The Department of Corrections Deferred Retirement Option Program Amendment Act of 2025 (DOC DROP Act) aims to enhance staffing levels within the District of Columbia's Department of Corrections (DOC) by allowing retirement-eligible correctional officers to participate in a deferred retirement option program (DROP). This program enables these employees to continue working for up to three years after their normal retirement date while accruing supplemental retirement benefits in a separate account. The legislation is designed to address the significant staffing shortages that DOC has faced, which have resulted in a 15.5% vacancy rate in Fiscal Year 2024 and a 12.57% vacancy rate in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2025.

The bill amends existing legislation by adding a provision that specifically includes employees of the Department of Corrections who are covered by the collective bargaining agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police, Department of Corrections Labor Committee, as eligible for the DROP program. Additionally, it clarifies that participating members who are entitled to medical leave will cease participation in the DROP after 120 days on medical leave. This legislation is expected to improve retention of experienced correctional officers, provide more certainty regarding retirement timelines, and help the DOC better anticipate future staffing needs.