Yes, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision removed an advantage that some government workers had before the GPO was enacted. Until then, a person who worked in a government job that was not covered under Social Security could receive, in addition to a government pension based on his or her earnings, a full Social Security spouse's or surviving spouse's benefit.

However, a person who works in a job that is covered under Social Security is subject to the dual entitlement provision. This provision, which has applied since 1940 when benefits were first payable to a worker's family members, requires that Social Security benefits payable to a person as a spouse or surviving spouse be reduced by the amount of that person's own Social Security retirement benefit. The dual entitlement provision was intended to restrict the payment of benefits to those family members who were actually dependent on the worker.

The GPO provision replicates the dual entitlement provision for workers receiving a government pension based on work not covered under Social Security because, if the work had been covered, any spouse's or surviving spouse's benefit would have been reduced by the person's own Social Security worker's benefit.

For more information on the GPO, see the Social Security Administration’s publication, Government Pension Offset.