Did you know that the type of Social Security benefits CalPERS members receive when they retire can vary? It mostly depends on whether their employer took out Social Security taxes from their paycheck.
Employees who didn’t have these taxes deducted worked in “non-covered” positions, often within safety classifications for public agencies and the State of California. These roles include peace officers, firefighters, state patrol, and state safety personnel.
Here’s What’s New
The Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law on January 5, 2025. This new law eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions had previously prevented employees with retirement and disability pensions from non-covered jobs from collecting full Social Security benefits if their work history included jobs with covered earnings. The changes to Social Security payments will be retroactive to January 1, 2024.
Changes That Don’t Impact Your Pension
CalPERS doesn’t oversee changes resulting from the new federal law. The change in federal law does not impact your CalPERS pension, only your Social Security benefits. The Social Security Administration, not CalPERS, is responsible for determining your Social Security benefits.
Here’s How You Can Stay Updated
Watch for updates regarding the implementation on the Social Security website and check your my Social Security account.
You can also find more information on our Social Security & Your CalPERS Pension webpage.
Questions?
You can contact the Social Security Administration for more details or search for a local Social Security office.