At least 300 people have held unauthorized second jobs while working for the city’s Department of Public Health and are only now seeking approval as the city investigates the practice.
The health department said on Wednesday that it has received 300 additional requests for secondary employment since Oct. 21, the day that Jail Health Services director Lisa Pratt resigned from her second job at a city-contracted nonprofit.
The surge of dual employment applications came after the health department reminded employees of their responsibilities to seek permission for secondary jobs. The city launched an audit of the practice after The Standard revealed that Pratt, a top public health executive, was moonlighting 20 hours a week for the nonprofit Baker Places in violation of city rules.
The department said that of 304 currently pending applications, 44 are in need of additional paperwork and 260 are under review.
“In other words, those 300 were violating the law, never asked for permission and are now asking for forgiveness?” said Supervisor Aaron Peskin.“Well shit, somebody call the police.”
There are 137 health department employees who have an already approved side job for an entity outside of city government, the most of any city department by far. If you add that number to the 304 pending requests, then 441 health department employees work second jobs, making up 6% of the department’s total workforce.
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