Baltimore inspector general flags $147,000 in special severance pay

A little-known leave payout in Baltimore City government sent more than $147,000 to five employees, a benefit that does not appear to be available to most municipal workers and sits outside ordinary severance and accrued-leave rules.

The Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General said the payments involved permission leave, a special form of compensation tied to separation from city government. WBAL reported that the broader findings covered 18 city employees who were receiving special severance pay, with the five employees tied to the $147,000 figure part of that larger group. The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office was among the offices affected.

The dispute is not about routine vacation, sick time, personal leave, or compensatory leave. Baltimore City Administrative Manual AM-205-7 separately governs separation and payment at termination, including the rules for accrued leave payouts. The inspector general’s report instead points to an extra layer of compensation that can be granted when certain employees leave, which raises questions about whether the practice bypasses normal severance discipline and how consistently it is applied across city departments.

Mayor Brandon Scott’s office moved quickly to push back, saying the report sensationalized standard human resources practices and noting that the leave is available at managerial discretion. State’s Attorney Ivan Bates offered his own explanation, saying he made a personnel decision to extend one separation period beyond two weeks because he was the head of the office and could make that call. WBAL also reported that Bates said one employee had health concerns and another was let go during the holiday season, and that the two State’s Attorney’s Office employees shared nearly $22,000 in leave.

The question for Baltimore taxpayers is not just how much was paid, but who approved it, how often it is used, and whether similar exceptions are being handed out behind closed doors. The inspector general’s mission is to detect and deter fraud, waste and abuse and promote accountability, making this report part of a broader check on city spending and personnel decisions.

The city has faced versions of this issue before. In 2021, the inspector general found that eight Baltimore City Information Technology employees received $262,000 in separation payments above unused vacation and sick time, including $77,949 tied to compensatory time and public holidays. That earlier review said the lack of clear personnel policy had given managers too much discretion. Baltimore City’s Department of Human Resources is responsible for making, updating and removing rules through the Policy Advisory Committee, while the Office of the Labor Commissioner represents the mayor in labor relations, putting both offices squarely in the path of any policy response.