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City reports workforce vacancy and recruitment efforts under AB 2561; overall vacancy 10.5% as of Dec. 31, 2024
Summary
Human Resources presented the annual AB 2561 report: 439.55 authorized full-time positions and 46 vacancies (10.47% citywide) as of Dec. 31, 2024. No bargaining unit exceeded the 20% vacancy threshold; staff described recruitment tools and retention steps including blind screening and NeoGov Attract.
City human resources staff presented the mandatory AB 2561 report on June 4, describing vacancy levels, recruitment and retention efforts and next steps.
Caitlin Montez, human resources supervisor, said the city had 439.55 authorized full-time positions and 46 vacancies as of Dec. 31, 2024, which translates to a 10.47% citywide vacancy rate and 7.43% for represented positions. "At that time, we had 439.55 authorized full time positions with 46 vacancies amongst our, all of our citywide," Montez said during the presentation.
Montez explained that none of the bargaining units exceeded the 20% vacancy threshold that would trigger additional reporting requirements. She cited a 17.74% vacancy rate among the firefighters association during that snapshot (which staff said improved when recruits entered the academy soon afterward) and a 9.68% rate in the Police Officers Association largely attributable to five designated unfunded positions that were later addressed.
Staff described recruitment and retention strategies including use of NeoGov Attract to direct-source hard-to-fill positions, blind screening to hide personally identifiable information during initial screening, expanding LinkedIn and social-media outreach, reinstatement of a leadership academy, and multi-year contracts that provide wage stability for most bargaining units. Montez said a building-inspector vacancy long-standing for three years was recently filled using direct sourcing through NeoGov.
Councilmembers asked about equity in hiring, employee surveys and attrition trends. Montez said the HR office reviews applicant demographics in an annual report, conducts pay-equity studies, and performs exit interviews; she reported attrition had trended down to about 7% and that staff were considering additional employee engagement survey tools to gather actionable feedback.
No public speakers addressed the hearing. The council closed the public portion of the hearing after staff'presented the required information; no council vote was required beyond receipt of the report.
