Federal Legislative Update

January 7, 2025

An update from the National Public Pension Coalition:

"On January 5, 2025, history was made when President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act, finally repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO)—two long-standing policies that unfairly reduced Social Security benefits for millions of public employees and their families.

This momentous achievement directly impacts nearly 3 million public workers, including teachers, firefighters, nurses, police officers, and other public servants. For decades, these provisions penalized individuals who dedicated their lives to public service by reducing or eliminating the Social Security benefits they earned.

The repeal means:

• An estimated average increase of $360 per month for affected beneficiaries.
• A lump sum payment for those impacted in 2024, compensating for lost benefits.
• Spouses, widows, and widowers will no longer see reductions in survivor benefits due to GPO."

MPERS is excited to inform you about this historic event that benefits approximately 90,000 public servants in the state of Louisiana along with millions more nationwide. Only Social Security can advise you as to how this impacts you directly.

If you have questions about how you may be affected by the WEP/GPO repeal, we urge you to contact Social Security directly. Please visit https://www.ssa.gov/locator/ for information on how to contact your local Social Security office with additional questions pertaining to the WEP/GPO repeal. MPERS' staff cannot advise on the timeline or details of the Social Security Administration's implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act.