Compliance with Assembly Bill 2561 - Status of Job Vacancies

TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Diego Chavez, Administrative Services Director PREPARED BY: Michelle Tamez, Human Resources Analyst SUBJECT: title Compliance with Assembly Bill 2561 - Status of Job Vacancies end ABSTRACT Staff requests that City Council conduct the annual public hearing required by Assembly Bill 2561 (Government Code Section 3502.3) regarding the status of City job vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts. The report provides an overview of current staffing levels, vacancy trends, recruitment activities, and employee retention initiatives. Staff has determined that current vacancy levels do not warrant changes to existing hiring policies, procedures, or recruitment practices at this time. RECOMMENDATION recommendation Conduct a Public Hearing to present the status of vacancies and the City's recruitment and retention efforts, as required by Government Code Section 3502.3. body PRIOR ACTION/VOTE None. STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT This item aligns with the City Council of: maintaining a high performing organization that values fiscal sustainability, transparency, accountability and organizational efficiency relating to an administrative priority. DISCUSSION On September 22, 2024, Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 2561 (AB 2561), which became effective January 1, 2025. The legislature found that job vacancies are a widespread and significant problem for the public sector, and that high vacancy rates impact public service delivery and the workers forced to handle heavier workloads. The legislature further declared that there is a statewide interest in ensuring that public agency operations are appropriately staffed and that high vacancy rates do not undermine public employee labor relations. AB 2561 added Section 3502.3 to the Government Code, which requires a public agency to present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts at a public hearing at least once per fiscal year. If the public agency is adopting a budget, the public hearing must occur before the final budget is adopted. The new law also entitles recognized employee organizations to make a presentation during the hearing. In presenting this item, the public agency is required to identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that have led to obstacles in the hiring process. If the number of job vacancies within a single bargaining unit meets or exceeds 20% of the total number of authorized positions, the public agency shall, upon request of the employee organization, include the following information during the public hearing: 1) The total number of job vacancies within the bargaining unit; 2) The total number of applicants for vacant positions within the bargaining unit; 3) Average time to complete the hiring process from posting; and 4) Opportunities to improve compensation and other working conditions. The City of Murrieta (City) does not currently have a vacancy rate within any single bargaining unit that meets or exceeds the 20% threshold. Accordingly, the provisions described above are not presently applicable. Status of Vacancies The City currently has 472 authorized positions covering 142 different job classifications. Of the authorized positions, 423 are full-time, and 49 are staffed with part-time employees. This past fiscal year, the average vacancy rate across all authorized positions was approximately 4.7%, down from eight percent (8%) the previous fiscal year. City divisions with the highest job vacancy rates included Recreation, Engineering, Fire Administration, and Fire Prevention. Staff did not identify any specific classification with consistent vacancies. Most vacancies were due to part-time turnover, retirements, promotions, inter-departmental appointments, and other personal reasons. As such, staff is not recommending any changes to policies, procedures, or recruitment activities this year. The City is currently recruiting for the following vacancies: * Management Analyst (Fire) * Recreation Leader (PT) * Finance Manager * Senior Executive Assistant * Senior Recreation Leader * Public Safety Dispatcher II * Senior Engineer Recruitment Efforts The City utilizes various methods to recruit employees, including: * Online recruitment platforms, such as Government Jobs, LinkedIn, and the City's website; * Trade-specific platforms that are unique to the position and profession; * The Human Resources team participates in various job fairs throughout the year, including fairs hosted by the Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber of Commerce, local colleges (MSJC, CSUSM, CBU), and local high schools; * Announcements on social media, at City meetings, and other community events; and * Advertisements in City publications, emails, local billboards, and digital displays. Retention Efforts Ongoing employee retention efforts include the following: * Negotiated contracts with bargaining units that considered market competitiveness in compensation, including benefits; * Consideration of market equity adjustments to salaries for classifications with recruitment and/or retention issues (e.g., Engineering classifications); * Continuation of alternative and hybrid work schedules, providing eligible employees with onsite and remote work opportunities that contribute to the work-life balance employees enjoy; * Investments in new office furniture and renovations of certain facilities; * Enhancements to vehicles, equipment, and technology that provide employees with the latest tools to perform their work in modern, safe, and efficient ways; * Ongoing discussions with management to identify opportunities for employee development and engagement; and * Longevity Pay that provides base salary increases after 15 and 20 years of employment. PUBLIC NOTICING The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item). FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this Public Hearing, which is required by State law. ATTACHMENTS None.