The salaries of government employees in California, including police officers, are a public record and must be available upon request.

The right to privacy argument against dislosure made by employee unions “is not a reasonable one,” the justices wrote, ending a lawsuit the Contra Costa Times filed more than three years ago against the city of Oakland.

Even if disclosure of the information “may cause discomfort or embarrassment” it must be released, the decision states.

Of course, discomfort or embarrassment is precisely the purpose of the transparency enabled by Open Records. An uncomfortable or embarrassed individual is more likely to change behavior than a comfortable one.

It’s called peer pressure, and it’s one of the characteristics of a well functioning society.
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