City rolls out new lifeguard bonus structure

By the numbers: Staff earn a minimum of $20 an hour and must work between May 21 and Aug. 12 to be eligible for bonus payouts.

• Lifeguards receive a $250 bonus for 200 hours of work.
• Three hundred hours and 400 hours of work each triggers another $250 bonus.
• Last year, base pay started at $16 an hour and lifeguards could earn up to $1,250 in discretionary bonuses.

Why it matters: Austin has faced lifeguard shortages in recent years, forcing public pools to open later than normal or shutter altogether.

• A recent report by the city auditor found that a new job application system exacerbated the problem last summer because it automatically rejected nearly every applicant.
• In 2022, more than 1,000 people applied to be lifeguards. The audit found that 95% of lifeguard applicants received automatic rejections, but those notices were not usually accurate.

Of note: Lifeguard training and hiring starts at age 15 and there is no age limit.

• The city oversees 45 aquatic facilities, which include Barton Springs Pool, 22 neighborhood pools and 11 splash pads.
• Lifeguards also receive sick leave benefits, free bus passes and free parking at Zilker Park.