Social Security Fairness Act
The Social Security Fairness Act (signed January 2025) eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) — two provisions that reduced Social Security benefits for millions of public sector workers.
What Changed
The Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law on January 5, 2025. It repeals both the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), effective for benefits payable after December 2023. Approximately 3.2 million public sector workers — including teachers, firefighters, police officers, and government nurses — will see increased Social Security benefits as a result.
What Was the WEP?
The Windfall Elimination Provision reduced Social Security benefits for workers who received a pension from employment not covered by Social Security (such as CalPERS). The WEP could reduce Social Security benefits by up to $587/month (2024 figure). It disproportionately affected state and local government employees, including many California nurses and civil servants.
What Was the GPO?
The Government Pension Offset reduced spousal and survivor Social Security benefits for people who receive a government pension from non-covered employment. The GPO reduced spousal benefits by two-thirds of the government pension amount — often eliminating them entirely. It primarily affected spouses and widows/widowers of government employees.
Who Benefits?
Public sector workers who receive a pension from a non-Social Security-covered employer (such as CalPERS, CalSTRS, or certain state pension systems) and who also have Social Security work history. California nurses who worked in both CDCR/state government and private sector jobs may see significant benefit increases.
What Should You Do?
If you believe you were affected by WEP or GPO, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) to review your benefit estimate. The SSA is processing retroactive payments for benefits affected after December 2023. Visit ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213.
This page is for informational purposes only. Verify current benefit information with the Social Security Administration at ssa.gov.