U.S. Representative Kevin Brady
EQUAL TREATMENT OF PUBLIC SERVANTS ACT
Repeals WEP; Corrects Social Security Benefits for Teachers & Public Servants
Key Points
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Permanently repeals the current Windfall Elimination Provision and replaces it with a new and fair
formula that treats public servants like the rest of American workers.
Guarantees public servants receive the benefits they earned while they paid into Social Security.
Reduces the WEP by up to 1/3 for current retirees, and up to ½ for future retirees – increasing
lifetime Social Security benefits by between $20,000 and $32,400 (as estimated by the Social Security
actuary).
Does not impact the Social Security trust fund.
The Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act guarantees public servants will receive the Social
Security benefits they earned while they paid into the federal program. Your Social Security
amount will no longer be figured by the arbitrary WEP formula established in 1983, but will be based on each
worker’s real-life Social Security contributions and work history -- just like everyone else. For example, a
worker who contributes to Social Security for 10 years would receive all of their Social Security due them
based on their earnings and contributions in those 10 years.
Social Security benefits will increase for WEP teachers & public servants. Retired public servants
currently subject to the WEP – and those who turn age 62 before December 31, 2016 - will see their Social
Security benefits increased by an estimated 32% according to the Social Security Actuary’s office. That’s an
average increase of $1,034 a year, which means an additional $20,000 over the lifetime of an average retiree.
Public servants who turn age 62 on or after January 1, 2017 will benefit from the new Public Servant Fairness
Formula. On average, they will receive an estimated $1,620 in additional Social Security benefits a year, or
more than $32,400 over the average lifetime of retirement.
Equal treatment for public servants. Public servants who earn both a Social Security benefit and a
retirement from a Social Security substitute – like a state teacher retirement plan – will finally receive
treatment equal to all other American workers.
This legislation was developed in close consultation with teacher-public servant organizations, particularly
those in Texas, Ohio, and Massachusetts. For more information contact Aindriu Colgan at 202-225-4901 or
[email protected]