for a disability annuity and determines that the employee does not have 120 months of RR service (or 60 months of RR service after December 31, 1995):

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  RRB transfers the disability application and all pertinent claims material to the FO.

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  The FO processes the claim as a non-vested RR worker case. See Jurisdiction of Disability Applications Filed by Non-Vested Railroad (RR) Employees and Auxiliary Dependent RR Annuitants, DI 11050.010.

An application for a disability annuity filed with the RRB is deemed to be a freeze application with SSA.

In these cases a joint RRB-SSA freeze determination is made if there is present or potential entitlement to RSDI benefits.

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  RRB sends a notice of determination to the claimant. Branch 2A of Disability Case Review (DCR) receives two copies of the joint freeze determination.

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  DCR scans one copy of the joint freeze SSA 831 into their paperless processing system (PPC). The second copy is used for statistical and coding purposes.

In those cases in which an RRB disability annuitant appears eligible for DIB and apparently has not filed a DIB claim, DCR sends a memorandum to the servicing FO requesting they contact the NH. The FO should treat the DCR request as a claims lead, and:

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  Contact the NH and suggest immediate filing when there is any reasonable possibility that there may be DIB eligibility.

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  Screen for SSI eligibility.

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  If neither a DIB nor SSI application is filed, return the memorandum to DCR explaining why the NH does not want to file a DIB and/or SSI application.