Ohio Public Employee Retirements System / Pension Benefits trouble collecting pension

Complaints.com received the following e-message on September 28, 2001:

From:

RE: Ohio Public Employee Retirement System/Pension Benefits

I am writing this complaint in hope of someone listening and responding and to be on guard for scam practices the Ohio public employee retirement system is practicing. On December 14, 1999, my mother died. She was a retired healthcare professional from the Cleveland County Hospital in Ohio. She had worked there for over 20 years and was under the original retirement defined benefit plan. In which she had guarantee benefits based on a qualified benefit plan.(IRS) She was vested and was entitled to receive pension benefits for life under a straight life annuity plan and if she died be all benefit was issued her benefiarey would receive the balance in her account. However, the Public Employee Retirement System of Ohio have not and has refused to pay her remaining benefits to her beneficiary which is me. I have written many letters to the operas to no avail and been kicked around back and forth. She signed an agreement that states "she authorized the Board of Public Employees Retirement System to pay this beneficiary in the event of my prior death, whatever unpaid benefits are standing to my credit." They have deliberately lied. They have not acknowledged all of her contributions. They have went so far as to state that her contribution into the systems where only the tax she paid for retirement fund. They have also lied about her not retiring on disability. I have checked with the AFL-CIO of Ohio Care Plan and she retired on disability. This was an out right lie that was

told to me December 20, 1999, when I went to Columbus, Ohio to receive my benefits. What am I to do? I think this is a matter for the US Dept. of Labor to investigate, and the US Justice Dept. as well as the IRS. Beware of the PERS in your state. With companies changing to the cash balance pension accounts you will get ripped off. If you have experienced a similarly problem complain, complain, write to your congressmen, the city council, the mayor, the governor, everyone so the public retirement systems doesn't ripe you off.

Sincerely,

Stolen Benefits

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