HR Updates 

Performance Reports Due  

2021-2022 performance reports are due to HR by August 1. If you have not received performance evaluations for your team, please contact Erin Smith at 215-863-2740 or email [email protected]. The Division’s goal is 100% return rate. Your assistance with achieving this goal is necessary. 

As a reminder, per DC 47’s contract, performance evaluations for DC 47 employees that are not returned to Human Resources within 90 days of the due date cannot be processed. Reports that are submitted late will be returned.   

If you need support with completing your reports, please contact Tamara Whitfield at [email protected] or at 215-863-3464. 

Unvaccinated Leave 

The final deadline for the City’s vaccination mandate for City employees expired June 30, 2022. Covered employees who have not provided proof that they have received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or have an exemption request to the vaccination requirements, will be placed on Unvaccinated (U-Vax) Leave beginning July 6, 2022. Please contact [email protected] or [email protected]. 

Vacation Sell Back for DC33 and DC47 Employees 

DC33 and DC47 recently negotiated an option for employees to sell back up to 10 days of vacation for cash. This option can be elected using Employee Self Service (OnePhilly). The election window for this year only is from July 1 through August 31.  Starting on January 1, 2023, the election window will be the same period that applies to the sick-to-vacation trade, January 1 through March 31.   

• Sell back requests must be in whole day increments.  
• Taxes will be withheld in the same manner as for regular wages. Payments will be made as part of a regular payroll run and disbursed in the same way as the employee’s regular pay.  
• The minimum remaining balance is 40 days. This is equivalent to 300 hours (7.5 hours per workday x 40 days).  
• The maximum sell back is 10 days. 

OnePhilly instructions can be found: HERE. 

City of Philadelphia Job Application Procedures Reminder 

City Resource Groups 

City Resource groups are designed to ultimately make the City of Philadelphia a more inclusive place to work. Focus areas include: 

1. Networking: Allowing City employees an opportunity to interact with one another 
2. Talent Development: Creating opportunities for City employees to provide talent development to members 
3. Enhance Diversity & Inclusion Strategies and Initiatives: City Resource Groups must produce at least one annual initiative or strategy that focuses on building a more diverse and inclusive City of Philadelphia workforce. 

Upcoming City Resource Group Meetings  

• New & Expecting Parents: Friday, July 8 | 1-2 p.m. 
• LGBTQ+: Wednesday, July 20 | noon-1 p.m.  
• Women of Color: Friday, July 22 | 1-2 p.m. 
• Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI): Monday, July 25 | 4-5 p.m. 

Email [email protected] for information on how to join! 

If you are interested in participating or leading an Employee Resource Group at PHL/PNE, email your ideas to [email protected]. There must be five people and a leader to implement the group. 

July Calendar - Training and Development 

REMINDERS

CAP Wellness Program 

1. CALL NOW - Schedule your annual physical, dental, vision, appointments today!  
2. All City IBX Medical Plans offer employees and their covered dependents six free annual nutrition counseling visits with an in-network registered dietitian (RD). Through food, an RD can help with weight loss, extreme picky eating, or failure to thrive in children, as well as sports nutrition, and health conditions that impact the diet. Also, check out Eat Well/CDC  tips, strategies, and ideas to make it easier to eat well. 

Retirement Seminars are Back 

Board of Pensions & Retirement 

Tuesday, July 19 | 10 a.m. 

Microsoft Teams 

SIGN UP FOR THE SEMINAR 

Seminars feature staff from the Board of Pensions, Employee Benefits and Deferred Compensation. This session will be online via Teams for a limited audience. Future dates will be announced. Questions? Contact: [email protected] 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver  

Now, for a limited time, borrowers may receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. Federal Student Aid, an office of the Department of Education, explains how you might be impacted and if you need to take action. 

Go here to read details. 

Staff Promotions 

Congratulations to the Division of Aviation employees who were promoted in the month of June: 

Alec Gever — Contract & Planning Administrator

Alisha Brown — Airport Properties Specialist 3

Elena Fisher — City Planner 3

Jenny Ly — Airport Properties Manager

Karen Brown — Clerk 3

Shawneese Brown — Contract & Planning Administrator

New Hires 

Welcome all Division of Aviation employees who were hired in the month of June

Alonzo Irvin — Custodial Worker 1

Anglin Oliver  — Custodial Worker 1

Desiree Ottley — Contracts Auditor Trainee

Dorothy Hagins — Custodial Worker 1

Erik Crocker — Custodial Worker 1

Jazmyn Lawrence — Custodial Worker 1

Jose Hughes — Custodial Worker 1 

Kamir Williams — Custodial Worker 1    

Mikal Fraser — Custodial Worker 1

Sydney Badman — Government Affairs Intern

Tracy Borda Honored By ACI-NA, Philadelphia Business Journal

Congratulations to Division of Aviation Chief Financial Officer Tracy Borda for being honored by Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) and the Philadelphia Business Journal as a top CFO. She received the ACI-NA’s Large Airport Finance Professional of the Year Award at the organization’s recent Business of Airports Conference in Phoenix and will be one of 24 CFOs honored by the Business Journal at a ceremony on July 19.   

Tracy was recognized for her accomplishments leading the airport’s finance department, especially during the pandemic.  

PHL Presents Celebration of Community & Culture at Esperanza Arts Center

Looking for family fun during the 4th of July holiday weekend?  Consider joining PHL for the Celebration of Community & Culture at Esperanza Arts Center, to be held on Saturday, July 2, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The Esperanza Arts Center is located on Bristol Street between 3rd and 5th Streets. 

The event highlights the variety of Latin cultures in Philadelphia and will feature food, music and vendors. Attendees can also enjoy performances by Argentinian pianist Emiliano Messiez and his quartet and participate in dance lessons from the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School.  For more details, click here. 

OrderAtPHL Holiday Special

OrderAtPHL is offering a special discount for the July 4th holiday.  Enter code JULY4 at www.orderatphl.com from July 1– 4 and receive $5 off your order. 

SEPTA Summer Work to Impact Airport Line 

SEPTA’s Southwest Connection Improvement Program resumes in July and August. However, unlike in previous years, construction will be limited to weekends beginning July 9-10 and the week of August 15-19, and not involve shuttle bus substitution on the Airport Line.  

Trains will run on a special hourly schedule between PHL and 30th Street Station on the following Saturdays and Sundays in July and August:  

• July 9-10, 16-17 and 23-24 
• August 6-7, 13-14 and 20 
• The Airport Line will also run on a special hourly schedule August 15-19

During construction, there will be no train service at Penn Medicine Station and to/from Suburban, Jefferson and Temple University Stations. Trains will arrive at the lower level at 30th Street Station. Passengers traveling past 30th Street on Regional Rail will need to transfer to another SEPTA line on the upper level at 30th Street.  

For more information about the work and the special schedules, visit https://www.septa.org/southwestconnection/.  

Save the Date: PHL 5K is Back 

Mark your calendars- the fifth PHL 5K will take off on September 10. Registration details will be released soon via weekly employee emails and on PHL.org. 

Summer Travel Cyber Security Tips

Millions of people will travel domestically and internationally through PHL and airports around the world this summer. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, travel within the United States will reach pre-pandemic numbers in 2022. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency recommends travelers practice safe and secure cyber activity to prevent cyber-crimes while on vacation. The threat of cyber-crimes can impact anyone at any time. Here are helpful cyber security tips travelers can follow this summer from PHL’s Chief Information Security Officer Damian Oravez:  

Keep Devices Secure 

Good old-fashioned theft may be one of the biggest risks to your digital devices while traveling this summer. Never leave equipment such as laptops, tablets, cell phones, USB drives, and Bluetooth accessories unattended in public spaces. Keep devices secure in environments such as airports, hotels, taxis, and conference centers. When flying, bring mobile devices with you on carry-on luggage, rather than placing them in checked baggage. 

Summer Heat 

Extreme heat can damage mobile devices. Keep devices out of direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Don’t leave them in hot cars. Most devices have overheating alarms and will even shut off automatically if necessary. 

Multi-Factor Authentication 

Enable two-factor authentication to ensure only you have access to your information and accounts. Use it for things like banking and social media and other services that require login. 

Turn off Auto-Connect 

Some devices automatically seek and connect to available wireless networks or Bluetooth. Criminals take advantage of this feature to gain unauthorized access to your device and data. Disable this feature and actively choose the networks you wish to connect to. Consider keeping Bluetooth disabled until needed by one of your devices.     

Watch for Booking Scams 

Be sure to use reputable booking sites when making travel plans. Watch for scams such as those offering free travel giveaways for liking or sharing a page.  

Configure Device Locks 

Make sure your devices such as laptops, tablets, and mobile phones are configured with a PIN or password and auto-lock after a period of time. This will protect the data on your device in the event it is lost or stolen. Avoid easy to guess PIN numbers and consider using a minimum of 6 digits. 

Unprotected WiFi 

When possible, avoid using open WiFi networks. If necessary, use it for basic browsing and avoid entering sensitive data such as credit cards and banking information and stick to websites that use HTTPS. Consider using a personal hotspot instead. 

Summer Activities 

Many summertime activities are famous for claiming mobile phones and accessories, if careless. Roller coasters, kayaking, lakes, and many outdoor activities are common places where a simple slip of the fingers can relegate your mobile device or wireless headphones to the bottom of a lake or attraction. Keep close tabs on your devices when having fun! 

Sand and Mobile Devices 

Dirt and sand can harm devices. They are small and can get into the tiny spaces on your phone for power, speakers and other accessories.  Consider a protective cover when heading to the beach. Wrap devices in towels to protect from sun and water. 

The Latest from PHL's Online Newsroom 

At the Airport 

PHL Commemorates Juneteenth 

Juneteenth —June 19-- acknowledges the date in 1865 when Federal troops went to Galveston, Texas, to publicly inform enslaved people that they were free. This occurred two years after the Emancipation Proclamation Act of 1863. PHL passengers and staff celebrated Juneteenth with an onsite artist demonstration by Robin Williams, whose pottery exhibition, Objects of Ancestral Reverence, is currently located in Terminal A-West. 

Now Hiring: Airport Operations Trainees 

With hundreds of organizations operating within PHL, there are many career opportunities for individuals with various levels of job experience, interests and qualifications. Job openings are posted online.  

Hagley Museum and Library Loans Early Patented Items to PHL 

PHL is fortunate to have been loaned 49 miniatures from the Hagley Museum and Library for the new exhibition “Artifacts of Invention: Patents from Hagley Museum and Library, 1845-1895”,  located in the airport’s C/D connector. 

Capitol Development  

The New Terminal D-E Entryways – Energy Efficient and Beautiful 

Terminals D and E curtain wall and vestibule upgrade will noticeably transform the exteriors and entrances along Departures Road. In addition to making the terminal entryways more attractive, the upgrade will improve energy efficiency and fire protection.  

Division of Aviation Celebrates Women in Engineering Day  

June 23 marked International Women in Engineering Day. The City of Philadelphia’s Division of Aviation celebrates the women engineers who make aviation safer, faster, and greener each year. 

Operations & Security  

PHL’s Summer Updates for Maintenance and Operations 

As we enter the summer months, PHL Operations and Ground Maintenance teams will be working on several projects on the airfield and throughout the facilities, including airfield pavement crack sealing, sidewalk power washing, aircraft parking position restriping and exterior window washing. Click here for more information.

People at PHL 

PHL Safe & Sound Transportation Security Specialist Canine Handlers Joseph Zappala, Gary Stoerrle, Michael Rossi and Jose Del Rosario 

TSA Security Specialist Canine Handlers Joseph Zappala, Gary Stoerrle, Michael Rossi and Jose Del Rosario received the “Safe & Sound” award in PHL's Employee Recognition Program. This award recognizes employees who protect the integrity and safety of passengers through proactive communication, exemplary teamwork, courage, and effective action.     

PHL Safe &Sound: Transportation Security Officers Angel Wilson and Lung-Hau Lu 

TSA Security Officers Angel Wilson and Lung-Hau Lu also received the Safe & Sound Award in the Employee Recognition Program for protecting the integrity and safety of passengers through proactive communication, exemplary teamwork, courage, and effective action.      

Division of Aviation Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 

The City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation closed out its Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI) celebration with a roundtable discussion host by the airport's Racial Equity Advisory Council (REAC).  

PHL Caring Support: JetBlue Airways Airport Operations Crew Member Edward Aiello 

JetBlue Airways Airport Operations crew member Edward Aiello recently received the “Caring Support” award in PHL’s Airport Employee Recognition Program. This award recognizes employees who provide exceptional care and services to seniors, families with young children, disabled passengers, and others with special needs. 

AAPI month at PHL: American Airlines Managing Director of Customer Operations Yu Lee 

In continuation of AAPI month, PHL recognizes the contributions of AAPI leaders at the airport. American Airlines Managing Director of Customer Operations, Yu Lee, identifies as Korean American and oversees 1,400 ramp, baggage claim, and catering facility employees.