Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, announced Thursday that a resolution aimed at getting the federal government to repeal two federal retirement benefit laws passed unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement.
Senate Joint Resolution 3 (SJR 3) encourages the United States Congress and President to repeal two federal retirement benefit laws that reduce Social Security benefits in certain circumstances for public employees and their spouses, according to officials.
“While this seems complicated, it is not,” Wilk said. “Some of our hardest-working public servants, including peace officers, firefighters and educators, see their social security benefit slashed because of these federal policies. These policies disproportionately impact women and the federal government needs to ensure retirees receive the benefits they have rightfully earned.”
The Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), were passed in the 1970s in an effort to prevent “double-dipping” from social security and other government pensions, according to Wilk
The GPO does so by cutting benefits when an individual receives a government pension, and their spouse is eligible for social security from non-government employment. Similarly, the WEP cuts an individual’s benefits when they are eligible for social security and government pensions from separate employers, according to officials.
However, supporters of SJR 3 claim that these policies disproportionately affect lower-income workers and can discourage qualified individuals from seeking public-sector jobs: such as STEM education, according to officials.
“These laws were intended to prevent people from taking advantage of the government, but instead, they have resulted in the government taking advantage of its people,” Wilk said. “I am thankful to my colleagues on the committee for helping me take this step forward, and I hope the federal government will hear us and finally take action.”
SJR 3 has support from a number of groups representing public educators and law enforcement, including the California Teachers Association, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and the Peace Officers Research Association (PORAC).
SJR 3 is now set to go to the Senate Floor for consideration by the full Senate.
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I am one who is penalized for having a retirement plan set up.