GPO-WEP: The Social Security Offsets that affect Colorado public employees

Our members, along with members in 11 other states, are the only public school employees in the nation who do not pay into Social Security, but rely on their state pension plan (PERA). However, CEA members may have Social Security benefits from other employment or from their spouses and may be affected by GPO (Government Pension Offset) and WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision). That's why these two Social Security offsets matter to us in Colorado.

NEA has a new video about GPO-WEP on its Social Insecurity page, with stories from Association members about how the offsets have harmed their retirement years.

NEA supports legislation to repeal both GPO and WEP. You can get information on this effort at the NEA Legislative Action Center. As of this update, U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, Jared Polis, John Salazar, and Betsy Markey support the Association-backed legislation. Reps. Ed Perlmutter, Mike Coffman, and Doug Lamborn have not signed on to the bill, nor have Colorado's U.S. Senators, Michael Bennet and Mark Udall.

Updated March 2010