Public employees, such as teachers, nurses, bus drivers, transit employees, and laborers often rejoice in their career choice as they know that they are well taken care of for the rest of their lives. The world can be a scary place, especially today, but that safety net always manages to sooth some of their sorrows. One of my main reasons for becoming a teacher, aside from that I love it, is the pension that comes along with joining the Retirement System. At least, that is how I always thought it would be. It seems as if our local government is turning their back on me during my darkest hours, even though I always believed in and respected it.
The day that changed everything.
Governor Cuomo spearheaded the law that was passed on March 15, 2012. Quite simply, this new bill eliminates pensions for public service workers. These employees are going to need to find a different way to support themselves after they retire. As I was doing my research for this article, I was not surprised to find that Governor Cuomo was the one responsible. He is very notorious throughout several Teacher's Unions for disrespecting and minimizing the work that teachers do every day. It irks me that the politicians that are making these life-altering decisions have never stepped foot into our fields of work, but that is a topic for another day.
I am just starting out with my career and since my college did not really do anything to inform me of this, I have tried to ignore it. Sure, I have heard a few passing remarks about it from my family, but I did not want anything to do with it. Then, it dawned on me. I have nothing to do with this decision. It was Cuomo's call to make this law, and now I am going to be paying the consequences for it for the rest of my life.
What to do?
I realize that I have no control over other people's actions. However, I can control how I react to their decisions. Instead of sulking in the corner about how the government screwed me over, I am going to make sure that I am well prepared. I plan on enrolling in a 401K program soon, and I advise that you do the same if the need arises. This article was written as an effort to inform my peers that are unaware of this law, so they can make sure that they are ready for it. We are all in this together. And always remember, it is never too early to start preparing for retirement. Before you know it, it's going to be here. It is your choice if you are ready for it or not.
