Biloxi councilman says city broke its own retiree rehire policy
A Biloxi City Council member told colleagues Sept. 22 that the city violated its own retiree return-to-work policy by rehiring its former police chief and human resources director without posting those positions as vacant.
The remarks came during the council's discussion of the HR director's report on the retiree return-to-work program. The council member, recognized by the council president with "Any questions, Mr. Gray?" and identified in the meeting transcript as Mr. Graham, said the policy adopted in May bars pre-existing employment agreements and requires that a position be listed as vacant before a retiree can apply. "The chief of police, the director of human resources, we did not post those on social media. We did not post those on our city website," the council member said, adding that the parks and recreation director's position had been advertised. No vote was taken on the matter.
The council member also said the city's "at-will temporary employees" under the same policy — a category meant to cover retiree rehires — are driving city vehicles, including police cars, despite the policy's terms.
The policy sits alongside Mississippi's House Bill 4073, which allows retirees to return to public jobs while continuing to draw PERS pension benefits. Biloxi's own contract added additional requirements, including the vacancy-posting rule cited by the council member, on top of the state law. The council has discussed possibly amending or rescinding the policy at its next meeting, though no formal action has been scheduled.