Social Security Fairness Act: OAPSE Victory Has Payments Hitting Retiree Bank Accounts

With the Social Security Fairness Act signed into law, OAPSE retirees and other Ohioans collecting a public pension will now be receiving the FULL Social Security benefits they have EARNED. OAPSE retirees are even receiving back pay for the unfair cuts to their Social Security checks over the past year. Retirees are seeing checks from Social Security for thousands of dollars, a few even getting lump sum payments of over $10,000! OAPSE has been receiving calls of gratitude from some of these retirees and hearing just how impactful these changes are to the OAPSE family.

“I wanted to shout from the rooftop! OAPSE has been fighting these unfair provisions for decades!” Carol Harper, OAPSE Retiree

Claude Brisco, an OAPSE retiree from Central Ohio and former Vice President of Local 580, said it was a hard pill to swallow when he retired. “I lost almost 60% of my Social Security benefit just because I worked in a public school,” Claude explained. “Getting that 60% back is very significant to me and my family. It’s just wonderful!”

Pat Squibb, a former OAPSE member from Northwest Ohio who was very active in Local 320, is very thankful for the repeal of the GPO and WEP. “Both my husband and I worked in schools during part of our career. We’ve been retired for over 7 years now and the devastating cuts to our benefits have been tough.” Pat continued, “It’s a blessing to get what we deserve moving forward. I am so thankful for how hard OAPSE fought for this repeal, and also Sherrod Brown.”

Carol Harper, former Southeast District President and Local 252 member, thought she would never see this day. “When President Biden signed the Bill, I wanted to shout from the rooftop!” Carol exclaimed. “OAPSE has been fighting these unfair provisions for decades. We earned these benefits.” Carol ended with a thank you. “I know how hard the OAPSE State Officers, Board Members and staff worked on this. Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is life changing for some OAPSE retirees.”

The repeal of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) is the culmination of decades of effort by OAPSE and its members. Members across Ohio made phone calls and sent emails to their Representatives in Congress during each step of the process. OAPSE also ran a petition campaign which collected thousands of signatures, showing the overwhelming support to repeal these unfair provisions. At the forefront of this fight were our State Officers. President Lois Carson, Vice President Mike Lang, and Secretary Sheila Dawkins-Flinn, Sheila also chairs the committee OAPSE formed to repeal the GPO and WEP. They led the charge by educating and activating OAPSE members across the state, while also taking the time to lobby Congress on behalf of OAPSE members every chance they had.

“It was a tough battle,” President Carson explained. “Some days I felt frustrated and defeated, but we kept fighting and it paid off. The last few days my heart has been filled from all the happy and joyful calls I’ve received from retired OAPSE members. This is why we do what we do, and why I’m sticking with my union!”

Alongside our State Officers, Barb Ward, former Executive Board member from Southeast District, became a spokesperson for the repeal campaign. Barb shared her story of just how unfair the GPO provision was to retirees who have lost their spouses. The GPO provision would cut her Social Security benefit by $15,000 a year. Senator Sherrod Brown used Barb’s story and testimony to gain the support needed in the US House and Senate and eventually pass the repeal. “Words can’t explain how happy I am to see the GPO and WEP repealed.” Barb exclaimed. “I joined OAPSE and became active in our union over 35 years ago. When I found out how unfairly public employees in Ohio were being treated in retirement, I had to get involved and fight for change!”