Lifeguards in LA - nice gig

[George K]

https://www.realclearpolicy.com/articles/2021/04/02/392000_earned_by_top_paid_la_lifeguard_in_2019_770529.html?mc_cid=71d2891241&mc_eid=f5b561c093

From our investigation published at Forbes... we all missed the memo in high school: being a lifeguard in California can be unbelievably lucrative. If we had only known, many of us would have packed our bags and headed west for a career on a California beach.

Our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com found that lifeguards make a fortune in Los Angeles County. Seven lifeguards made more than $300,000 and 82 lifeguards had total earnings that exceeded $200,000 in 2019, the latest year available.

Fernando Boiteux was the most highly paid and earned $391,971. As the “acting chief lifeguard,” he out-earned 1,000 of his peers: salary ($205,619), perks ($60,452), and benefits ($125,900).

The second highest paid, Captain Daniel Douglas, pulled down $140,706 in base pay, and a whopping $131,493 in overtime pay, with $21,760 in “other pay” and $74,709 in benefits. Total compensation amounted to $368,668.

Overtime pay drove earnings into corporate executive range.

Thirty-one lifeguards made between $50,000 and $131,493 in overtime during the year. For example, Daniel Douglas (comp: $368,668; overtime: $131,493), Jaro Snopek (comp: $292,455; overtime: $119,669) and James Orr (comp: $281,270; overtime: $113,015) each made over $100,000 in overtime alone.

However, not all lifeguards in LA earn big money…

We found 332 pool lifeguards in LA County, but the highest paid “senior pool lifeguard” made only $46,997, including pay and benefits.

It pays to be on the beach.

[Copper]

Benefits $125,900

Probably for parking

[Horace]

I wonder if they're unionized. I wonder if on top of that, they also get pensions.

[taiwan_girl]

I am curious, do most places in the US include "beneifts" when quoting the salary? I always thought the salary just was for the money that you got on your paycheck?

[George K]

@taiwan_girl said in Lifeguards in LA - nice gig:

I am curious, do most places in the US include "beneifts" when quoting the salary?

I don't think so. It's usually expressed in terms of "Here's how much you'll earn. Additionally, we fund part of your retirement, healthcare, etc. That's worth an additional amount of 'X' dollars."

[Loki]

I know someone who was married to one. The retirement was 6 figures as well. In his 50’s.

[Horace]

@loki said in Lifeguards in LA - nice gig:

I know someone who was married to one. The retirement was 6 figures as well. In his 50’s.

@loki said in Lifeguards in LA - nice gig:

I know someone who was married to one. The retirement was 6 figures as well. In his 50’s.

Yup.

[Horace]

@george-k said in Lifeguards in LA - nice gig:

@taiwan_girl said in Lifeguards in LA - nice gig:

I am curious, do most places in the US include "beneifts" when quoting the salary?

I don't think so. It's usually expressed in terms of "Here's how much you'll earn. Additionally, we fund part of your retirement, healthcare, etc. That's worth an additional amount of 'X' dollars."

And the value of the taxpayer funded pension is never explicitly stated. At least if the unions have anything to say about it. The unions have done a fantastic job of convincing the masses that pensioned government employees are underpaid. Mostly because they’ve magically swept the idea of pensions under the rug.

[Copper]

@horace said in Lifeguards in LA - nice gig:

@loki said in Lifeguards in LA - nice gig:

I know someone who was married to one. The retirement was 6 figures as well. In his 50’s.

@loki said in Lifeguards in LA - nice gig:

I know someone who was married to one. The retirement was 6 figures as well. In his 50’s.

Yup.

You can say that again.