For decades, many thought repealing federal Social Securities penalties was a lost cause—yet in late 2024 both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed WEP/GPO repeal, and President Biden signed it into law on January 5.

Doing away with the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset is a huge win for teachers and other public servants. In episode 50, CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn Delancey talk with Bette Marafino, president of the Connecticut Alliance for Retired Americans, and Mary-Beth Lang, vice-president of CEA Retired, about celebrating the win, how we got here, and what's next.

Do you have a health savings account? Do you know how to make full use of the account to save money and even invest?

In this episode, Tom Lally, CEA's insurance specialist, talks with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey about what teachers need to know to take full advantage of their HSAs. To learn more about HSAs, CEA members can register for a free webinar at 4 p.m. January 14 with Lally.

In the last Two T's in a Pod episode of 2024, CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey take a lighthearted tone as they discuss their favorite holiday songs and food before moving on to a discussion of what they’re looking forward to in the year ahead.

Some of the events they’re anticipating include January webinars on teachers’ free speech rights and maximizing your HSA, the CEA Legislative Breakfast in February, and Read Across Connecticut in March.