Welcome to the FAQ! Don't see your question answered? Email us at [email protected] or call us at (614) 407-6492.
Contents
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- What is GPO-WEP?
- I’m a retired AFSCME member in Ohio/West-Virginia, does that automatically make me a member of OH-WV AFSCME Retiree Chapter 1184?
- What do Chapter 1184 dues go towards?
- I’m a member. Do I get _____ benefits?
- I need help with one of my benefits. Where should I call?
- I need to contact my pension system. Where should I call?
- When is my membership up for renewal?
- What is pension dues deduction? How do I sign up for it?
- I signed up for membership. When will I get my membership card?
- I am the spouse of a member or the widow/widower of a former member. Can I sign up?
- My loved one is recently deceased and was a member. How do I let you know?
- Why did I receive mail from Chapter 1184?
- What is a subchapter?
- How do I get more involved in the Chapter?
- Where can I find literature/fact sheets about retiree issues?
What is GPO-WEP?
GPO stands for “Government Pension Offsets” and WEP stands for “Windfall Elimination Provision.” Both GPO and WEP reduce retirees’ Social Security benefits, but the difference is who they affect.
WEP affects people who have worked in both the public and private sector, receiving both Social Security and a public pension. In this case, retirees' Social Security can be reduced by up to ½ their pension amount. GPO affects those with both a public pension and spousal or widow(er) benefits in a similar way; reducing their spousal/widow(er) benefit by ⅔ of their pension amount, sometimes reducing their spousal/widow(er) benefit to zero. Additionally, some retirees are affected by both GPO and WEP.
At this point, you may be thinking, “but if someone spends a lifetime in public service, paying into the benefits they earned, shouldn’t they be entitled to the entirety of those benefits?” To that we would say, “Yes, exactly!” Which is why we are working towards the repeal of these harmful programs.
If you’re interested in helping us in this fight, you can sign the petition here.
More questions about GPO-WEP? We’d recommend reading more here.
Want to track the progress of the Senate bill to repeal GPO-WEP? You can view updates and sign up for alerts here.
Want to track the progress of the House bill to repeal GPO-WEP? You can view updates and sign up for alerts here.
I’m a retired AFSCME member in Ohio/West-Virginia, does that automatically make me a member of OH-WV AFSCME Retiree Chapter 1184?
No—joining our chapter is completely optional, so retirees are not automatically added as members upon retiring. If you haven’t filled out a membership application, you aren’t a member yet. However, we’d love for you to join us, and if you’re interested you can do so here!
What do Chapter 1184 dues go towards?
Dues pay for local subchapter and statewide meetings to help keep retirees informed about retiree issues as well as support the national network of AFSCME retirees to monitor and mobilize to protect our earned retirement benefits. This way we can make sure no one can cut our benefits in Columbus or in Washington, DC.
I’m a member. Do I get _____ benefits?
You can view a full list of member benefits here!
I need help with one of my benefits. Where should I call?
Our benefits are provided by AFSCME Advantage and Union Plus. The Union Plus Member Advocacy Program can be reached at (800) 472-2005, 8:30am - 4:30pm, M - F.
I need to contact my pension system. Where should I call?
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS): 1-800-222-7377
School Employees Retirement System of Ohio (SERS): 1-800-878-5853
Cincinnati Retirement System (CRS): (513) 352-3227
West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board: (304) 558-3570
When is my membership up for renewal?
All of our members who pay by cash, card, or bank draft, or signed up via a one-time, online payment, are up for renewal on January 15 each year.
This means that whether you renew your membership for the year of
Jan. 15 2024 - Jan 15. 2025 in December 2023 (prior to it expiring) or in June 2024 (after it has expired), it is still up for renewal on January 15, 2025 and is still $36 for the year.
You can renew online here!
If you pay for your membership via pension dues deduction or a yearly, recurring, online payment, your membership does not need to be renewed.
What is pension dues deduction? How do I sign up for it?
Pension dues deduction is a payment method in which, rather than paying your yearly dues all at once, $3 per month is deducted from your pension. The yearly cost is the same as all other payment methods ($36/year), but you don’t have to worry about renewing your membership every year.
We currently offer dues deduction for members of the SERS and CRS retirement systems. If you’d like to sign up for dues deduction, you can give us a call at (614) 407-6492 and we can sign you up over the phone, or mail you a physical application at your request.
I signed up for membership. When will I get my membership card?
You should receive your membership card within 6-8 weeks. If it has been longer than 8 weeks or you need your card faster in order to sign up for a benefit, please give us a call at (614) 407-6492 and put in a request for your membership card to be expedited.
I am the spouse of a member or the widow/widower of a former member. Can I sign up?
Yes! All retired public service employees and their spouses or surviving spouses are eligible for membership. If you’d like to sign up, you can do so here.
My loved one is recently deceased and was a member. How do I let you know?
We’re so sorry for your loss. Please give us a call at (614) 407-6492 or email us at [email protected] with your loved one’s first and last name and address and we will update our records accordingly.
Why did I receive mail from Chapter 1184?
If you are not yet a member and you received mail from Chapter 1184, that means our records indicate that you are a public service employee, or spouse of a public service employee, that is eligible for membership (even if you were not a member of an AFSCME affiliate like OH Council 8, OCSEA, and OAPSE). If you’re interested in joining us, you can do so here.
If you are already a member and you received a renewal notice, that means it is time to renew your membership. If you receive a renewal notice after you have recently paid, please disregard—we call it snail mail for a reason! If you are unsure if your membership is current, give us a call at (614) 407-6492 and we can check for you.
What is a subchapter?
A subchapter is a group within an AFSCME Retiree chapter that holds local meetings and has its own table officers, executive board members, and trustees. You can think of it like a local in a working member union. Chapter 1184 has 13 subchapters across Ohio and West Virginia which are organized by county. You can find your local subchapter here.
How do I get more involved in the Chapter?
The best way to start getting involved in the chapter is to attend local subchapter meetings! You can find your local subchapter here, and view the event calendar for upcoming subchapter meetings here.