AARP turns up heat on State Senate to end discrimination against older workers who lose jobs ; Statewide media campaign, volunteers press for Senate approval of House Bill 163

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- AARP Pennsylvania today launched a statewide media campaign and mobilized its 1.8 million members to convince state senators that older workers who lose their jobs should collect full unemployment benefits.

AARP's media campaign begins today and is running in the home markets of state senate leadership members and key members in the Labor and Industry committee. The print and radio ads encourage residents to contact state senators and ask for approval of House Bill 163. AARP Pennsylvania State Director Fred Griesbach added that 50 AARP volunteers, who are residents of Senator Scarnati's district, visited the legislator's Harrisburg office today to request that he move the bill from his committee to the Senate floor.

House Bill 163 (which was approved by the State House in June) would end the unfair practice of limiting unemployed older workers to one dollar of unemployment compensation benefits for every two dollars they receive in monthly Social Security payments. Thirty-nine other states already changed laws to assure older workers receiving social security are entitled to full unemployment benefits.

"Older workers that lose jobs deserve the same opportunities as other employees, and shouldn't be penalized just for receiving Social Security benefits," Griesbach said. "Unfairly restricting seniors' unemployment benefits is unacceptable in an era when pension cuts and rising health care and energy costs make continued employment necessary for many who have already reached retirement age."

Griesbach said the outdated law is creating real economic hardships for older workers statewide.

"When I filed for unemployment, I was shocked," said Margo Metzger. The Lancaster County school bus driver and social security recipient was eligible to collect just $17 in weekly unemployment benefits this past summer.

Sadly, her situation is not unique.

When Bernie Ives lost his job as a pharmacist in Bucks County, he was surprised to learn that collecting social security limited his eligibility for unemployment benefits to $38 every two weeks.

Bernie Ives' position as a pharmacist in Bucks County was eliminated when his employer was acquired by another company. "I was surprised to learn that collecting social security limited my unemployment benefits to 38 dollars every two weeks," he said. "I don't understand why I can't receive the same unemployment benefits as other workers."

In addition to treating older workers fairly, approving House Bill 163 would be budget-neutral, Griesbach said. The state Department of Labor and Industry has already reported that any costs associated with ending the Social Security offset for older workers would be absorbed by a surplus in the unemployment compensation trust fund. Opponents to the legislation have wrongly maintained that changing the law will increase unemployment compensation insurance premiums for businesses.

"Pennsylvania needs to join the 39 other states that have already changed their outdated laws and eliminated the social security offset for unemployment compensation benefits," Griesbach said. "This is a simple issue of fairness, and our state's senior citizens are paying the price for the General Assembly's reluctance to act."

AARP Pennsylvania can provide interview sources with victims of the current Social Security offset law.

AARP has over 1.8 million members in Pennsylvania. AARP is a non-profit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to making life better for people 50 and over. We provide information and resources; engage in legislative, regulatory and legal advocacy; assist members in serving their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits, special products and services for our members.