If you thought lifeguards were in a lowly paid profession, you would probably be correct in most sun-kissed parts of the world - but not in California.
The sleuths at OpenTheBooks.com have been doing some digging in the golden sands of the Sunshine State's remuneration packages, and lots of their lifeguards are earning a fortune. Is it time to put Baywatch on pay watch?
In 2019, OTB discovered that top-paid lifeguards made up to $392,000. But that's small beer compared to their latest figures.
Daniel Douglas was the most highly paid and earned $510,283, an increase from $442,712 in 2020. As the “lifeguard captain,” he out-earned 1,000 of his peers: salary ($150,054), perks ($28,661), benefits ($85,508), and a whopping $246,060 in overtime pay.
The second highest paid, lifeguard chief Fernando Boiteux, pulled down $463,517 – up from $393,137 last year.
The auditors at OTB found 98 LA lifeguards earned at least $200,000 including benefits last year, and 20 made between $300,000 and $510,283. Thirty-seven lifeguards made between $50,000 and $247,000 in overtime alone.
And it’s not only about the cash compensation. After 30 years of service, LA lifeguards can retire as young as 55 on 79 percent of their pay.
Time to relocate?
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