Gavin Newsom staffer received $50K payout despite leaving in disgrace amid corruption probe

Gov.Gavin Newsom’s disgraced former chief of staff, who stepped down amid a federal fraud investigation, received a $50,000 payout on her way out, according to a report.Dana Williamson used roughly $30,000 in unused vacation time to remain on California’s payroll through Jan.

31 — seven weeks after the governor’s office confirmed her departure, according to state payroll records reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.In addition, she received a lump-sum payment of about $22,000 for the remaining unused vacation hours she had accrued, the payroll records show.Williamson was arrested in November and faces a sweeping 23-count indictment that accuses her of plotting with accomplices to swipe $225,000 from an inactive political campaign and funnel it straight into a friend’s pocket.Under California state employment policy, workers earn paid vacation each month and may carry forward unused time.When they leave state service, they are paid for any remaining vacation hours.

Most employees are limited to 640 hours of accrued leave, but the cap is not always enforced.Because payouts are calculated using an employee’s final salary, large balances of unused vacation can result in substantial lump-sum payments, as was the case with Williamson.“That’s shocking, honestly,” Assemblyman Josh Hoover told The Times.The massive payout reflects a concerning trend in the California state government.

The state now owes about $5.6 billion for unused vacation and leave.California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story In 2025 alone, California paid $453 million to roughly 21,000 departing workers, including 80 employees who received more than $250,000 and 1,081 who received over $100,000.The liability has grown from $3.9 billion in 2019, partly because employees...