Threatened SC pension plan one of few perks for underpaid state workers, advocate says

An advocate for SC state workers urged a special legislative panel on Tuesday to preserve the state’s pension plan and not close off that retirement option to new workers.

“Our state workforce is already fragile,” said Carlton Washington, director of the S.C. State Employees Association, adding, “Pay is extremely low. Too many critical jobs are going unfilled.”

The pension system is one of the few perks of working for S.C. state government, Washington told the House-Senate panel tasked with making changes to the state’s public workers retirement options.

Washington’s request Tuesday came after Gov. Henry McMaster sent a letter to the panel urging legislators to only offer a 401(k)-style retirement plan to new state employees and end the pension option.

This story was originally published August 29, 2017 at 1:53 PM with the headline "Threatened SC pension plan one of few perks for underpaid state workers, advocate says."