California's Highest-Paid Public Employee Didn't Work a Single Day

Former Redlands Deputy Police Chief Travis Martinez has become the highest-paid public employee in California for 2025, despite not working a single day during the year.

According to California's public salary database, Martinez received a total compensation package of approximately $1.26 million, including pension contributions and health benefits. The payment was not the result of regular salary, but stemmed primarily from a retirement settlement that ended a lengthy legal dispute with the City of Redlands.

Martinez had spent the final 18 months of his career on paid administrative leave. As part of the agreement, he accepted early retirement and agreed to dismiss the lawsuit he had filed against the city. In return, he received a settlement of roughly $872,000.

The Lawsuit Behind the Settlement

The case began in 2023, when Martinez sued the city, alleging that he was subjected to retaliation after reporting suspected misconduct within the police department.

According to the lawsuit, Martinez claimed city officials harassed him for raising concerns about corruption. Among his allegations were attempts to conceal evidence related to a fatal train accident, as well as claims that he reported misconduct by another senior police official to the FBI.

The city agreed to settle the dispute without the case proceeding to trial.

How the $1.26 Million Was Calculated

Public records show that Martinez's total compensation included several separate payments.

In addition to the $872,000 settlement, he received approximately $81,000 in salary, a one-time retirement payout of about $231,000, along with pension contributions, health benefits, and other compensation.

Altogether, the payments totaled approximately $1.26 million, making Martinez California's highest-paid public employee for 2025, despite not reporting for work at any point during the year.