Stanislaus’ top-paid employee made $701k. Here’s what every worker earned in 2025
Six employees at the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office earned more in overtime than in regular pay in 2025. More than $14.7 million was spent on overtime for that department alone last year.
The Modesto Bee analyzed compensation data for every full-time Stanislaus County government employee in 2025, including overtime, additional pay and benefits.
Forensic pathologist Sung-Ook Baik was paid the most, including benefits, which brought his total compensation to about $701,000.
Sheriff Jeff Dirkse ranked seventh last year, making $435,000 in total.
The total compensation earned by members of the Board of Supervisors ranged from $177,600 to $186,360. Chief Executive Officer Jody Hayes made $518,650, ranking fourth.
Non-Hispanic white employees make up 45% of the workforce, while Hispanics make up 40.7%.
The median total compensation for a county employee was $115,590. By comparison, the county’s median household income in 2024 was $81,468, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Over the past five years, county employee compensation increases have varied by bargaining unit and classification, but range between 17.5% and 21.5%.
“Across departments, our employees support individuals and families during some of the most challenging moments in their lives. That work requires not only technical expertise, but a genuine commitment to the people we serve,” the county said in a statement. “Maintaining a stable, skilled workforce is critical to delivering the services our residents rely on every day.”
Why is overtime high among the Sheriff’s Office? Pension?
The top 15 employees who made the most in overtime were all from the Sheriff’s Office.
Like the Modesto Police Department, overtime in the Sheriff’s Office is driven largely by the nature of public safety operations.
Law enforcement and custody operations must be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with minimum staffing levels required to meet legal and operational standards. That means if a deputy or correctional officer calls out for whatever reason, that position must still be filled, usually through overtime.
Significant overtime earnings also can be driven by staffing vacancies, increased service demands, court appearances outside regular shifts and coverage for special events or emergencies.
The county stated that using overtime can sometimes be more cost-effective than hiring additional full-time staff, particularly when staffing needs fluctuate or when there is not a consistent long-term workload to support additional positions.
Pension benefits also were high among county employees, sometimes in the six figures.
Dirkse earned the most in employer-contributed pension benefits, making up 32% of his total compensation.
According to the county, public safety roles are typically part of a “safety” retirement tier with benefit formulas that differ from those applied to other county workers. This allows for earlier retirement eligibility and a higher benefit accrual rate, which the county says takes into consideration “the physical demands, risk exposure, and career longevity considerations associated with public safety roles.”
Retirement benefits are governed by state law and administered by the county. Structures have changed over time, including reforms that apply to newer employees, according to the county.
Retention efforts
Counties typically pay more than cities and towns because they employ broader and more specialized roles to support a variety of services. For example, counties may employ forensic pathologists, medical directors and psychiatrists, which can influence overall compensation numbers.
Stanislaus County recently implemented several policy updates aimed at strengthening both recruitment and retention. This includes increasing the number of candidates departments may interview from five to seven per vacancy.
“This allows for a broader pool of qualified applicants while maintaining a consistent and equitable hiring process,” the county stated.
The Board of Supervisors also approved a resolution granting the CEO temporary authority to approve appointments at the fifth step of the salary range for hard-to-fill positions.
This story was originally published April 9, 2026 at 3:40 PM.
