(LEX 18) — Kentucky's public employees want changes made to the social security system. They want social security benefits they believe they’re entitled to if they have paid into the system.
Police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other union members rallied outside Cochran Elementary School in Louisville on Tuesday. They want Sen. Mitch McConnell to work on getting the Social Security Fairness Act a vote on the U.S. Senate floor.
"We think Mitch McConnell, who has served Kentucky for so many years, is the leader that can make sure that this gets across the line," said Eddie Campbell, president of the Kentucky Education Association.
The bill has already received approval from the U.S. House of Representatives. But it still needs Senate approval and time is quickly running out.
Kentucky's public employees say it's essential to get the bill passed to "repeal two laws robbing millions of public service workers of earned benefits."
The Social Security Fairness Act would eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). Together, these current laws reduce social security benefits for certain retirees who also receive pension income.
"These provisions were enacted decades ago with the intent of addressing perceived inequities in the social security system. But in reality, they've punished the very people who dedicated their lives to serving our communities," said Campbell.
"Many of us work second jobs to support our families - like driving buses, working as cashiers, taking on summer jobs, taking on after-school and weekend jobs - only to find that our social security benefits are unfairly slashed," he added.
"It can be upwards of hundreds of dollars a month that these folks lose," said Kevin Pletzke, the president of the Lexington firefighters union.
"Most of us work 25-30 year careers, which is half of a lifetime, so you're going to do other work and in that other work, you're paying into social security," he explained. "So, we're not asking for anything more than just - if we put it into the system at some point, we should be able to qualify for those benefits."
How do WEP and GPO lower Social Security benefits?
According to the Kentucky Education Association, GPO reduces spousal or survivor Social Security benefits by two-thirds of the recipient’s government pension. For many retired educators in Kentucky, this means losing all or most of the financial security they expected to receive as a result of their spouse’s hard-earned benefits. For example, a retiree receiving a $1,500 pension could see their Social Security benefits reduced by $1,000—or lose them entirely.
WEP cuts Social Security retirement benefits for individuals who worked second jobs—such as summer employment or part-time roles—for which they paid into Social Security. This provision disproportionately impacts teachers, police officers, and other public servants who work additional jobs to make ends meet and support their families, the group explained.
