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County reports 5.1% vacancy rate; unions warn of concentrated shortages in nursing, detention and dispatch roles
Summary
Under AB 2561 the county reported 1,033 vacant positions (5.1% of 20,250 budgeted roles) and described recruitment and retention steps. SEIU and other speakers flagged classification‑level shortages — including licensed vocational nurses in sheriff detention and sheriff mental‑health clinicians — that exceed bargaining‑unit averages.
County human resources officials told the Board May 5 that the County of San Diego’s annual AB 2561 report shows an overall vacancy rate of 5.1 percent, down from 6.2 percent the prior year, and lays out recruitment and retention efforts targeted at hard‑to‑fill classifications.
"The county's overall vacancy rate is 5.1% this year, reduced from 6.2% in 2025," interim HR director Brandy Winterbottom stated in her presentation. HR staff reported 20,250 budgeted positions, 19,217 employees, and 1,033 vacancies for the March 9, 2025–March 9, 2026 reporting window. HR said it processed 684 recruitments, received more than 85,000 applications, hired nearly 1,300 new employees and promoted about 1,785 county employees during the period.
Interim assistant director Shante Turner described a "toolbox" of measures — same‑day hiring events, targeted outreach at schools and veteran events, revised minimum qualifications and approved hiring incentives for hard‑to‑fill public‑safety and technical roles — that the county says helped reduce vacancies.
Labor representatives urged closer monitoring of classification‑level shortages that can be masked in bargaining‑unit averages. "When positions remain unfilled, the work does not disappear. It gets pushed onto existing employees," said SEIU Local 221 representative Sarah Nielsen, citing examples the union presented: 39 vacancies in sheriff‑detention licensed vocational nurse roles (a cited 42% vacancy rate for that classification), 22 vacancies for sheriff‑detention mental‑health clinicians (about a 33% vacancy rate) and roughly 20 vacancies in sheriff emergency dispatch (about a 23% vacancy rate). SEIU urged the board to treat classification gaps as "early warning signs" and to act proactively on recruitment and retention.
Supervisors thanked staff for the report and asked staff to continue monitoring operational impacts such as caseloads, response times and call handling; staff said departments maintain performance dashboards and may use temporary staffing while positions are filled. The board accepted the report as required under AB 2561.
Staff said continued focus is needed for specific classifications and that the county will work with departments and labor partners on targeted strategies.
The presentation was accepted by unanimous vote.
