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Summary: Most Americans would likely be happy with any job that pays $283,000 per year, let alone one that allows them to take a months-long international cruise while on the clock.

San Diego residents have been paying Assistant City Attorney Jean Jordan to do exactly that. Jordan was on a cruise to Africa and Europe from Jan. 20 to May 16 of this year while bragging to colleagues that she was “having a grand time,” according to emails obtained by the Daily Mail.

Key facts: Jordan visited Italy, Gibraltar and more while getting paid for four months of work — $94,333 —  and accruing vacation time and benefits during her 117-day trip. Jordan worked during the trip and her boss told the Daily Mail she was in “constant communication” with Jordan, but emails showed several hurdles that could have prevented Jordan from doing her job efficiently.

Jordan wrote multiple emails to a coworker complaining that she was having trouble accessing computer software because of “connectivity issues” in Europe. The time difference also made it difficult for Jordan to meet with colleagues. One email read, “Miss talking with you. The time difference makes it hard. I will text you later and see if we can make a time work.”

Supporting quote: Jordan and her colleagues were confused by the negative news coverage of her working vacation. In one email obtained by the Daily Mail, Jordan wrote, “It is baffling to me that given all the things happening in the world that this is front page news. Sigh!” Stephen Cushman, a board member with the San Diego Housing Commission, said in another email that Jordan’s critics are “a bunch of jealous yahoos.”

Critical quote: Marlea Dell’Anno, a former lawyer for the City of San Diego, told the Daily Mail, “I can’t tell you how many people have called me or emailed me about this. People are outraged! I don’t understand how as a leader you could ever think that’s a good idea … Remote work has its place — but there’s a significant difference between working from home and working from a global cruise. This stretches the definition of telework beyond what is reasonable.”

Background: San Diego had a total payroll of $898.2 million in 2023, according to OpenTheBooks.com’s database. Eight employees made more than $300,000. City Attorney Heather Ferbert made almost $198,000.

Jordan was an attorney with Sutter County making $167,278 before accepting her job in San Diego in 2021.

Search all federal, state and local salaries and vendor spending with the world’s largest government spending database at OpenTheBooks.com. 

Summary: The most basic component of working a desk job is actually sitting at a desk — not on a cruise ship. Taxpayers should be spending money on their own vacations, not those of city officials.

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