PHL Employees Gather in Solidarity of Black Lives Matter Movement

On Juneteenth, members of the airport community gathered at B/C food court stage at 6:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.  to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement. The gatherings were organized at the suggestion of Division of Aviation Custodial Department member Roland Arrington.  Those in attendance knelt for eight minutes, 46 seconds, in rembrance of George Floyd.



Following the Juneteenth observation, airport CEO Chellie Cameron announced the establishment of the Division of Aviation's Racial Equity Strategic Plan.  An advisory committee led by Jonathan Todd, Delicsha Wilds and Soledad Alfaro will support the planning and implementation of the strategic plan, which will drive meaningful change and lasting impact throughout the airport community. Parts of the strategic plan will align with the City’s overarching efforts, and many aspects will be specific to the Division of Aviation. ​​



"As we embark on this new and necessary journey together, I am confident that we will serve as an example to the aviation industry that we can and must do better at advancing racial equity," said Chellie. "If any city in the country is poised to lead this effort, it is Philadelphia. Let’s get started."   



To read Chellie's message to Division of Aviation staff, click here. 

Congratulations Division of Aviation Staff  

Congratulations to the following Division of Aviation staff members on their recent promotions.

May Promotions

Dexter Gray to Airport Operations Officer            
Keith Gaul to Airport Operations Officer
Brian Perez  to Airport Operations Officer           
Dominique Burton to Airport Operations Officer    
Angel White to Airport Assistant Operations Officer           
James Reed to Custodial Worker 2 
Ross Carter to Custodial Worker 2               
Shakira Stewart  to Custodial Worker 2    
Malik Blatch  to Custodial Worker 2   
Rashidah Brown to Custodial Worker 2 
Jeffrey Turner  to Custodial Worker 2         
Sharae Bingham   to Custodial Worker 2    
Shanerah McGraw  to Custodial Worker 2   
Aijah Lockett to Custodial Worker 2            
Capri Goode  to Custodial Worker 2            
Daymond Floyd to Custodial Worker 2       
Tatyana Preston to Custodial Worker 2      
Shanita Felder  to Custodial Worker 2       

June Promotions

Grant Sherman to Airport Operations Officer 
Samuel Bird to Custodial Worker 2 

The Latest From PHL’s Online Newsroom:

Airlines:

PHL Introduces COVID-19 Air Service Recovery Program

PHL launched its COVID-19 Air Service Recovery and Incentive Program (CASRIP), which aims to drive fast recovery and create economic stability for the Philadelphia region by waiving select airline operating expenses and incentivizing strategic air service routes for domestic, international and cargo airlines. Read more.

At the Airport:

Happy Anniversary PHL and PNE!

Neither of you look a day over 30! June marked the 80th anniversary of Philadelphia International Airport and Northeast Philadelphia Airport’s 75th. Read about both airports military connections and enjoy some fun facts and a multi-part photo feature here.

Operations & Security:

Preparing for Summer Weather Events at the Airport

Summer weather – specifically the hot and humid variety that can produce thunderstorms with heavy downpours, lightning, and strong winds – can be disruptive to air travel. Find out how Steve Belton, Airport Operations Supervisor, and his ramp tower operations team coordinate with other airport partners to deal with significant operational issues due to inclement events here. 

Maintaining an Airport During a Pandemic

Despite a 90 percent plummet in passenger traffic, the Facilities Maintenance Department needed to maintain PHL’s 3.3 million square feet to keep the airport open and operational. How do 522 employees maintain 150 restrooms, 1,000 acres of grass, 100 elevators, and 4,000 airfield lights and lighted signs? Find out here.

Runway to Recovery:

In the last two installments of the “Runway to Recovery” video series, PHL CEO Chellie Cameron talks with Deputy Director of Facilities and Maintenance Allan Moore about the important behind-the-scenes work of the “true heroes” who keep the airport open, functional and safe for everybody, and with Director of Marketing and Branding Kate Sullivan about what PHL is doing to reassure passengers that their health and safety is top priority. 

Capital Development:

Celebrating Our Women in Engineering

Happy International Women in Engineering Day! At PHL and PNE, we are extremely proud of our women in engineering and the work they do every day to enhance the guest experience, bring innovation to our airfields and terminals, and strengthen our regional economic impact. Find out what inspired some of our colleagues to pursue engineering and what advice they would give women entering engineering here.

More Capital Development Projects Underway at PHL and PNE

Since mid-March, the Capital Development team has continued to assess the scope, schedule, and budget of every project to determine if it moves forward or stays paused. Two examples of projects that have gotten the green light to continue are the Fuel Facility Reconstruction and the pavement improvements to Runway 6-24, PNE’s primary runway. Read more.

Sustainability:

PHL and PNE Renew their Commitment to Sustainability

The Sustainability Program presents its fourth annual Environmental Progress Report, which highlights PHL and PNE’s 2019 sustainability milestones, like the continued use of liquid collection stations at checkpoints, the replacement of exterior and interior lighting with LEDs, an entirely Compressed Natural Gas shuttle fleet, and the tracking of noise complaint response time. Read more.

People at PHL

We continue to shine a spotlight on the amazing work our employees do every day. This month we highlight Custodial Supervisor Keron Booth and Senior Department HR Associate Tamara Whitfield . Read about what they enjoy most about the airport and the challenges they have faced since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

Read the rest of our stories in our newsroom.

City Moves to Green Phase

As you may know, the State of Pennsylvania transitioned to the Green Phase of Recovery on June 26, 2020 with additional activities opening on July 3. On June 30, the City announced  that, due to the fact that Philadelphia will not meet the targets initially set to move to Green, and because of what is being seen in places that have reopened more quickly, the City is scaling back the planned reopening.

Ultimately, the decision to transition to Green will be driven by how well the city is meeting the metrics laid out under Reopening with Care: Philadelphia’s Strategy for Moving to Green. The transition to Green does not mean that all offices will be re-opening nor that all employees should begin coming back to the office. You will see from the City’s internal re-opening guidelines, very little is changing from the City’s guidance during the Yellow Phase.

What will Green Phase mean for Division of Aviation Employees?

As an organization

• Continue doing what we have been doing
• Virtual meetings
• Working remotely as much as possible (in office as necessary)
• Keep in contact with your supervisor for updates
• Staggered or rotating shifts when possible
• Alternative and flexible work schedules when possible
• Communicate

Protecting Everyone

• Employee health screenings including temperature checks, as needed
• Stay home when you are sick (send sick employees’ home)
• Thermometers should be requested by supervisors from the warehouse
• Physical distancing (6 feet) in common areas
• Vehicles – see policy updates to cleaning guidelines, vehicle occupancy and sign-in sheet procedures
• Always wear proper PPE (everyone MUST wear a mask)
• Personal responsibility for keeping workspace clean
• Wash your hands, do not touch your face and no shaking hands
• Break rooms and pantries remain CLOSED for sit-down dining

Questions related to working policies and procedures during the pandemic may be forwarded to [email protected]. Re-Work Policies and Procedures can be found at PHL.org/EmployeeUpdates and on the HR Intranet Page. Continue to follow CDC and City of Philadelphia guidelines to stay safe!

New Badge Renewal Process 

All employees, including those working remotely, must make sure to renew their airport badge before it expires.  The process for renewing your badge is as follows: 

• Visit phl.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php to schedule your appointment;   
• Click on Expiring Badge Renewal. 
• Select the date/time you are available.  
• Fill in all the requested information (Company you work for is DOA – your unit name) and Click Complete Appointment. 

The Security Office has modified its hours of operation and appointments are not available everyday (reflected on the website).  You must plan accordingly to make sure your badge is renewed before it expires.  

Forms that must be completed and brought to the appointment are available at phl.org/employeeupdates. The list of acceptable forms of ID is also available on the employee updates web page. Security personnel will sign the forms for you since Human Resources staff are not currently in the office.  If there are any issues, please ask for Jason Sankey, Acting Security Manager.  

MASKS/FACE COVERINGS MUST BE WORN BY ALL VISITORS TO THE ID/BADGING OFFICE OR YOU WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE AND RETURN WITH A MASK.

New Outside Employment Form & Policy Update

Effective immediately and annually going forward, ALL outside and self-employment activities must be submitted/resubmitted for evaluation and approval that include activities previously waived, such as:

• Landlord
• Ride share driver (Uber, Lyft, etc.)
• Mail order/arts & crafts sale (Avon, E-Bay, etc.)
• Part-time/seasonal/sporadic retail or other activities that receive compensation, etc.

If you receive compensation for any service or product, have fiduciary duties on the board of any organization/ company, or otherwise engage in employment outside of your employment with the City, please download and complete the NEW OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT FORM and forward to [email protected]. Follow-up with HR is required once employment had ceased.

Questions or concerns may be forwarded to [email protected] (Employee Relations) or [email protected] (Integrity Officer).

Nationwide and The CARES Act

Nationwide has shared an update regarding recently passed Coronavirus-Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) – a $2 trillion stimulus bill aimed at helping the individuals, states and businesses facing financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Provisions of the Act which affect retirement plans for qualified individuals include:

1. Tax-favored cornavirus-related distributions (CRDs) up to $100,000 until December 31, 2020

2. Expanded access to loans for 180 days after enactment of the law

3. Waiver of 2020 Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

Further details and frequently asked questions regarding the CARES Act from Nationwide can be found in HR Announcements on the HR Intranet site. To schedule an appointment with their representatives click here.

PHL Food & Shops Update    

As Philadelphia moves into the green phase of COVID-19 restrictions and passenger volume increases, more PHL Food & Shops concessions have reopened for guests and employees. In addition to more restaurants, The Gap, InMotion, Heritage Books and 5th & Sunset have resumed operations. For a list of all PHL Food & Shops that are currently open and hours of operation, visit phl.org/open.

For the most up-to-date list of open PHL Food & Shops restaurants and merchants and their hours of operation, visit phl.org/open. 

TSA Pre-Check Enrollment Appointments 

The TSA will offer appointments for TSA Pre-Check enrollment July 20-24 in the Terminal B Baggage Claim. Appointments will be scheduled from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. Applications can be completed and appointments can be scheduled online at tsa.gov/precheck. Walk-in appointments will also be available.

A government-issued ID mmust be brought to the appointment. More information about the TSA Pre-Check program, including registration fees and acceptable forms of ID, is also available at that link.