Glitch delays benefits for state retirees

Paula Ainsworth of Tupelo put in her state retirement this month and was expecting to begin receiving her benefits soon, but a glitch in new software at the Public Employees Retirement System has caused a large backlog in processing applications.

Ainsworth says the latest information is that it could be January before she starts receiving benefits. Ainsworth, who retired this month as a special education teacher, said she is too young to qualify for Social Security benefits and was depending on the state check.

“My budget was depending on my retirement check,” Ainsworth said. “I figure I won’t get anything until after Jan. 1.

“I’m just going to trust God. I have a little bit of savings I can use, and I will live as frugally as I can and hope for some part-time work.”

Ainsworth said her heart goes out to those lower-paid state workers who may be depending on their retirement check.

She said such retirees won’t be able to go to a bank to get loans.

PERS Executive Director Pat Robertson said Friday that progress is being made and they can see light at the end of the tunnel. Robertson said that as workers become trained on the new software they are progressing faster in wiping out the backlog.

“This new system replaces our former system, which was more than 16 years old and, as such, was operating at an exceedingly slow pace,” Robertson said.

Robertson said she doesn't expect a delay to January. She said she expects new retirees who just filed to receive their first check in November.

Robertson said PERS cannot guarantee that benefit payments will begin when a state employee retires. But, she said, retirees will receive all benefits due.

Ainsworth said she doesn’t blame anyone for the delay.

Robertson said the delayed processing is not normal.

“We truly regret that your celebration of retirement will be affected by this situation and want you to be reassured that we are working diligently to expedite the launch of our new system and to process all backlogged applications as quickly as is possible so that we can provide you and all of our members with the quality service you deserve as we move forward,” Robertson said to affected retirees.

Robertson said it was like a perfect storm this year with the software glitch, some workers leaving for higher paying jobs, and seemingly more people filing for retirement this year. On average, about 5,300 public employees file for retirement each year, she said.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at (601) 961-7212 or jgates@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.