Inter-American Foundation Employees Voted to Join AFGE
September 16, 2024
Another group of federal employees have voted to join AFGE!
Read More
AFGE Supports Push for Repeal of Unfair Social Security Rules
September 03, 2024
Categories:
The Insider
AFGE is doubling down on our support for a recent congressional push to repeal two controversial rules that have caused public servants to lose two-thirds or even the entire amount of their Social Security benefits.
Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Garrett Graves, R-La., are filing a discharge petition when Congress returns from the August recess this month to force a floor vote on their AFGE-supported bill, the Social Security Fairness Act.
The bill, H.R. 82, would repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision. AFGE urges Congress to repeal the GPO and WEP because GPO penalizes public servants who receive a government pension and are also eligible for Social Security benefits of their spouse. This provision reduces survivors’ benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers.
WEP penalizes those who have paid into Social Security at work but also receive a pension or a disability benefit from a prior employer that did not withhold Social Security payroll taxes, such as older federal retirees working under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), state and local government employees including teachers, firefighters, and law enforcement officers.
The bill was introduced in January last year, but it has not been brought up for a vote. A discharge petition requires the signatures of at least 218 lawmakers.
The bill has its companion in the Senate, the Social Security Fairness Act (S. 597), introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. AFGE members attended a field hearing in Columbus earlier this year in support of the bill.
Recent AFGE News:
Bobby Orozco: Why Is This Election Important to Me?
September 16, 2024
AFGE activist Bobby Orozco talks about why this election is important to him.
Read More
AFGE Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
September 16, 2024
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
Read More
