WEA-Retired: experience counts
We appreciate our WEA-Retired
and Pre-Retired Members!
Your retirement does not have to be the end of your connection to WEA. WEA-Retired and pre-retired members share decades of experience in our schools to help improve public education in Washington. We support public education and the enhancement of the quality of life for WEA's active and retired members. WEA-Retired membership allows you to access WEA and NEA member benefits for the rest of your life.
If you are not a member you can join today!
Still working as an active WEA member? Join WEA-Retired / NEA-Retired as a pre-retired member.
Join here - with your credit card
Already retired? Join WEA-Retired / NEA-Retired.
Join here or renew annual membership - with your credit card for life or annual membership. You may join as a life member (one payment & you are a member for life) or you may pay ongoing annual dues every year in September.
Want to join and pay by check? Complete the form and mail in with your dues check.
Join here - for the DRS monthly deduction. You may have ongoing monthly dues taken out of your WA DRS pension.
Email any questions to WEARetired@washingtonea.org.
Some benefits of WEA-Retired membership
- Membership is for a lifetime in a powerful, active retiree organization that understands the value of public education and unions because of its affiliation with WEA. (WEA-Retired is the only retiree organization with this affiliation.)
- Membership includes eligibility for NEA Member Benefits such as credit card and insurance programs, including the $1 million liability insurance if you choose to work as a substitute educator, and WEA's Attorney Referral Program offers "discounts" to our members.
- Membership provides opportunities to continue advocating for the rights of retired educators, current educators, and public school students. Your voice still matters!
- Membership provides access to" AIG/Corebridge" financial advisors for a 360 Plan with a complete evaluation of your financial needs for FREE.
- Membership establishes access to leadership opportunities and training for lifelong learning!
- Membership creates camaraderie with other educators.
- Membership offers involvement as part of WEA-Retired; you can attend local chapter lunch programs, help out at pre-retirement seminars, join current educators at events within UniServ Councils and WEA, and other endless possibilities.
- Membership informs you about education and issues important to retired educators. You will receive WEA and NEA newsletters and other informative materials.
- Membership flows seamlessly from pre-retired to retired status.
2025 Legislative Session
The goals for 2025 are centered around ensuring retirement security for all WEA-Retired members. Based on surveys and member input, the goals were developed. The WEA-Retired Board of Directors approved these goals. View here.
2024 WEA-Retired Awards
WEA-Retired can support public education staff and students in the State of Washington only through the hard work and dedication of people who believe in its goals and objectives. It is the practice of WEA-Retired to acknowledge these supporters each year during its annual meeting.
Below are descriptions of the four WEA-Retired awards.
Pre-Retired Member of the Year. Some active WEA members join WEA-Retired while they are still working in order to retain their member benefits when they retire. Others actively promote WEA-Retired and its programs.
Retired Member of the Year. There are those who work tirelessly in their efforts to promote the organization: helping with membership promotion, scholarship activities, lobbying, meetings, committee work among other activities. Many times, these are not names that appear in the newsletter or that others know much about, but they are always there and ready to work to get the job done.
Advocate of the Year. This award is given to people who, although they do not qualify for WEA-Retired membership, provide invaluable help to the organization over time by educating and/or providing support in a variety of ways.
Media. People in the communications field have the ability to provide to the general public, WEA active members, or WEA-Retired members information about WEA-Retired programs and goals. This can be accomplished through publications and communications such as newsletters, enews, blogs, or websites.
Team Advocacy. This team is focused on increasing membership and engagement of retirees, as well as advocating for public schools, students and staff. A member of the team may be included even if they are not eligible for WEA-Retired membership.
Questions or comments may be sent to Maureen Ramos WEA-Retired Awards chairperson.
Pre-retirement seminars
Whether you're years from retiring or near retirement, it's good to get your ducks in a row.
WEA-Retired has a corps of more than 30 members who are trained to lead pre-retirement seminars. The seminars, offered throughout the state at the request of locals and UniServ councils, provide information on all of the retirement plans from the Department of Retirement Systems and hints for making the decisions they require. They also cover financial planning, medical insurance, estate planning, Social Security, Medicare, and life after retirement. The number of participants in each seminar is limited to give the opportunity for individual questions and discussion.
Contact your UniServ Council or write to WEARetired@washingtonea.org for the dates of upcoming pre-retirement seminars in your council.
Please direct questions and requests to the experts at Department of Retirement, Health Care Authority, VEBA (Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Association) and Social Security. Websites and phone numbers are listed below.
- Department of Retirement Systems: www.drs.wa.gov / 800-547-6657 and www.drs.wa.gov/plan3 / 888-327-5596
- Health Care Authority www.pebb.hca.wa.gov / 800-200-1004
- VEBA www.veba.org / 888-828-4953
- Social Security www.ssa.gov / 800-772-1213
WEA-Retired scholarships
WEA-Retired offers $1,000 non-renewable scholarships to aid WEA members in 1) enhancing skills for their current position, 2) obtaining an endorsement in a new area or 3) attaining or maintaining a teaching certificate. Applicants must be a WEA member.
If you or someone you know would like to make a donation to the scholarship fund, checks can be made to “WEA-Retired Scholarships” and sent to: WEA-Retired Scholarships, PO Box 820708, Vancouver, WA 98682. Another option would be to transfer funds via Zelle using skokko1946@gmail.com.
Questions? Contact Linda McGee or Sandy Kokko.
WEA-Retired legislative goals
What's happening in your neighborhood
You don't have to be retired to join WEA-Retired. Active and newly (or not so newly) retired members welcomed.
Working after retirement
Considering returning part time or working as a substitute? There are post-retirement work implications you need to consider.
How we work
WEA-Retired elects officers, board directors and delegates at its own annual meeting and also elects delegates to the WEA and NEA Representative Assemblies. WEA-Retired has representation on the WEA and NEA Board of Directors.
Connections
Stay connected. Check your mailbox for Connections, a quarterly newsletter published by WEA-Retired.
Read past editions here.
We'd love to hear from you. Please contact WEA-Retired if you have questions.
Valuable member benefits
- Credit cards and insurance programs
- $1,000,000 liability insurance
- Access to savings on travel, restaurants, auto rentals/purchases, appliances, and other savings
Make a difference by joining WEA-PAC or NEA-PAC
The people we elect make decisions that affect classrooms, our families and our students. We need candidates who will advocate for a well-funded education system as well as hold the line on threats to educators, students and public schools. WEA-PAC, the Washington Education Association’s political action committee, recommends and supports pro-education candidates. Join today!
You can join WEA-PAC online here - and use your credit card. Be sure to select WEA-Retired in the dropdown under "local."
Join NEA-PAC online here.
You can also join by completing this form, printing it out and sending it in with a check to: WEA-PAC, P.O. Box 9100, Federal Way, WA 98063.
Learn more about WEA-PAC here.