As you can see although we are probably not talking huge dollar amounts, the impact on employers and employees, throughout the state, when pro rated out, would be significant. Currently these employees participate in public retirement systems. These retirement systems provide public employees with constitutionally guaranteed lifetime retirement benefits based on a variety of service and age combinations. Retirement benefits can begin with as little as 5-8 years of service. The systems also provide occupational and non-occupational disability and survivor benefits.
Disability benefits are available when an employee can no longer perform their current job.
After a member's death, survivor benefits may be paid for life to spouses. Dependent children can receive benefits under some conditions, up to age 23, if enrolled in school. These benefits would NOT be duplicated by Social Security. If new employees were forced into Social Security a new tier would have to be added to these systems to accommodate the additional employer expense or these systems would in some cases have to be eliminated. Such a reduction in benefits would have an impact on recruiting teachers for Alaskan schools and employees willing to work for political subdivisions, the university and the State of Alaska.