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Escondido reports 7.4% vacancy rate under AB 2561; council hears steps to recruit and retain staff
Summary
Under California AB 2561, Escondido reported 65 vacancies (7.43%) of 875 budgeted positions at year-end 2025; HR outlined recruitment volumes, hard-to-fill roles (dispatch, records), and recent negotiated compensation increases intended to improve retention.
Human Resources Manager Daniel Alvado presented the city’s required annual AB 2561 report on vacancies and recruitment. He said the city budgeted 875 full‑time positions for 2025 and experienced 65 vacancies as of Jan. 7, 2026 (a 7.43% vacancy rate). Alvado detailed hiring metrics for calendar year 2025: 169 recruitments opened, 8,554 applications received, 112 tests administered and 202 hires processed.
Alvado said vacancy rates varied by bargaining group and that the Police Officers Association non‑sworn group exceeded the 20% threshold that triggers additional disclosures; those positions included public safety dispatch and records technician roles, which he described as traditionally hard to recruit and retain. To address retention, the city negotiated a 6% across‑the‑board increase effective July 2025 and expected additional 5% increases in July 2026 and 2027, added floating holidays and bereavement leave, and implemented other recruitment supports.
Council and department chiefs discussed the operational impact, especially on dispatch, and noted the AB 2561 report is a point‑in‑time snapshot; staff said subsequent recruitments have reduced vacancies and pledged to provide updated, current staffing information in future reports.
