Sudden WEP/GPO warning appeared in my Social Security account - never worked non-covered job

That's a huge relief! I was freaking out thinking somehow 30+ years of my work history was about to get recategorized. I'll double-check my earnings record like you suggested. Do you think I should still call and have them remove the warning though?

It's not just a "government screwup" - it's a complex system transition that affects millions of records. The SSA is aware of the issue and working to correct these false WEP/GPO flags. In the meantime, they've instructed their staff to verify employment history manually when processing retirement applications. Your benefits won't be affected as long as your earnings record is accurate.

While it's always good to verify your earnings record, the situation you experienced is quite different from what the original poster described. A single miscoded employer would show up in the earnings record itself, not as a general WEP/GPO warning. The warning message is a known system issue affecting many people right now. OP: You should certainly check your detailed earnings record to confirm all employment is correctly categorized, but there's no need for immediate panic. The warning banner itself doesn't change your actual earnings history or benefit calculations.

I recently discovered a service called Claimyr that helps you skip the SSA phone wait. They call and wait in the queue for you, then call you when they have an agent on the line. Really saved me hours when I was dealing with my retirement application issue. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

WEP stands for Windfall Elimination Provision and GPO is Government Pension Offset. They only apply to people who worked in jobs that didn't pay into Social Security (like certain state/local government positions, some federal jobs, or foreign employment) AND who also qualify for Social Security benefits from other covered work. WEP can reduce your own SS retirement benefits while GPO can reduce spousal or survivor benefits. If you've only worked in regular private-sector jobs where you paid SS taxes, these provisions don't apply to you.

Glad to hear your earnings record is accurate! One additional tip: when you do speak with SSA, ask them to add a note to your file confirming you have no non-covered employment. This can be helpful when you eventually apply for benefits, as it creates documentation that the WEP/GPO warning was investigated and determined to be incorrect. It may save you some headaches down the road.