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HR director reports 6.6% vacancy rate under AB 2561; unions press for higher pay and retention steps
Summary
Human Resources Director Araceli Esparza told the council the city had 551.5 FTEs and a 6.6% vacancy rate as of Jan. 19, 2026, with 36.5 vacancies. Employee representatives said retention — not management — is driven by low pay and urged salary and schedule changes.
Human Resources Director Araceli Esparza presented the city’s annual AB 2561 report on April 6, saying San Mateo employed 551.5 full‑time equivalent positions, had filled 110 positions in 2025 and recorded 36.5 vacancies—an overall vacancy rate of 6.6% as of Jan. 19, 2026.
Esparza reviewed the AB 2561 requirements (annual public hearing and disclosure on recruitment and retention) and walked council through the city’s hiring process, vacancy distribution and key challenges: manual data capture in the Eden system, position reviews or reorganizations that delay postings, the opening of a new wastewater treatment plant that created temporary hiring pressure in Public Works, and the need to streamline recruitment steps.
She said the largest share of current vacancies are in the Public Works department and that five maintenance hires are expected in the next few months. Esparza outlined actions under consideration, including an expanded recruitment and outreach plan, a fellowship program to attract talent, and aligning benchmark classifications and total compensation with regional medians.
Representatives of employee organizations and affected units echoed progress on vacancy rates but emphasized that retention remains a problem driven primarily by pay. A union speaker said librarians earn about 20% below comparable area libraries and urged the city to convert per‑diem roles to full‑time positions and consider salary adjustments. A library employee said the unit recently lost a senior assistant to Redwood City for a $5‑per‑hour pay differential.
Council members asked for additional details about specific bargaining‑unit vacancy rates and the timeline for filling maintenance roles; Esparza said she anticipates keeping the vacancy rate below 7% and expects several recruits to be on board within three to six months. The city manager and council also discussed the fiscal constraints that affect compensation choices and noted a broader financial sustainability effort.
