Labor Employer Reporting Instructions

Part VII – Additional Communications About Service and Compensation Reports

Chapter 2: Requests for Adjustments and Clarification

1

Clarification of Data Sent to the RRB

 

Employers may receive written requests, in the form of referrals or form letters, for adjustment 

to, or clarification of, previously submitted service and compensation reports. Some notices are 

merely advisory in nature about reports that have been processed. Others require a response from 

the employer in order to process a service and compensation report that is being held in 

abeyance, or suspended status, while awaiting correction from the employer. 

Some of the more common form letters released are explained below. 

Handling Service and Compensation Referrals 

The first and most difficult step in handling service and compensation referrals sent to you by the 

RRB is determining what is wrong. Some of the messages point directly to a single error and 

others are very general. Because the relationship between Tier I and Tier II compensation raises 

so many questions, a special section is included in the Appendix VII entitled, "Understanding 

Edit Checks of Tier I and Tier II Compensation." Once you have determined the data that is in 

error, it will usually be clear how to correct the problem.

Form GL-4 Reject and Error Referral Listing 

The RRB developed an automated error tracking system that generates referrals to notify the 

employer of errors contained in your service and compensation reports. Form GL-4, Reject and 

Error Referral Listings is a packet that includes: 

• The error referral; 

• Instructions for making the correction; 

• A Form BA-4, Report of Creditable Compensation Adjustments; and

• A Form G-440, Report Specification Sheet 

The listing shows the information submitted by the employer on the original report along with an 

explanation of the error. Take the appropriate action and return the completed Form BA-4 within 

30 days. If you have questions, the referral also provides a contact person and telephone number 

to call. 

Explanation of Referrals and Corrective Action 

A list of GL-4 referrals organized in alphabetical order is included in Appendix VIII entitled 

“Service and Compensation Referrals”. The list includes the reason the referral was created and 

how to resolve it. Each referral message also indicates whether the original service and 

compensation (S&C) data or sick pay data was rejected or posted to the employee's record. The 

differences in working referrals for rejected data and referrals for posted data are also explained.
Labor Employer Reporting Instructions

Part VII – Additional Communications About Service and Compensation Reports

Chapter 2: Requests for Adjustments and Clarification

2

Form Letter GL-24 

Form letter GL-24, Advisement of Incorrect Social Security Number, is released when the name

and social security number on the NRO report does not agree with the name and social security 

number in SSA's records. This notice usually indicates that the employer is using an incorrect 

social security number. 

Form Letter GL-77a 

Form letter GL-77a, Report of Incorrect Name, is released when the name reported for a social 

security number does not agree with the name previously reported. This notice usually indicates 

that a name change was not filed with the RRB or SSA. Your reply to this letter will correct the 

employee name in the RRB record. You should advise the employee to file a name change with 

SSA, if they have failed to do so. 

Filing Adjustments 

If you file an adjustment report to handle one referral and you get another referral, call the 

supervisor of our Compensation and Employer Service Center (CESC) examiner unit: 

Protest Unit - CESC

Railroad Retirement Board 

844 North Rush Street 

Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275

Phone: (312) 751-4889

Email: ProtestGroupMailbox@rrb.gov

Filing an adjustment that takes into account two previous reports is complicated and the RRB 

staff will be able to assist you.