FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Steven Maviglio, 916-607-8340

Statement of Ted Toppin, Chair, Californians for Retirement Security, the 1.6 million member coalition of public employee unions and retirees.

The decision unequivocally upholds the California Rule, and in doing so protects the retirement security of California public servants, including the nurses, doctors, firefighters, EMTs, respiratory therapists and many other public employees working on the frontlines to protect Californians during the pandemic.

"The decision does seem to undermine the retirement security of Alameda County sheriff deputies. Their employer and retirement system made a promise to them that the Court decision now allows them to break. That is unfair and unfortunate. If public employers make a pension commitment to their workers, they should keep it.

"Californians for Retirement Security will continue to work with the state and local governments to ensure our retirement systems are sound, well-funded, and that everyone does their part to ensure that promised defined benefit pensions are there to protect the retirement security of our nurses, teachers, firefighters, school employees and the countless other public servants and retirees who are counting on them."

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