The Social Security Fairness Act has become a ray of hope for millions of public workers and their families.
As you well know, it was approved at the beginning of the year and has meant a big change for public workers (teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other federal employees). These workers saw how their retirement benefits were reduced every month due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) rules.
But, although everything seemed to be going smoothly, and although 91% of the cases have already been resolved (and more than 14.8 billion dollars have finally been paid), there are still some complex cases that require manual attention, so the Social Security Administration has issued an update. Do you want to know what it says?
What changed with the Social Security Fairness Act?
Okay, the law repealed the WEP and GPO, which, as we said, were two rules that reduced the payments of retirees from public jobs, some pretty unfair rules that they had to fight against to finally get their full payments. Why was this happening?
Those who had worked in public jobs and then also paid into Social Security saw their retirement payments reduced. Something absurd and unfair.
But, with the repeal of these provisions, former public employees and their spouses could finally recover the lost money (and it has been issued retroactively). And according to the SSA, they have already been issuing the payments that were owed.
Some cases on the way to being resolved
As we told you, the vast majority of payments have already been made, but the SSA acknowledges that there are more complex cases that require manual updates, so if that’s your case, don’t worry because the agency is prioritizing these cases so that they are completed and updated before November arrives.
Deadlines and how to know if you will already receive the payment
The new SSA commissioner, Frank Bisignano, has asked that all pending cases be resolved before July 1st. To achieve this, some employees are working extra hours on weekends because the commitment to public workers is real and they want to make that clear!
And how do I know if I will receive my payment?
Mainly because the SSA is sending direct notifications to the affected beneficiaries to confirm when and how much they will receive, but if you haven’t been contacted yet, you can wait patiently or check your status directly on the official website of the agency, impatient one!
Next steps
The SSA stated that under the leadership of President Trump, the process that was expected to take a year or more now only applies to the most complex cases that cannot be resolved automatically (because the rest of the cases have been automated).
But it doesn’t end here, because the SSA will continue updating the records case by case, with the goal of having all retroactive payments and new amounts up to date so that the affected people don’t have to wait any longer. So, if you are affected by these rules, you’ll need to stay informed and ask for help if you have any doubts!
A great victory for public workers and their families, who for years saw how their years of effort and dedication to the state and its administration were not fully valued. So, no matter how long these payments take, it will undoubtedly be a way to thank these people for so many years of service!
Carol McDaniel is a dedicated and results-driven professional with 5 years of experience and US News. Known for her strong problem-solving skills and collaborative mindset, Carol has built a reputation for delivering high-impact results across diverse teams and projects.
Throughout her career, she has demonstrated expertise in 2 core skills or areas, e.g., client relations and project coordination, and is passionate about continuous learning and meaningful contribution. Carol thrives in dynamic environments and consistently brings professionalism, adaptability, and a focus on growth to every role she takes on.