City of Philadelphia Transitions to Strictly Onsite Work for Government Employees

Within hours of taking her oath of office this past January, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker issued a letter outlining a plan for her administration’s first 100 days in office.

In that letter, Parker expressed her wish for a city government “that our citizens can see, touch and feel—visible actions that help people at the neighborhood level.”

The city’s roughly 25,000 employees will soon be much more visible, when they return to strictly in-office work on a full-time basis.

As Parker noted in a May 20 statement, she has notified all Philadelphia government employees that they are to default to full-time, in-office or onsite work, effective July 15, 2024.

“Employee presence at the workplace allows for more personal and productive interactions, facilitates communication and promotes social connections—along with collaboration, innovation and inclusion,” read Parker’s statement.

“It delivers on my promise of an accessible city workforce that is best situated to serve the people of Philadelphia,” said Parker, adding that more consistent in-office presence figures to “result in work environments where equal employment opportunity and diversity, equity and inclusion are truly realized.”

Noting that around 80% of the city’s workforce was working fully onsite in 2023, Parker laid out the fundamentals of Philadelphia’s new return-to-office policy for its government employees.

For example, the new policy sunsets the city’s virtual work policy implemented in 2021 and establishes generally that all work is to be done onsite, while allowing appointing authorities the discretion to permit “occasional remote work to address periodic life circumstances.”

Parker has also directed her administration to implement a number of supports for all permanent full-time, part-time and provisional employees—just-in-time emergency care needs for child and elder care, increased paid parental leave, relaxation of the restrictions on use of sick leave for family members and designation of the Friday after Thanksgiving as a holiday.

A number of Philadelphia public sector employers have voiced their support for bringing city workers back to the office full-time.

For example, Leslie S. Richards, CEO and general manager of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation (SEPTA) noted in a statement that Philadelphia and SEPTA “are at their best when they are bustling with activity, and that means people traveling to work, running errands, going to restaurants and taking in all that our great city has to offer.”

While pointing out that Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) officers “never experienced the shift to remote work,” PPD Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel said the department grasps “the profound impact that a visible and vibrant city has on safety and community well-being.”

A busy city “is not only safer, but also fosters a sense of connection and security among its residents,” Bethel continued. “The PPD stands ready to welcome and assist our fellow co-workers as they return to the office in neighborhoods across the city.”