WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law. In November, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) joined 326 members to advance the measure to the Senate. On December 20, 2024, the Senate voted to pass the bill 76-20. This bipartisan legislation would eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). Together, these provisions negatively impact or eliminate Social Security benefits for millions of retired public servants.
“Millions of public servants have seen their Social Security benefits disappear because of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) despite paying into the retirement system for years. Today, President Biden has corrected this wrong by signing the Social Security Fairness Act into law,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “Those who choose public service and pay into the system, deserve to retire with dignity and their hard-earned benefits. I have long supported efforts to repeal these harmful provisions and advocated for key reforms to strengthen Social Security so retirees can continue to count on this bedrock insurance program for generations to come. I am pleased to see this bipartisan effort finally become law.”
Currently, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. For example, educators who do not earn Social Security in public schools but who worked in jobs covered by Social Security for the required 40 quarters, have reduced benefits, even though they have paid into the system. The WEP currently impacts approximately 2 million Social Security beneficiaries, including more than 22,540 in Connecticut. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that eliminating the WEP would increase monthly benefits in December 2025 by an average of $360 per month.
Likewise, the GPO affects the spousal benefits of people who work as federal, state, or local government employees — including police officers, firefighters, and educators — if the job is not covered by Social Security. The GPO reduces by two-thirds the benefit received by surviving spouses who also collect a government pension. Nearly 800,000 retirees, including 21,790 in Connecticut, are impacted by the GPO. Additionally, the CBO estimates that eliminating the GPO would increase monthly benefits in December 2025 by an average of $700 for 380,000 impacted spouses and $1,190 for 390,000 surviving spouses.
Supporting organizations include: the National Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, International Association of Fire Fighters, Senior Citizens League, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, National Association of County Office Employees, National Treasury Employees Union, Federal Managers Association, American Federation of Teachers, Alliance for Retired Americans, National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, National Association of Letter Carriers, American Postal Workers Union, National Education Association, American Federation of Government Employees, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, National Postal Mail Handlers Union, and Society of Former Special Agents.