The Los Angeles city fire captain had regular pay of $169,489 last year, modest as far as these things go.
But he made more than three times that in overtime — $510,301 — raking in total wages of $699,478 and winning the crown for “Most Prolific Overtime Earner Among California’s 327,000+ City Employees, 2022,” according to data from the state controller.
The runner-up was another L.A. city fire captain, with regular pay of $160,892 and a stunning $409,724 in overtime. That’s total wages of $583,585. And neither total includes the $50,000-plus each that the city pays for their health and retirement benefits.
Not so far behind, a Corona fire captain was the most prolific overtime earner among Riverside County’s cities, exceeding $300,000. That was more than double his regular salary.
In Orange County, the top overtime earner was a Fullerton Fire Department battalion chief, clocking more than a quarter-million overtime dollars. In San Bernardino County, an Ontario fire captain fell just shy of a quarter-million overtime dollars to claim the top spot there.
The use of overtime — mostly to fill firefighting and public safety shifts — continues to explode in California, digging deep into the public pocket:
- In 2012, only 213 city workers earned overtime of at least $100,000.
- Last year, 3,680 did. That’s an increase of 1,628%.
- In 2012, 3,814 city workers earned at least $50,000 in overtime.
- Last year, 16,699 did. That’s an increase of 338%.
- In 2012, overtime cost cities $1.3 billion.
- Last year, overtime cost cities $2.96 billion. That’s an increase of 128%.
That California’s top overtime earners are overwhelmingly firefighters might say something about climate change, except that the overwhelming majority of emergency calls are for medical services. Rather, it shines a light on “minimum staffing” requirements — agreed to by city councils and locked in by union contracts — that may be overdue for some adjustment.
More about…
Read the full article here
