San Diego City Attorney Paid $280K a Year to Live on Cruise Ship

By Dick Hertz

Jean Jordan, the Executive Assistant City Attorney for San Diego, is on a four-month cruise while working remotely and is paid slightly more than $280,000 a year, though she does not permanently live on a cruise ship, and she is not the City Attorney herself.

"While Executive Assistant City Attorney Jean Jordan is allowed to work remotely while on a four-month vacation cruise, some taxpayers are left speechless by the arrangement." Said NBC7 in San Diego.

"Soon after, Jordan agreed to the newly created executive assistant attorney position, which was part of an office restructuring. It pays a little more than $280,000 a year."

A spokesperson for City Attorney Heather Ferbert explained that Jordan planned to retire late last year but stayed on to assist during the transition, with the remote work arrangement approved by Ferbert.

The cruise ship itself is moving around the world. Jordan is said to be available by phone "12 hours a day."

Jean Jordan from the San Diego City Attorney's website

Taxpayers were "speechless" about the arrangement. The San Diego Union-Tribune received complaints about Jordan's travel, prompting the City Attorney's Office to confirm the arrangement. Public sentiment appears mixed, with one resident, Evelyn Olivar, saying, "If the boss is OK with it, then it's OK. But if she's ruining our tax dollars, then no").

City Attorney spokeswoman Heather Ferbert says Jordan "stays in constant communication with all members of her executive team," and the office "has not experienced any delays or other negative impacts" due to Jordan's remote work. However, the Deputy City Attorneys Association of San Diego was not broadly informed of the arrangement, suggesting some lack of transparency within the office.