Summary
The FY22 Annual Overtime Report provides an in-depth review of overtime expenditures across Philadelphia’s city departments, which reached $213 million, the highest annual total at the time. This represents a $27.3 million increase from FY21, reflecting the ongoing impact of staffing shortages, salary increases, and increased demand for city services.
Public safety departments—including Police ($76.6 million), Fire ($68.1 million), and Prisons ($29.6 million)—accounted for the largest share of overtime costs, continuing a multi-year trend of reliance on overtime to maintain operations. Additionally, Parks & Recreation, Streets, and Fleet Management saw notable increases in overtime spending. Staffing constraints remained a significant challenge, with citywide staffing levels at 86.7%, forcing many departments to use overtime to compensate for vacancies.
This report underscores the importance of workforce planning, improved budget forecasting, and proactive management strategies to address rising overtime costs. PICA’s analysis provides multi-year comparisons, noting that overtime spending increased 2.4% from FY20 to FY22, despite citywide efforts to control costs.
As overtime spending continues to climb, this report serves as a key financial oversight tool, offering recommendations for better fiscal planning, strategic hiring, and sustainable overtime management to support long-term financial stability.