PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia City Council is considering a proposal that would allow the city to fill vacancies — including in the Police Department — with retired employees who could continue receiving pension payments while also earning a paycheck.
The legislation, introduced Thursday by Council Majority Leader Cherelle Parker, is being touted as one way to address hundreds of vacancies in the Police Department, which has struggled to recruit and retain officers amid a nationwide shortage and a spike in gun violence in the city.
But if adopted, the policy shift would apply to all city employees. Parker highlighted that the Department of Prisons is short hundreds of correctional officers, and the Department of Licenses and Inspections has seen a mass exodus of inspectors, prompting concerns about building safety.
