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.

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 two free 30-minute consultations a year.
• 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/VALIC 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.

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

Join here - for the DRS monthly deduction

Email any questions to WEARetired@washingtonea.org.

WEA-Retired legislative goals

View the 2023 goals here. You can also view what's happening in Olympia here.
 

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. The scholarships cannot be used to pay for incurred debt for past classes, reimbursement for pre-paid classes, or personal expenses.

The scholarship must be used within one year of being accepted and for the purpose stated in the application. The scholarship cannot be used to pay for incurred debt for past classes, reimbursement for pre-paid classes, or personal expenses.

The 2023 deadline has passed. Check back for 2024 scholarship inforamtion in the fall. Questions in the meantime? Contact Linda McGee.

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 or karle1989warren@gmail.com 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

Questions or comments may be sent to Karle Warren WEA-Retired Seminar chairperson. You may also reach out to your council to learn about and register for future pre-retirement seminars in your area!
 

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. These are the members we recognize with the Pre-Retired Member award.

• Encouraging pre-retired membership
• Helping in their UniServ Council as we set up new WEA-Retired chapters
• Advertising and setting up WEA-Retired pre-retirement seminars
• Raising money for WEA-Retired Scholarships
• Welcoming us wherever we can be a helping hand or they can offer one

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.

The deadline has passed for the 2023 awards. Questions or comments may be sent to Maureen Ramos WEA-Retired Awards chairperson.