County reports vacancy data under AB 2561; HR outlines recruitment and retention efforts

Napa County human resources presented the annual vacancy hearing required by California Assembly Bill 2561 on April 22, reporting a countywide vacancy rate near 9% and detailing recruitment and retention measures taken in 2024.

Chief Human Resources Officer Christine Briseno told the board the agency’s point-in-time vacancy rate was 9.8% for calendar-year 2024 and 8.57% as of the first quarter of 2025. Briseno and HR staff described hire volume (81 recruitments in 2024), online engagement (more than 300,000 clicks on job bulletins) and 5,741 applications received. HR reported an average 28-day time from opening a recruitment to referral, and department-level efforts including job fairs, advertising and a revamped hiring incentives program.

Vacancy breakdown and public safety impact: The report disaggregated vacancies across recognized bargaining groups. The Deputy Sheriffs Association (DSA) non‑supervisory group had declined from roughly 16% earlier in 2024 to about 11.6% by year-end; HR said that figure had improved further to roughly 8.2% by the following Friday. Napa County Probation Professionals Association (NCPPA) and SEIU (Napa Association of Public Employees) also showed improved vacancy rates over the year. HR flagged Behavioral Health Division staffing as a division with higher vacancies (around 18% at the time of reporting) and said it remained a recruitment focus.

Speakers from law enforcement and the Deputy Sheriffs Association described operational impacts that exceed the headline vacancy numbers. Sgt. Nick DiJulio and Deputy Justin Monroe told the board that when trainees, officers on field training, and deputies on injury leave are counted alongside vacant positions the effective shortfall in available sworn staff can approach 20–30% in practical terms, leading to overtime, denied vacations and difficulty covering special events and mutual-aid obligations. The sheriff’s office said it is working closely with HR on lateral recruitment incentives and a revised signing bonus to attract experienced officers.

HR actions and training: Briseno described new and expanded measures including a “Hiring Heroes” partnership with the U.S. Army PACE program to recruit veterans, limited‑term bridge positions for departments handling long-term leaves, quarterly HR partner sessions to improve departmental HR coordination, tuition reimbursement, a wellness program and expanded professional development academy offerings. HR reported a 100% satisfaction rate among respondents asked about recruiter service during 2024 recruitments.

Why it matters: Supervisors noted vacancies in public safety, behavioral health and other frontline services raise service‑delivery and burnout risks. Several board members asked HR for follow‑up data showing employees on long‑term leave and figures that combine vacancies with unavailable staff (trainees, FTO status, long‑term leave) for a clearer operational picture ahead of labor negotiations and the budget process.

Next steps: HR said it will continue recruitment outreach, refine incentive programs and provide supervisors with more frequent operational snapshots as requested by the board. The presentation fulfilled the AB 2561 annual reporting requirement.