Today, Transparent California released 2015 public employee compensation data — complete with names, pay, and benefits — for over 100,000 special district workers statewide.

A San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) system service worker — a position described as performing janitorial work — appeared to work an average of 114 hours a week last year, based on the $162,050 OT payout he collected on top of his $57,945 regular salary.

This is the third year in a row Liang Zhao Zhang received overtime pay (OT) pay in excess of his regular salary.

Lang’s $271,243 in total pay and benefits last year was nearly quadruple his regular salary, with similar excess having occurred consistently over the past three years, as reflected in his combined $682,000 compensation received over that time period.

While Zhang was the only service worker to clear over $200k in 2014, the 2015 report contained four BART janitors on that list — all of who also received OT payouts in excess of their regular salaries.

The high concentration of OT in a select few employees appears to violate BART guidelines that overtime pay be “rotated equally,” according to Transparent California’s research director Robert Fellner.

“It’d be great if all janitors were paid $200k, but I seriously doubt many of BART’s riders — who must pay for this excess — are ever afforded that opportunity.”

Fellner noted that, even when excluding benefits, the average BART service worker was paid $77,777 last year, nearly triple the $28,720 earned by janitors statewide, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In total, BART spent over $470 million on employee compensation last year —10 percent more than what was spent in 2014.

“In addition to violating guidelines, it’s hard to imagine how paying amounts so far in excess of the market wage for routine jobs like custodial workers can possibly be efficient.

“BART must do a much better job of being responsible stewards of the tax dollars they already collect, before expecting voters to support their request for a property tax hike.”

Port of Oakland custodian clears over $200k

The data also reveals that most custodians at the Port of Oakland made at least $100,000 in pay and benefits last year, with Obdulia Ramos’ $203,000 pay package topping the list.

Top Bay Area earners

Washington Hospital Healthcare System CEO Nancy Farber’s $931,839 compensation package was the largest of any Bay Area special district worker.

The three highest-compensated Bay Area special district workers, excluding hospitals or healthcare systems were:

1. San Ramon Valley fire chief Paige Meyer, who collected $510,671 in compensation — more than half of which went towards retirement and health benefits.
2. San Ramon Valley battalion chief Daniel McNamara, who collected $485,251.
3. East Bay Municipal Utility District GM Alexander Coate, who collected $478,077.

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection’s $294,035 average compensation package for full-time, year-round employees was the highest of any special district surveyed statewide.

Compensation is defined as total wages plus the employer cost of retirement and health benefits. Full-time, year-round employees are defined as those receiving a salary equal or greater to 90 percent of the “annual salary minimum” reported.

To explore the data further, please visit TransparentCalifornia.com

To schedule an interview with Transparent California, please contact Robert Fellner at 559-462-0122 or Robert@TransparentCalifornia.com.

Transparent California is California’s largest and most comprehensive database of public sector compensation and is a project of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a nonpartisan, free-market think tank. Learn more at TransparentCalifornia.com.