GPO/WEP has deprived millions of public servants of the social security benefits they and their spouses have earned. Former Missouri NEA president (1986-1995) Martha Karlovetz and other NEA-Retired members have been leading the charge to repeal Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), enacted in 1977 and 1983 respectively.
NEA Today's October issue features Martha's story, which sadly is the same for so many other educators across the United States.
Tell Congress to repeal GPO-WEP.
Missouri is one of 27 states where teachers are affected by Social Security’s Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).
What does that mean? It severely reduces the social security retirement benefits and/or spousal benefits for retired educators. For some retired teachers, the reduction is so great that they are left to pay out-of-pocket for Medicare premiums.
What can you do?
The bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act (S. 597/H.R. 82) would fully repeal both the GPO and WEP. Email Congress and tell them to #RepealGPOWEP.
- EMAIL CONGRESS and urge them to #RepealGPOWEP by supporting the Social Security Fairness Act. Tell how this unfair, exclusionary policy has affected you.
- SHARE YOUR STORY on social media with the hashtag #RepealGPOWEP with a link to writing Congress.
- URGE your family and friends to do the same.
