Connecticut Teachers Join Fight For Social Security Benefits

by John Ferraro

Connecticut teachers this week are joining a national fight to reverse decades-old federal laws that significantly reduce retirement benefits for tens of thousands of state educators.
Social security benefits are greatly reduced for teachers in the state who have worked second jobs, had paid into social security through previous employment or whose spouses have died. Connecticut teachers don’t pay into the federal retirement program directly through their teaching jobs but do pay in through those other avenues.
Federal laws, however, restrict the benefits all teachers get despite the fact that many pay into the system or have deceased spouses who paid into it.

Connecticut educators will be among at the Capital Tuesday as the Congressional Subcommittee on Social Security considers the repeal of two laws that restrict payments to teachers and other public servants such as police officers and firefighters. Connecticut is one of 15 states affected by the federal laws.
“This is the first time in years that we’re getting close to repeal,” said Joslyn DeLancey, the Connecticut Education Association vice president, who noted that there are 310 co-sponsors of proposed legislation to repeal the laws – known as the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset.
There are nearly 28,000 retired teachers affected by the GPO and nearly 22,000 by the WEP, although there is some overlap with teachers affected by both laws.

DeLancey and CEA President Kate Dias will be in Washington, D.C. to lobby for repeal. All of the state’s congressional delegation have co-sponsored the legislation except Rep. John Larson, who has pushed for separate legislation related to the laws, DeLancey said.
Providing teachers with full benefits that they or their spouses are entitled is critical to attracting and retaining teachers, DeLancey said.
“Many teachers can’t afford to retire and it’s hard to recruit new teachers to the profession,” DeLancey said. “We’re also losing teachers to other states (not affected by the federal laws).”

There would be little impact to social security solvency should the laws be repealed, said DeLancey.