OCEAN CITY – Resort officials this week agreed to increase signing bonuses and overtime pay in an effort to address an ongoing lifeguard shortage.
On Tuesday, the council voted unanimously to increase the Ocean City Beach Patrol signing bonus from $250 to $500, purchase three new ATVs, and increase the overtime premium from $1 an hour to time and a half. City Manager Terry McGean said the proposed changes are not only expected to improve working conditions this summer but incentivize new and former lifeguards – or surf rescue technicians (SRTs) – to join the Ocean City Beach Patrol.
“We have completed all our pre-Memorial Day testing dates, and we have two more testing dates set for June,” he said. “While the good news is the number of applicants we’ve gotten have been up substantially – and in fact the number of new SRTs we are going to hire is up from what we had last year – the number of returning SRTs is down.”
McGean told the council this week officials have been taking steps to ensure the beach patrol had an adequate number of SRTs for the summer season.
Earlier this year, for example, the council approved a $250 signing bonus, as well as $1 an hour in overtime pay. Back on the agenda this week, McGean said he was looking to amend those incentives to include a $500 signing bonus, to be paid upon graduation from the SRT academy, as well as $2 an hour in overtime premium.
“Being a member of the beach patrol, a lifeguard, is one of the few occupations in the United States that does not require paid overtime, time-and-a-half overtime,” he said. “We had previously agreed to do a dollar an hour premium. We’d like to up that to $2 an hour premium overtime. Again, we think given the staff that we have, we’re going to need to entice them to work some overtime. We think increasing that will help us to do that.”
McGean also proposed the purchase of three new ATVs. He noted the vehicles act as a force multiplier.
“We had three replacement ATVs scheduled for purchase in FY24, so starting in July,” he said. “What we’d like to do is go ahead and get those three ATVs now and not replace any of the existing ATVS until after the season so that we will be entering the 2023 season with three additional ATVs.”
Council Secretary Tony DeLuca, however, argued that the town should still increase hourly pay.
“I still think and recommend that Ocean City’s beach patrol should have the highest starting average hourly rate in the state of Maryland and Delaware,” he said.
For his part, Councilman Frank Knight questioned if increasing the overtime premium from $1 an hour to $2 an hour was adequate.
“Do you think one extra dollar is enticement enough?” he said.
McGean said it had been discussed at the staff level, but noted any pay changes would impact future seasons.
“Our estimate is that each extra dollar an hour of overtime is about $10,000,” he said. “I think the staff is certainly open to that discussion with the understanding that whatever we do now we’re going to be carrying forward into the future.”
Council President Matt James argued that overtime pay should be equivalent to overtime pay offered within other departments. Officials noted that seasonal police officers were paid time and a half beyond normal working hours.
“I think it’s fair, if other departments are getting it …,” he said. “I think it’s the right way to go and the most fair option for our employees.”
Councilman John Gehrig agreed. He said providing time and a half could cost the town between $70,000 and $80,000.
“If we’re paying time and a half, and we need them, that sounds like a bargain to me for what we do,” he said.
For his part, Mayor Rick Meehan said the town should consider some form of pay increase.
“Costs and salaries have changed dramatically, and I think we need to keep pace with that,” he said. “If we’re not amenable to raise the starting pay because of the way it affects the rest of the pay schedule … then I think Councilman Gehrig is correct. We put it on the other end and make it time and a half. I think that makes the difference.”
Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald thanked the council for considering an increase in overtime pay. As staffing shortages continue, he said SRTs will be expected to work longer hours.
“It’s going to require people working seven days a week, some of them you are going to see supervisors in stands,” he said. “The mere fact that you brought that up today, and if it does go in that direction, that’s a good thing. These people are going to be burnt out if we’re not careful. They will have to work a lot more hours than they did in the past.”
Theobald noted, however, that SRTs will continue to guard the entire beach.
“This is going to be a challenge operationally, but no beaches will closed and the public will be guarded appropriately,” he said.
After further discussion, a motion was made to increase the signing bonus from $250 to $500, purchase three new ATVs, and increase the overtime premium to be time and a half after the normal work week, which would be 43.5 hours for SRTs and 50 hours for supervisors.
The motion passed in a 7-0 vote.
