~ April 11, 2023 ~
The City of Philadelphia, through its Finance Office, notified the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office that it would receive $1.5 million in funding for Class 100 Operations. The notification stipulated that the funding is for salary increases for all exempt staff. Specifically, the funding was for three types of salary increases described further below. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Reporters:
Chris Brennan, William Bender and Ryan Briggs is simply incorrect that the money was meant to hire deputies.
Absolutely no money was spent on salary increases that was meant for deputies. This funding was meant to address salary issues for exempt employees. There is a multistage process, across city departments, that was followed by the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office.
Additional Salary Details: There are three different types of salary increases related to this funding:
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- Equity Increase – Meant to address an issue where an employee is paid outside the salary band range for their type or role, or where there is a disparity between two employees in a department.
- Merit Increase – Due to high job performance primarily focusing on identifiable performance criteria, metrics, and accomplishments. Merit increases can promote high performance across the organization and demonstrate to employees they are valued, and the Sheriff’s Office is committed to their professional development and growth.
- Retention Increase – This is for employees who have pending job offers or have indicated that they will leave the department or begin seeking a new position without a salary increase. This is also meant to prevent a potential loss of an employee who is critical to the department.
The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, consistent with other city agencies and departments, pays its exempt employees based on a variety of factors, including experience and academic qualifications. Many departments, such as the Philadelphia Department of Health, and the Philadelphia Police Department have numerous leadership positions with similar or higher compensation than our office pays. As to any specific personnel decision, our office cannot disclose employment information publicly.
Per usual, there are too many errors in the Philadelphia Inquirer article to count. The editors and writers should do additional research before publishing baseless allegations. The agenda by the Philadelphia Inquirer has been abundantly clear, they want the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office abolished and are seeking various positions to do so. It’s unfortunate and disgraceful for publishing stories without adequate research.
