What are deadheads? I’m guessing you mean something other than avid Grateful Dead fans.
Here is my effort to formally define it. I may refine it a bit more, but this is close:
Deadhead - dead·head (dĕd′hĕd′) n.
Generally, government employees - local, state, or federal.
Specifically, a deadhead has minimal job responsibilities, with little or no discernable work output or identifiable accomplishments.
Correspondingly, deadheads often have significant governmental regulatory authority that is used to interfere with productive, taxpaying citizens.
If one is offended by use of the term, chances are that individual IS a deadhead. They know who they are.
Deadheads are usually placed in their jobs as political patronage in exchange for electioneering for the winning candidate or political party.
Historically, deadheads have had pay scales that trail corresponding private industry jobs. As an offset, the deadhead enjoys an early taxpayer funded retirement (age 50 or 55), with a plan into which minimal employee contribution is required. The retirement pay scale usually matches the final working pay rate, and is indexed for inflation.
In the past twenty or so years, government deadhead pay has risen to equal or exceed comparable private sector pay, while retaining the fat pension plans.
The deadhead also has a gold-plated medical plan fully funded with taxpayer dollars, while private sector employees must deal with Obamacare. As with the retirement plan, minimal employee contribution is required.
The medical plan is carried with the employee into retirement.
Use in a sentence: “North Louisiana Oyster Inspector, the choicest deadhead job in the area, was given to the governor’s Ouachita Parish campaign manager.”