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WEP and GPO: A Brief Explainer of Complicated Laws

WEP and GPO: A Brief Explainer of Complicated Laws
These laws primarily affect teachers in some states, police officers and firefighters in other states, and old-time federal employees. John Moore/Getty Images
Tom Margenau
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Because of the high volume of emails I get from the small minority of government employees who don’t even pay into Social Security, I guess it’s time for me to trot out my old WEP and GPO column. (I'll explain what those abbreviations stand for in a minute.)

Who are these folks? They are primarily teachers in some states and police officers and firefighters in other states. Or they are old-time federal employees who started working before government employees were switched to Social Security in 1984. These local, state, and older federal employees are covered by other retirement plans and not by Social Security.

Tom Margenau
Tom Margenau
Author
Tom Margenau worked for 32 years in a variety of positions for the Social Security Administration before retiring in 2005. He has served as the director of SSA’s public information office, the chief editor of more than 100 SSA publications, a deputy press officer and spokesman, and a speechwriter for the commissioner of Social Security. For 12 years, he also wrote Social Security columns for local newspapers, and recently published the book “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” If you have a Social Security question, contact him at [email protected]
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