The Social Security Fairness Act, co-written by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, received bipartisan support in the U.S House and Senate last year. (Photo illustration by iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Colin Bushell, who teaches English at Sanford High School, became a teacher in his early 30s. At the time, he didn’t realize that his career change would mean losing a large portion of the money he had previously paid into Social Security.
That’s because of a provision in federal law that severely limits the amount of Social Security money public service employees who earn a pension can receive. Millions of public service employees across the country lose hundreds of dollars a month in their Social Security benefits, and Maine is one of the states disproportionately impacted by this statute, called the Windfall Elimination Provision.
“I couldn’t even believe it was a real thing, to be honest. It seems so ridiculous and unfair,” Bushnell said.
“Firefighters, teachers, policemen; a lot of us could probably do a lot better in the private sector, but have made a choice to dedicate our lives to these professions. We should be the last people to be penalized for it.”
But in late December, Congress passed reforms to Social Security that if signed into law will reverse provisions that have stifled retirement benefits for thousands of Mainers.
The Social Security Fairness Act, co-written by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, received bipartisan support in the U.S House and Senate last year. It proposes eliminating two separate provisions that severely limit Social Security benefits for retired teachers and public service employees who receive pensions, and the benefits their spouses can receive.
On Thursday, Collins sent a letter to Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration Carolyn Colvin requesting that the agency swiftly implement the act following President Joe Biden’s expected signing of the bill on Jan. 6.
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The Windfall Elimination Provision was cited in a 2024 Educate Maine report as a significant barrier for entering the educator workforce. A teacher from Knox County said “teachers are moving away because of it,” according to the report.
As of 2023, more than 21,000 Maine residents, most of whom are retired, were affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision.
Another 8,200 Mainers were also impacted by the Government Pension Offset that reduces Social Security benefits for spouses and widows or widowers of people who receive pensions not covered by Social Security.
The law could double the amount of pensions that teachers and other public service retirees receive, depending on how much Social Security money they were losing out on.
For example, Tony Gonzales of Milo worked in the private sector for 20 years, during which time he paid into Social Security, and then for the Maine Department of Transportation for 25 years.
When he retired in 2018, his Social Security benefits statement said he would receive $1,000 a month. But because of the Windfall Elimination Provision, he could only get 40% of that.
“I have paid a $600 monthly penalty now for going on seven years,” he said. “The $600 a month that I paid for but that I currently don’t get would make my life easier.”
Several unions, including the Maine Education Association, the Maine Service Employees Association and the Maine School Boards Association applauded Congress for supporting the reform, which some Maine unions have lobbied for for decades.
“For 30-something years, we’ve been trying to fight this,” said Steven Bailey, president of the Maine School Boards Association, about the two provisions.
“The [Social Security Fairness Act] is a very positive thing for educators as well as government workers in the state.”
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