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Home My WebLink About6.1 Status Update on Vacancies in Compliance with Assembly Bill 2561STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 3 Agenda Item 6.1 DATE:April 15,2025 TO:Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM:Colleen Tribby, City Manager SUBJECT:Status Update on Vacancies in Compliance with Assembly Bill 2561 Prepared by:Sarah Monnastes, Human Resources Director EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:The City Council will conduct a public hearing on position vacancies for 2024, in compliance with Assembly Bill 2561 – Local public employees; vacant positions. STAFF RECOMMENDATION:Conduct the public hearing, deliberate, and by motion, direct Staff to continue recruitment and retention efforts. FINANCIAL IMPACT:None. DESCRIPTION:BackgroundOn September 22, 2024, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 2561 into law. This lawestablished new requirements for local public agencies to hold at least one public hearing per fiscal year to report on their job vacancies and efforts related to recruitment and retention. AB 2561 is codified as Government Code section 3502.3 and became effective on January 1, 2025.Under AB 2561, local agencies must:1. Conduct at least one public hearing each fiscal year to present the status of vacant positionsand related recruitment/retention strategies.2. Hold the hearing prior to adoption of an annual or multi-year budget, if applicable. 3. Identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, or recruitment practices that may hinder hiring efforts.4. Provide recognized employee organizations the opportunity to present during the hearing.(Note: This provision does not apply to the City of Dublin, as no employee unions represent 171 Page 2 of 3 City staff).The intent of AB 2561 is to improve transparency regarding staffing shortages and ensure that the governing body and the public are informed about how vacancies affect service delivery. This law also provides a platform to discuss hiring challenges and potential solutions in a public setting.While AB 2561 does not impose penalties, it sets an expectation for ongoing public reporting and engagement on workforce-related matters.2024 Vacancy ReportIn calendar year 2024, the City’s average vacancy rate for regular, full-time equivalent (FTE) positions was 5.05%. A total of 11 employees separated from City employment during this period. Vacancies occurred due to various factors, including retirement, internal promotions, external job opportunities and personal circumstances (e.g., commuting preferences). Table 1 provides a month-by-month- summary of vacancies. Table 1– Vacancies Per MonthMonth & Year Approved FTE Number of Vacant FTE % of VacanciesJan-24 106 6.5 6.13%Feb-24 106 4.5 4.25%Mar-24 106 3.5 3.30%Apr-24 106 3.5 3.30%May-24 106 4.5 4.25%Jun-24 106 4.5 4.25%Jul-24 108 5.5 5.09%Aug-24 108 6.5 6.02%Sep-24 108 4.5 4.17%Oct-24 108 6.5 6.02%Nov-24 108 7.5 6.94%Dec-24 108 7.5 6.94%Throughout 2024, Human Resources staff achieved the following: Hired 12 new employees Transferred six employees to different positions Promoted six employees internally Reclassified two employees into new roles Hired or rehired 180 temporary/seasonal staff As required by AB 2561, Staff reviewed the City’s hiring-related policies and procedures to identify any potential barriers to recruitment. No such barriers were identified. The City continues to offer competitive salaries and benefits. Recruitment challenges remain, 172 Page 3 of 3 primarily in specialized fields due to a limited pool of qualified candidates – a trend observed across the region. Staff will continue exploring opportunities to expand outreach and streamline hiring processes where feasible. STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:None. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:The City Council Agenda was posted. ATTACHMENTS:None. 173 Status Update on Vacancies In Compliance with Assembly Bill 2561 174 Purpose of the Public Hearing •Comply with Assembly Bill (AB) 2561 •Report on 2024 job vacancies •Review recruitment and retention efforts •Identify potential hiring obstacles •Provide transparency to the public and City Council 175 AB 2561 Overview •Signed into law September 22, 2024 •Effective January 1, 2025 •Requires local agencies to: –Conduct at least one public hearing annually, prior to budget adoption –Identify barriers to hiring –Allow union participation (not applicable to Dublin) 176 Citywide Vacancy Information 2024 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Authorized Positions 106 106 106 106 106 106 108 108 108 108 108 108 Vacancies 6.5 4.5 3.5 3.5 4.5 4.5 5.5 6.5 4.5 6.5 7.5 7.5 Vacancy Rate 6.1%4.3%3.3%3.3%4.3%4.3%5.1%6.0%4.2%6.0%6.9%6.9% 2024 Average = 5.05% 177 2024 Vacancy Data Vacancy Reason # of Vacancies Retirement 1 Separation – External Promotion to Another Public Sector Agency 4 Separation – Personal Circumstances (e.g., Closer to Home, Family)3 Separation – Moved out of State 1 Separation – Other 2 Retention Rate = 91.1% 178 Addressing Vacancies in Dublin RECRUITMENT RETENTION 179 Overview of Recruitment Process Vacancy Created Recruitment Requisition Job Posting Application Screening Candidate Interviews Conditional Job Offer Pre- Employment Process Job Placement 180 Recruitment – A Look Back at 2024 12 New Hires 6 Internal Transfers 6 Internal Promotions 2 Reclasses 180 Hires/Rehires Seasonal Staff % of vacancies filled with internal candidates: 48% 181 Effective Recruitment & Retention Approaches Efficient Recruitment Processes Competitive Salaries & Benefits Promotional Opportunities Work-Life Balance Employee Recognition Programs Positive Work Culture 182 Hiring Challenges/Obstacles •No barriers in policy or procedures identified •Limited pool of qualified applicants for specialized positions (e.g., Engineers) 183 Looking Ahead •Continue competitive salary/benefit offerings •Expand outreach strategies •Ongoing monitoring of workforce trends 184 Staff Recommendation Conduct the public hearing, deliberate, and by motion, direct Staff to continue recruitment and retention efforts. 185 Any Questions? 186