Received my first pay! 😒

Hey all! So I started my ojt this week as a freight conductor for a tier 3 in eastern United States.

What challenging work but I like it!

Anyway, couldn’t find it in the threads or in google. And don’t want to bother my hr department if I don’t have to.

I get the rr take out each pay for retirement etc. but my first check they have taken out -

Ee tier 1 6.2%

Ee tier 2 1.45%

Tier 2 4.9%.

And that leaves me just enough to buy some crackers ha.

But seriously, those 3 equal a lot and jw am I supposed to be getting hit each pay for all those?

Thnx

My stubs had T1 and T2. Don't see EEt2. Also had RR Medicare. This could be your EEt2 which seems to be the right amount. 1.45% Plus state and fed taxes. It gets better after OJT. Work regularly and you will be making plenty of money.

Welcome to the world of Railroad Retirement! I've never seen "Ee" but Tier 1 is split between the equivalent of Social Security (what you have as Ee Tier 1) and Medicare (what you have as Ee Tier 2). RRB Tier 2 is, indeed 4.9%.

If it makes you feel any better: The only "premium" you're paying over that of a non-railroad job is Tier 2; you would pay the same 6.2% and 1.45% in any job.

Gotta pay to play. Railroad Retirement is a better program than Social Security, and far less likely the politicians will want to put their mitts on it and screw it up. Stick with it and you'll be glad you did.

It may seem like forever from now, but if we still have a country left the post retirement benefits are better under RR than SS. Concentrate on staying safe, learning all you can about everything even if it's not directly your job, and work all you can. Long term you'll be glad you did. Just be prepared - I'm sure you have been told before but here it is again: the reality of working for a railroad is nothing like railfanning.

Good luck, stay safe, and soak up all you can.