Fox 25 News in Baltimore reports that a recent Inspector General report has discovered a double dipping salary scheme, which may have cost the county at least $1 million in pension benefits.
Twenty employees of Baltimore County, Maryland were rehired for the County after having retired and were earning both pension benefits and salaries simultaneously according to a new report. The Inspector General estimates this “oversight” cost the County $1 million of pension benefits or $2.3 million in salary. The State law requires that returning employees must only receive one payment programs prior to the completion of a one year waiting period.
A pair of Baltimore County agencies said some of the 20 employees involved may be exempt from this law because they were hired for “temporary non-authorized” positions. A joint response from the Baltimore County Office of Budget and Finance and the Office of Human Resources said:
Please allow us time to work with the Office of Law on clarification of if temporary non-authorized positions are exempt from the Baltimore County Code.
A hold has been placed on rehiring any employee that has been retired from Baltimore County for less than 6 months. A plan is being formulated by the Office of Human Resources and Retirement Office on how to deal with the employees that are currently affected.
Inspector General Kelly Madigan told FOX45 News:
I’m extremely proud of this report. I believe it demonstrates the role of my Office in not only identifying significant waste within Baltimore County Government, but in illustrating ways to promote accountability and efficiency. I look forward to issuing more reports which will demonstrate the work of the office.
Madigan was first hired to run the counties Office of Ethics and Accountability back in 2019, when he became Baltimore Counties first Inspector General.
