Colorado PERA Responds to President Biden Signing Social Security Fairness Act

DENVER—President Joe Biden on Sunday signed H.R. 82, also known as the Social Security Fairness Act, into law.

The bill repeals Social Security’s Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), two provisions that have for decades reduced Social Security benefits for retired public employees. In Colorado, most public employees do not contribute to Social Security and therefore faced reductions to any earned Social Security benefits under WEP and GPO if they or their spouse contributed to Social Security before or after their public sector employment.

PERA members and retirees have been calling for reform on this issue for years, and PERA applauds Congress and President Biden for taking action in the final days of the legislative session.

“I want to thank the many PERA members who contacted their representatives in Congress to make sure their voices were heard on this issue,” said PERA CEO/Executive Director Andrew Roth. “We’re pleased to see decades of advocacy result in an outcome that will boost the retirement security of Coloradans who have devoted their careers to public service.”

PERA members should know that the repeal of WEP and GPO does not affect their PERA benefit; only Social Security benefits will be affected. PERA encourages anyone with questions about their Social Security benefit to reach out to the Social Security Administration or visit ssa.gov for more information.

Colorado PERA provides retirement and other benefits to nearly 700,000 current and former teachers, State Troopers, corrections officers, snowplow drivers, and other public employees who provide valuable service to all of Colorado. PERA is a vital and stable contributor to Colorado’s economy, distributing $4.56 billion in 2023 to more than 114,000 retirees who live in Colorado.