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tion (without regard to any limitation on the amount of compensation otherwise provided in this Act) for service rendered anywhere to an employer subsequent to December 31, 1936. Where the "years of service" include only part of the service prior to January 1, 1937, the part included shall be taken in reverse order beginning with the last calendar month of such service.

(4) Where for any calendar year after 1984 an individual has performed service for compensation in less than twelve months of the calendar year but has received compensation in excess of an amount determined by multiplying the number of months in the year in which such individual performed service for compensation by an amount equal to one-twelfth of the current maximum annual taxable "wages" as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the individual shall be deemed to have rendered service for compensation in that number of months in the calendar year, but not to exceed twelve, which is equal to the quotient of the amount of such individual's compensation for the calendar year divided by an amount equal to one-twelfth of the current maximum annual taxable "wages" as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with any remainder produced by this computation increasing the quotient by one, but an individual shall not be deemed under this subdivision to have rendered service for compensation in any month in which such individual was neither in an employment relation to one or more employers nor an employee representative.

(j) The "average monthly compensation" shall be computed in the manner specified in section 3(b) of this Act, except (1) that with respect to service prior to January 1, 1937, the monthly compensation shall be the average compensation paid to an employee with respect to calendar months included in his years of service in the years 1924-1931, and (2) the amount of compensation paid or attributable as paid to him with respect to each month of service before September 1941 as a station employee whose duties consisted of or included the carrying of passengers' hand baggage and otherwise assisting passengers at passenger stations and whose remuneration for service to the employer was, in whole or in substantial part, in the forms of tips, shall be the monthly average of the compensation paid to him as a station employee in his months of service in the period September 1940 through August 1941: Provided, however, That where service in the period 1924 through 1931 in the one case, or in the period September 1940 through August 1941 in the other case, is, in the judgment of the Board, insufficient to constitute a fair and equitable basis for determing the amount of compensation paid or attributable as paid to him in each month of service before 1937, or September 1941, respectively, the Board shall determine the amount of such compensation for each such month in such manner as in its judgment shall be fair and equitable. In computing the monthly compensation, no part of any month's compensation in excess of $300 for any month before July 1, 1954, or in excess of $350 for any month after June 30, 1954, and before June 1, 1959, or in excess of $400 for any month after May 31, 1959, and before November 1, 1963, or in excess of $450 for any month after October 31, 1963, and before October 1, 1965, or in excess of (i) $450, or (ii) an amount equal to onetwelfth of the current maximum annual taxable "wages" as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, whichever is greater, for any month after September 30, 1965, shall be recognized. If for any calendar year after 1984 an employee has received compensation of less than one-twelfth of the current maximum annual taxable "wages" as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in one or more months of the calendar year, the total compensation paid such employee in the calendar year (without regard to the limitation on the amount of compensation provided in the preceding sentence) shall be deemed to have been paid in equal proportions with respect to all months in the year in which the employee will have been in the service of one or more employers for compensation or will have performed service for compensation as an employee representative, but this sentence shall not operate to increase the employee's compensation for any month above an amount equal to one-twelfth of the current maximum annual taxable "wages" as defined in section 3121 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. If the employee earned compensation in service after June 30, 1937, and after the last day of the calendar year in which he attained age sixty-five, such compensation and service shall be disregarded in computing the average monthly compensation if the result of taking

"As in original. Possibly should be "determining".

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such compensation into account in such computation would be to diminish his annuity. Where an employee claims credit for months of service rendered within two years prior to his retirement from the service of an employer, with respect to which the employer's return pursuant to section 9 of this Act has not been entered on the records of the Board before the employee's annuity could otherwise be certified for payment, the Board may, in its discretion (subject to subsequent adjustment at the request of the employee) include such months in the computation of the annuity without further verification and may consider the compensation for such months to be the average of the compensation for months in the last period for which the employer has filed a return of the compensation of such employee and such return has been entered on the records of the Board.

SEC. 4 [45 U.S.C. 231c] (a)(1) The annuity of a spouse or divorced wife of an individual under section 2(c) of this Act shall be in an amount equal to the amount (before any reduction on account of age and before any deductions on account of work) of the wife's insurance benefit or the husband's insurance benefit to which such spouse or divorced wife would have been entitled under the Social Security Act if such individual's service as an employee after December 31, 1936, had been included in the term “employment" as defined in that Act.

(2) For purposes of this subsection, a spouse entitled to an annuity under section 2(c)(1)(ii)(B) of this Act which did not begin to accrue before such individual attained age 62, the spouse of such individual entitled to an annuity under clause (B) of paragraph (ii) of section 2(c)(1) of this Act shall be deemed to have attained retirement age (as defined in section 216(1) of the Social Security Act 10.

(3) If a spouse entitled to an annuity under section 2(c)(1)(ii)(A), section 2(c)(1)(ii)(C), or section 2(c)(2) of this Act or a divorced spouse entitled to an annuity under section 2(c)(4) of this Act on the basis of the employment record of an employee who will have completed less than 10 years of service is entitled to a benefit under section 202(a), section 202(b), or section 202(c) of the Social Security Act which began to accrue before the annuity under section 2(c)(1)(ii)(A), section 2(c)(1)(ii)(C), section 2(c)(2), or section 2(c)(4) of this Act, the annuity amount provided under this subsection shall be computed as though the annuity under this Act began to accrue on the later of (A) the date on which the benefit under section 202(a), section 202(b), or section 202(c) of the Social Security Act began or (B) the first date on which the annuitant met the conditions for entitlement to an age reduced annuity under this Act other than the conditions set forth in sections 2(e)(1) and 2(e)(2) of this Act and the requirement that an application be filed.

(4) In the case of an individual entitled to an annuity under paragraph (iv) or (v) of section 2(a)(1) of this Act, the annuity of the spouse of such individual entitled to an annuity under section 2(c)(1)(ii)(B) of this Act shall, in lieu of an annuity amount provided under subdivision (1), be in an amount equal to the amount (after any reduction on account of age but before any deductions on account of work) of the wife's insurance benefit or the husband's insurance benefit to which such spouse would have been entitled under the Social Security Act if the individual's service as an employee after December 31, 1936, had been included in the term "employment" as defined in that Act. For purposes of this subdivision, spouses who have not attained age 62 shall be deemed to have attained age 62.

(f)(1) The annuity of a survivor of a deceased employee under section 2(d) of this Act shall be in an amount equal to the amount (before any deductions on account of work) of the widow's insurance benefit, widower's insurance benefit, mother's insurance benefit, parent's insurance benefit, or child's insurance benefit, whichever is applicable, to which he or she would have been entitled under the Social Security

10 As in original; no closing parenthesis.

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Act if such deceased employee's service as an employee after December 31, 1936, had been included in the term "employment" as defined in that Act. In the case of a widow or widower who is entitled to an annuity under section 2(d) of this Act solely on the basis of railroad service which was performed prior to January 1, 1937, the amount provided under this section with respect to any month shall not be less than the first amount appearing in column IV of the table appearing in section 215(a) of the Social Security Act as in effect on December 31, 1974, after reduction in accordance with the provisions of section 202(k) and 202(q) of that Act in the same manner as would be applicable to a widow's insurance benefit or widower's insurance benefit payable under section 202(e) or 202(f) of that Act.

(2) For purposes of this subsection

(i) a widow or widower or a parent who is entitled to an annuity based on age under section 2(d)(1) of this Act and who has not attained age 62 shall be deemed to be age 62: Provided, however, That the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply in the case of a widow or widower who was entitled to an annuity under section 2(d)(1) on the basis of disability for the month before the month in which he or she attained age 60,

(ii) a widow or widower or a child who is entitled to an annuity under section 2(d)(1) of this Act on the basis of disability shall be deemed to be entitled to a widow's insurance benefit, a widower's insurance benefit, or a child's insurance benefit under the Social Security Act on the basis of disability, and

(iii) The 11 provisions of paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this subdivision shall not apply to the annuity of a widow, surviving divorced wife, or surviving divorced mother who is entitled to such annuity on the basis of the provisions of section 2(d)(1)(v) of this Act.

(3) The annuity amount provided to a widow or widower under last sentence of subdivision (1) shall be increased by the same percentage or percentages as insurance benefits payable under section 202 of the Social Security Act are increased after the date on which such annuity begins to accrue.

(b)(1) Upon the death of an individual who will have completed ten years of service prior to January 1, 1975, and will have had a current connection with the railroad industry at the time of his death, a lump-sum payment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 5(f)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 as in effect on December 31, 1974, in an amount, if any, which would have been payable under such section 5(f)(1) on the basis of (A) the individual's compensation after December 31, 1936, and prior to January 1, 1975, and (B) the individual's wages (as defined in section 209 of the Social Security Act) prior to January 1, 1975. Any lump sum payable under this subdivision shall be in an amount computed as if the individual had died on January 1, 1975. No lump sum shall be payable under this subdivision if the employee died leaving a surviving divorced wife who would on proper application therefore 12 be entitled to receive an annuity under section 2(d) of this Act for the month in which the employee's death occurred.

(2) Upon the death of an individual who will not have completed ten years of service prior to January 1, 1975, but who (i) will have completed ten years of service at the time of his death, (ii) will have had a current connection with the railroad industry at the time of his death, and (iii) will have died leaving no widow, surviving divorced wife, widower, child, or parent who would on proper application therefor be entitled to receive an annuity under section 2(d) of this Act for the month in which such death occurred, a lump-sum death payment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 202(i) of the Social Security Act in an

11 As in original. Probably should be "the".

12 As in original. Should be "therefor".

P.L. 75-162

amount equal to the amount which would have been payable under such section 202(i) if such individual's service as an employee after December 31, 1936, were included in the term “employment” as defined in that Act. If a lump sum would be payable to a widow or widower under this subdivision except for the fact that a survivor will have been entitled to receive an annuity for the month in which the individual will have died, but within one year after the individual's death there will not have accrued to survivors of the individual, by reason of his death, annuities which, after all deductions pursuant to sections 2(g) and 2(h) of this Act, are equal to such lump sum, a payment equal to the amount by which such lump sum exceeds such annuities so accrued after such deductions shall then nevertheless be made under this subdivision to the widow or widower to whom a lump sum would have been payable under this subdivision except for the fact that a monthly benefit under section 2(d) of this Act was payable for the month in which the individual died, if such widow or widower will not have died before receiving payment of such lump sum.

*

POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD

SEC. 7 [45 U.S.C. 231f]

(b)

(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall furnish the Board certified reports of wages, self-employment income, and periods of service and of other records in his possession, or which he may secure, pertinent to the administration of this Act, the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, the Milwaukee Railroad Restructuring Act, and the Rock Island Railroad Transition and Employee Assistance Act.. 13 The Board shall furnish the Secretary of Health and Human Services certified reports of records of compensation and periods of service reported to it pursuant to section 9 of this Act, of determinations under section 2 of this Act, and of other records in its possession, or which it may secure, pertinent to subsection (c) of this section or to the administration of the Social Security Act as affected by section 18 of this Act. Such certified reports shall be conclusive in adjudication as to the matters covered therein: Provided, however, That if the Board or the Secretary of Health and Human Services receives evidence inconsistent with a certified report and the application involved is still in course of adjudication or otherwise open for such evidence such recertification of such report shall be made as, in the judgment of the Board or the Secretary of Health and Human Services, whichever made the original certification, the evidence warrants. Such recertification and any subsequent recertification shall be treated in the same manner and be subject to the same conditions as an original certification.

(d)(1) The Board shall, for purposes of this subsection, have the same authority to determine the rights of individuals described in subdivision (2) to have payments made on their behalf for hospital insurance benefits consisting of inpatient hospital services, posthospital extended care services, home health services, hospice care, and outpatient hospital diagnostic services (all hereinafter referred to as "services") under section 226, and parts A and D of title XVIII, of the Social Security Act as the Secretary of Health and Human Services has under such section and such parts with respect to individuals to whom such sections and such parts apply. For purposes of section 8, a determination with respect to the rights of an individual under this subsection shall, except in the case of a provider of services, be considered to be a decision with respect to an annuity.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, every person who

13 As in original. One period should be stricken.

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(i) has attained age 65 and (A) is entitled to an annuity under this Act or (B) would be entitled to such an annuity had he ceased compensated service and, in the case of a spouse or divorced wife, had such spouse's husband or wife ceased compensated service or (C) bears a relationship to an employee which, by reason of section 3(f)(2) of this Act, has been, or would be, taken into account in calculating the amount of the annuity of such employee; or

(ii) has not attained age 65 and (A) has been entitled to an annuity under section 2 of this Act, or under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 and section 2 of this Act, or could have been includible in the computation of an annuity under section 3(f)(2) of this Act, for not less than 24 months and (B) could have been entitled for 24 calendar months, and could currently be entitled, to monthly insurance benefits under section 223 of the Social Security Act or under section 202 of that Act on the basis of disability if service as an employee after December 31, 1936, had been included in the term "employment" as defined in that Act and if an application for disability benefits had been filed, shall be certified to the Secretary of Health and Human Services as a qualified railroad retirement beneficiary under section 226 of the Social Security Act.

(3) If an individual entitled to an annuity under paragraph (iv) or (v) of section 2(a)(1) of this Act would have been insured for disability insurance benefits as determined under section 223(c)(1) of the Social Security Act at the time such annuity began, he shall be deemed, solely for purposes of paragraph (ii) of subdivision (2), to be entitled to a disability insurance benefit under section 223 of the Social Security Act for each month, and beginning with the first month, in which he would meet the requirements for entitlement to such a benefit, other than the requirement of being insured for disability insurance benefits, if service as an employee after December 31, 1936, had been included in the term "employment" as defined in the Social Security Act and if an application for disability benefits had been filed.

(4) The rights of individuals described in subdivision (2) of this subsection to have payment made on their behalf for the services referred to in subdivision (1) but provided in Canada shall be the same as those of individuals to whom section 226 and part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act apply, and this subdivision shall be administered by the Board as if the provisions of section 226 and part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act were applicable, as if references to the Secretary of Health and Human Services were to the Board, as if references to the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund were to the Railroad Retirement Account, as if references to the United States or a State included Canada or a subdivision thereof, and as if the provisions of sections 1862(a)(4), 1863, 1864, 1868, 1869, 1874(b), and 1875 were not included in such title. The payments for services herein provided for in Canada shall be made from the Railroad Retirement Account (in accordance with, and subject to, the conditions applicable under section 7(b), in making payment of other benefits) to the hospital, extended care facility, or home health agency providing such services in Canada to individuals to whom subdivision (2) of this subsection applies, but only to the extent that the amount of payments for services otherwise hereunder provided for an individual exceeds the amount payable for like services provided pursuant to the law in effect in the place in Canada where such services are furnished. For the purposes of section 10 of this Act, any overpayment under this subdivision shall be treated as if it were an overpayment of an annuity. (5) The Board and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall furnish each other with such information, records, and documents as may be considered necessary to the administration of this subsection or section 226, and part A of title XVIII, of the Social Security Act.

(2) For the purpose of determining (i) monthly insurance benefits under the Social Security Act to an employee who will have completed less than ten years of service