Atlanta HR reports compensation implementation, highlights vacancies and wellness engagement

Interim Commissioner Calvin Blackburn presented the Department of Human Resources quarterly report for Oct.–Dec. 2024 to the Atlanta City Council Finance and Executive Committee, saying the city has begun implementing changes from the classification and compensation study and has started entering salary adjustments into Oracle as of Jan. 2.

Blackburn said the city completed its classification and compensation study with Evergreen and Mercer, mailed individual compensation letters in October, held town halls and on Jan. 2 “started entering the study changes and salary adjustments into Oracle.” He told the committee the department is reviewing three options for a new line of demarcation between classified and unclassified employees and will meet with unions and stakeholders before seeking code revisions.

Why it matters: The changes affect pay, classification, and statutory definitions that determine employees’ pay scales and benefits. Council members pressed for evidence that recent pay and benefit investments will improve retention and asked HR to provide follow-up trend data.

Key metrics and priorities Blackburn reported a 93% acceptance rate for offers and a 45-day average time-to-hire from offer to completed onboarding. He said the HRIS team completed 8,700 transactions to implement phase 1 of the compensation study and handled 1,968 regular personnel transactions during the quarter.

As of Dec. 31, 2024, Blackburn said the city had about 9,332 filled positions and roughly 2,500 vacant positions. He identified large numbers of field positions in Atlanta Police Department (about 2,248), Watershed Management (about 1,400) and Fire (about 1,103), and said police, fire and Watershed had among the highest vacancy counts.

Council response and follow-ups Council members asked HR for more context on hires versus separations and whether recent enhancements are affecting retention. One member asked HR to compare first-half and second-half trends for departures to show whether salary and pension changes are moving the needle; Blackburn agreed to provide that analysis. Council members also asked HR for more timely updates on outstanding personnel-investigation backlogs and for a breakdown of how HR handles complaints such as sexual harassment and discrimination; Blackburn said the department is reorganizing to clear backlogs and would provide additional detail offline.

Training, benefits and wellness Blackburn said training compliance is improving in some areas (LGBTQ training rose toward 89% compliance) though the department has not yet met a 95% national benchmark. He reported 2,601 employees completed open enrollment and said benefits and wellness activities — including a Veterans Career Fair and a public-safety behavioral health outreach effort that produced roughly 1,500 employee engagements in December — remain priorities.

Pensions and next steps Blackburn reminded the committee that the 2011 hybrid pension plan participants will be transitioned to the 2025 defined-benefit plan at year end and cited roughly 5,600 retirees receiving pension payments and about 1,200 beneficiaries. He said HR’s strategic priorities for 2025 include finalizing a total-reward statement, launching citywide professional development, and rolling out a leadership academy for senior staff in FY 2026.

Ending Chair Howard Shook thanked Blackburn for the presentation. Council members requested targeted follow-up on retention trends, hiring progress for prioritized positions, and more detail on HR complaint resolution timelines.