Lifeguarding in OC: $200,000 (promotional, safety, vacation)

[HeyHolliday!]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

So why does that justify $200k for a desk/Jeep jockey?

I agree 100%, they are very over paid. But they should be well compensated. California's beaches are an important asset to the state and economy.

All I'm saying is the job is physically tough and a little more complicated than meets the eye. Lifeguards that work on lakes, rivers, swimming pools, and water parks are the "desk/deep jockey" your referring to. However, working on the ocean has more duties and responsibilities and much more danger. Every time a lifeguard makes a serious rescue he is putting his own life in danger. Ya know if saving people from drowning was so easy, we wouldn't need lifeguards in the first place.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by HeyHolliday!

I think they very are over paid. But they should be well compensated. California's beaches are an important asset to the state and economy.

All I'm saying is the job is physically tough and a little more complicated than meets the eye. Lifeguards that work on lakes, rivers, swimming pools, and water parks are the "desk/deep jockey" your referring to. However, working on the ocean has more duties and responsibilities and much more danger. Every time a lifeguard makes a serious rescue he is putting his own life in danger. Ya know if saving people from drowning was so easy, we wouldn't need lifeguards in the first place.

Yes, but the guys making the rescues are making $18-22/hr. Its their bosses who are making $200k to drive a desk or Jeep.

[HeyHolliday!]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Yes, but the guys making the rescues are making $18-22/hr. Its their bosses who are making $200k to drive a desk or Jeep.

I think we agree on everything here. Just debating from two different angles. I never disagreed that Management is overpaid in OC. I just understand why the lifeguard organization as a whole is well compensated.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by RedJacket

I think some of you folks watched too many slow motion shots of the Baywatch cast running to save someone from drowning.

The pay and benefits the OC lifeguards receive is out of whack.

I had to avail myself of their services one time while surfing quite a distance offshore during a huge somewhat stormy South swell day at Salt Creek. I'd probably have paid that guy a million bucks (if I'd had it) for giving me a much needed tow in. He earned his pay that day.

[RedJacket]

Lifeguards' high pay riles Calif. beach city

Lifeguards' high pay riles Calif. beach city - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110520/ap_on_re_us/us_lucrative_lifeguarding - broken link)

[MIKEETC]

Articles such as those posted by the OP should include more data for better analysis. But since it didn't, here is the salary schedule for lifeguards of all ranks at Newport Beach:

LIFEGUARD BATTALION CHIEF: $37.09/hr $77,147.20/yr to $52.16/hr, $108,492.80/yr

LIFEGUARD CADET: $10.00/hr, $20,800.00/yr

LIFEGUARD CAPTAIN: $30.03/hr, $62,462.40/yr to $42.29/hr, $87,963.20/yr

LIFEGUARD CAPTAIN BOAT: $30.77/hr, $64,001.60/yr to $43.30/hr, $90,064.00/yr

LIFEGUARD I: $16.76/hr, $34,860.80/yr to $18.48/hr, $38,438.40/yr

LIFEGUARD II: $18.48hr, $38,438.40/yr to $20.36/hr, $42,348.80/yr

LIFEGUARD III: $20.56/hr, $42,764.80/yr to $22.69/hr, $47,195.20/yr

LIFEGUARD OFFICER: $22.51/hr, $46,820.80/yr to $31.66/hr, $65,852.80/yr

LIFEGUARD TRAINEE: $8.00/hr, $16,640.00/yr

source: City of Newport Beach : Salary Schedule

Granted, when you consider benefits then, yes, some of these individual's compensation will be well in excess of $100,000 but for most I doubt it. The guys you see in the towers are most likely working at the pay range of a Lifeguard 1, 2, or 3. I have no problem with the pay of the chiefs and captains, who are essentially department heads and managers.

[these numbers are not extravagant]

[slo1318]

Originally Posted by MIKEETC

Articles such as those posted by the OP should include more data for better analysis. But since it didn't, here is the salary schedule for lifeguards of all ranks at Newport Beach:



source: City of Newport Beach : Salary Schedule

Granted, when you consider benefits then, yes, some of these individual's compensation will be well in excess of $100,000 but for most I doubt it. The guys you see in the towers are most likely working at the pay range of a Lifeguard 1, 2, or 3. I have no problem with the pay of the chiefs and captains, who are essentially department heads and managers.

[these numbers are not extravagant]

I think people can live with the salaries, its the overtime, benefits and pensions that take it so far over the top that makes people crazy. Why is there overtime when you are salaried?

quote from article:

Leonard Musgrave, a former oil company employee, was so outraged that he wrote a letter to the local paper, The Orange County Register, earlier this month inquiring why the city didn't simply put up a sign reading, "Swim at your own risk." The 69-year-old retiree said he isn't swayed by the lifeguards' responsibilities or years of service.
"I supervised 13, 14 engineers when I was working and I was making $111,000 when I retired three years ago with an MBA and a technical engineering degree," said Musgrave, who doesn't have a pension. "I mean, come on! All you have to do is look at good-looking women at the beach. I mean, they shouldn't even get paid! I'd do it for 10 percent of that pay. That's a good job."

[MIKEETC]

Originally Posted by slo1318

I think people can live with the salaries, its the overtime, benefits and pensions that take it so far over the top that makes people crazy. Why is there overtime when you are salaried?

Why not? If you are "involuntarily' working beyond your regularly scheduled hours shouldn't you receive some compensation for it?

Originally Posted by slo1318

quote from article:

Leonard Musgrave, a former oil company employee, was so outraged that he wrote a letter to the local paper, The Orange County Register, earlier this month inquiring why the city didn't simply put up a sign reading, "Swim at your own risk." The 69-year-old retiree said he isn't swayed by the lifeguards' responsibilities or years of service.
"I supervised 13, 14 engineers when I was working and I was making $111,000 when I retired three years ago with an MBA and a technical engineering degree," said Musgrave, who doesn't have a pension. "I mean, come on! All you have to do is look at good-looking women at the beach. I mean, they shouldn't even get paid! I'd do it for 10 percent of that pay. That's a good job."

LOL

[slo1318]

Originally Posted by MIKEETC

Why not? If you are "involuntarily' working beyond your regularly scheduled hours shouldn't you receive some compensation for it?


LOL

Most....err make that all private people sector I know, when on salary work as many hours as needed for the job. When we talk about the pension too which are so so generous, most people outside government have to save and plan for retirement. My chp buddy makes good money, wastes it all every month and it doesnt matter, he's going to be just fine, not a care in the world.

Yeah, that guys quote started out ok then took a left turn...

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by MIKEETC

Why not? If you are "involuntarily' working beyond your regularly scheduled hours shouldn't you receive some compensation for it?

Government workers are real good at manipulating overtime rules to maximize their pay. One technique I know of (which has since been blocked, at least at my wife's agency) was to take a couple of vacation days, then work over the rest of the week. Since those vacation days count as days worked, they could get OT without actually working 40 hours that week.