A lot of federal, state and local employees do not know this exists.Please take the time to read this article. This affects not only teachers but those who work for a Federal, State, or Local Governmental Entity. An on-line petition is at the bottom if you want to sign it.

Group Adminstrators can you help me to get the word out by sending it to your group members? 


Group explains teacher benefits Social Security fairness act could eliminate discrepancies


By TYESHA BOUDREAUX

The Daily Sentinel

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Teachers throughout the Nacogdoches area were invited to attend a program Thursday night where representatives of the Texas AFT, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, informed them about how their Social Security benefits are impacted by the Texas Teacher Retirement System.

 

John O'Sullivan, Texas AFT secretary and treasurer, also informed them about the Social Security Fairness Act, a proposed bill that would eliminate both the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall EliminationProvision. "Social Security for public employees (including

teachers) is handled differently than for anyone else," O'Sullivan said. "And we think they are being seriously discriminated against because of two provisions in the current law. As an organization, we're attempting to change the law." Both the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset reduce the monthly SS benefits for school employees who retire from Texas school districts, O'Sullivan said.

Because many teachers work for a school district that do not participate in the Social Security program,

they invest in the Teacher Retirement System, he said. People who retire from school districts may not

receive full spousal benefits from Social Security because of the Government Pension Offset, O'Sullivan

said.

"Teachers' spousal benefits are reduced by two-thirds," he said. "Some spouses end up getting nothing from Social Security." Because of the Windfall Elimination Provision, teachers who retire from school districts that do not participate in Social Security — and who may have held part-time jobs or worked at other businesses before becoming teachers — could face a cut in SS benefits,

O'Sullivan said.

"Having that Social Security would make a world of difference to them in retirement," he said. Stephen Wright, the local Texas AFT union representative, said younger teachers usually do not know how this law will affect them, while older teachers are "fired up" about it.

"One group has no clue about it, and the other knows very much about it," Wright said. "We want to activate people here and get them calling their senators."

U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama is one of 39 senators who co-sponsored the Social Security Fairness Act, O'Sullivan said.

"We don't know how the politics will play out, but we're in a much stronger position than ever before," he said. "Illinois teachers are in the exact same situation as Texas teachers. We think President-Elect Obama is paying attention."

 

O'Sullivan also said local teachers should contact their congressmen and encourage them to "get on board with the Social Security Fairness Act." "Neither one of the senators in this area are on board," he said. "Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison showed a

sign of interest. She understands the issue." He also said there is a large population in Texas who is being affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. "It's very frustrating," he said. "They are being cut

out of their Social Security, and there's not a thing they can do about it. The


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