Progress Through Unity

Community Alert: Missing Person Connor Oldfield

Please be advised that we are still actively searching for Connor Oldfield, a missing autistic adult, and are requesting continued awareness and assistance.
Connor Oldfield was reported missing on January 24, 2026, and has not yet been located.
Description:
Medical / Behavioral Information:
Connor is autistic. He is verbal and able to communicate; however, he may be nervous or anxious if approached. Please use calm, clear, and reassuring communication.

Last Seen Wearing:
Last Known Location:
Watson Avenue, Plainfield, NJ, at approximately 1:30 PM

Conner Oldfield - Missing Person - Copy (2)

Action Uniform Updates

The GCA was able to work an agreement with the carrier to increase the uniform allotment, also we can now mix yard and passenger uniforms in the same year.

“Annual Uniform Allowance is $660.00 with year-ending 11/30/26. An employee is allowed to place only one order per year. If an employee chooses not to spend the whole $660.00, they will lose the balance for the year. An employee may order any combination of conductor and yard uniform items in the same year and may mix and match items within one order. Newly hired conductors receive a complete conductor uniform set instead of an annual allowance. For more information, please read Uniform Allowance.”

Uniforms can be ordered online now for 2026 by using CONDUCTOR UNIFORMS – NJT UNIFORMS

Action Uniform Update

There is a misprint on the uniform website, the allowance has not been increased to $1000.00.

The GCA is still in negotiations with the carrier for a much-needed increase, but it is not official, please wait until there is official notification from the organization (SMART-TD Local 60) before placing an order 

Thank you   

RRB Reminders for 2026

2026 TIER I EARNINGS BASE AND TAX RATES
Annual Maximum – $184,500.00
Employee and Employer Tax Rate – 6.2%
Maximum Payable by an Employee & Employer – $11,439.00

2026 TIER II EARNINGS BASE AND TAX RATES
Annual Maximum – $137,100.00
Employee Tax Rate – 4.9%
Maximum Payable by an Employee – $6,717.90
Employer Tax Rate – 13.1%
Maximum Payable by an Employer – $17,960.10

2026 MEDICARE HOSPITAL INSURANCE
EARNINGS BASE AND TAX RATES
Annual Maximum – No Limit
Employee and Employer Tax Rate – 1.45%

TOTAL TIER I, TIER II, & MEDICARE 
HOSPITAL INSURANCE MAXIMUM TAX
Based on earnings of $184,500.00
Maximum Payable by an Employee – $20,832.15
Maximum Payable by an Employer – $32,074.35
(Additional Taxes are 0.9% of Earnings Above
$200,000.00 – Filing Individually)

SSA QUARTER OF COVERAGE EARNINGS NEEDED
In 2026 – $1,890.00 (Earn up to 4 quarters per year)

2026 EMPLOYER RUIA TAX RATE
0.65% to 12.0% on first $2,150.00 per month

EMPLOYEE RUIA 2025 QUALIFYING EARNINGS
For Benefit Year 2026 (Beginning July 1, 2026) – $5,162.50

RUIA DAILY BENEFIT RATE
For Benefit Year 2026 (Beginning July 1, 2026) – $103.00

BASIC MEDICARE PREMIUM
Part B beginning in 2026 – $202.90

COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE – DECEMBER 2025
Tier I – 2.8%; Tier II – 0.9%

WORK DEDUCTION EXEMPT AMOUNTS*

Retirement and Survivor Work Deduction Limitations
Annuitants Attaining Full Retirement Age (FRA)
(For Months Prior to FRA in the Calendar Year)
Monthly – $5,430.00; Annually – $65,160.00
($1.00 Deduction for Each $3.00 of Excess Earnings)

Under FRA
(If Under the FRA for the Entire Calendar Year)
Monthly – $2,040.00; Annually – $24,480.00
($1.00 Deduction for Each $2.00 of Excess Earnings)

Disability Earnings Limitations Amounts
Monthly – $1,320.00; Annually – $16,500.00

*All earnings must be reported by calling 1-877-772-5772.
Failure to report earnings could lead to penalties.

 

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Year-End Cash-in Request Guidelines

With the end of the year coming up I just wanted to remind you of some of the best practices for filling out the cash-in request timecards. If these guidelines are followed, then it would help us out a lot in getting all of these payments processed as quickly and accurately as possible:

1) Requests should be for only type of PTO (vacation, personal, or sick) cash-in per timecard submitted

2) Timecard comments should state to pay remaining balance of the PTO type for 2025 instead of the specific amount (e.g. “Pay remaining 2025 vacation balance” or “Pay all unused 2025 personal days”)

3) There is no need for anyone to submit a separate timecard for each individual day that is being cashed in (e.g. a 32-hour vacation cash-in should be submitted on one request instead of four separate requests)

4) Since we are now using electronic timecards there should not be a need for anyone to submit duplicate timecards. They can email me or the verification department with the request ID# and we can check the status of the request.

If anyone has any questions regarding these guidelines, please let me know.

Thanks, 

Mark Falanga

Sr. Manager of Payroll

2 Gateway Center

283-299 Market St. Suite 900

Newark, NJ 07102

MFalanga@njtransit.com

Tel:  973-491-4634

2025 Thanksgiving Holiday _ Verification Dept Schedule Memo

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2026 Rail vacation bidding instructions

The link for the year 2026 Rail Vacation Bid was made active last night through Rail e-Claims form (Integrify) to allow bid submissions by T&E starting today 10/15/2025.

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Recent payroll issue (missing .17 or 10-minutes OT)

I am writing to inform you that the pay shortage experienced last week was due to an I.T. error. Unfortunately, the cause of the shortage was not identified until this past Friday, and as a result, the same issue will affect this week’s payment as well.

The plan is to provide a file for Payroll to process the adjustments and for these corrections to be reflected in next week’s pay cycle (8/28–9/03), and employees will be made whole on the check dated 9/11.

Everyone will be fully compensated in the next payment cycle. We are unable to request manual payments because the amount owed is less than eight hours of pay.

Scheduled Maintenance for Rail E Claims and MATS 8/26/25 (8pm-10pm)

Rail E-Claims and MATS will down tonight August 26th, from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. This is regularly scheduled maintenance from the Integrify vendor. Employees will not be able to submit timecards during that brief window tonight.

SMART-TD Guarantee Q&A

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