'Staffing Doesn't Meet the Need': Calif. FF Earns More than $1M in Overtime over 3 Years

'Staffing doesn't meet the need': Calif. FF earns more than $1M in overtime over 3 years

A San Jose fire engineer collected more than $1 million in overtime pay since 2023 as staffing shortages, rising call volume and paramedic vacancies continue to drive overtime costs

San Jose’s highest-paid employee is a firefighter with $1 million in overtime over the past three years

Public safety overtime spending has become a growing issue for cities grappling with firefighter and police shortages.

'Staffing doesn't meet the need': Calif. FF/paramedic earns more than $1M in overtime over 3 years

A San Jose fire engineer collected more than $1 million in overtime pay since 2023 as staffing shortages, rising call volume and paramedic vacancies continue to drive overtime costs

San Jose, CA, Firefighter Pocketed More than $1M in Overtime in Three Years

In 2025, San Jose Fire Engineer Spence Piercy earned $437,337 in overtime last year, twice his base pay.