Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: May 13, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Wendy Levy, Director of Human Resources
Subject: Annual Report on Workforce Vacancies, Recruitment, and Retention Efforts for Calendar Year 2025 (AB 2561 – Government Code Section 3502.3).
BACKGROUND
Assembly Bill 2561, effective January 1, 2025, requires public agencies, including the City of Camarillo, to hold at least one public hearing per fiscal year to discuss job vacancies and the agency’s recruitment and retention efforts. This legislation addresses the growing challenge of workforce shortages in local government, which impact service delivery and contribute to employee burnout.
In compliance with Government Code § 3502.3(a), the City must:
Hold at least one public hearing each fiscal year before the City Council to present the status of job vacancies and workforce recruitment and retention efforts (§ 3502.3(a)(1)).
Identify and discuss any City policies, procedures, or recruitment practices that may present obstacles to hiring (§ 3502.3(a)(3)).
If the City Council adopts an annual or multiyear budget during the fiscal year, the public hearing must be held before final budget adoption (§ 3502.3(a)(2)).
The law requires recognized employee organizations to have the opportunity to present at the hearing. While the City of Camarillo does not currently have represented bargaining units, the City remains subject to all other provisions of AB 2561, including the reporting and hearing requirements.
DISCUSSION
The Legislature acknowledged the following challenges in local government employment:
AB 2561 - Calendar Year 2025
May 13, 2026
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1. High vacancy rates across public agencies affect service delivery and operational capacity.
2. Staff shortages increase workload on existing employees, leading to burnout and higher turnover.
3. There is a statewide interest in maintaining a stable and effective public sector workforce.
As of December 31, 2025, the City was authorized for 174 full-time positions, with an average annual vacancy rate of 4.1%.
The City recruited for 23 positions during the calendar year. Vacancies occurred due to new budgeted positions, internal promotions and transfers, and employee separations (e.g., retirement, resignation, or termination). The Human Resources Department and hiring managers prioritize filling vacancies promptly to ensure the continuity of services to the public, minimize operational disruptions and reduce overtime costs.
Key recruitment strategies included:
Leveraging NEOGOV to manage recruitments and enhance applicant outreach Training hiring managers on recruitment best practices Marketing job openings via LinkedIn and other platforms Developing a benefits summary to support candidate decision-making Investing in employee development to build an internal talent pipeline The City enhanced its retention efforts by:
Providing professional development and continuing education opportunities Expanding internship programs
Offering tuition reimbursement
Provide opportunities for internal promotion and career advancement Recognizing employee contributions through appreciation events and awards The City remains committed to being a high-performance organization that attracts and retains well-qualified employees aligned with the City’s values and service standards. By enhancing recruitment and retention efforts and ensuring transparent reporting, the City is committed to maintaining a strong and effective workforce.
AB 2561 - Calendar Year 2025
May 13, 2026
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FISCAL IMPACT
There is no budget impact as a result of this action.
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN FY 2025/26
This report supports the City Council’s Strategic Plan: Goal and Objective 11.2 – Enhance succession planning - Establish clear career development plans and resources to help employees grow within the organization while maintaining an optimum work environment through competitive salaries, benefits, training and inclusivity.
CEQA DETERMINATIONS
Not applicable
RECOMMENDATION
No formal action or policy adoption is requested at this time. Staff recommends that the City Council receive and file the informational report on City of Camarillo Workforce Vacancies, Recruitment, and Retention Efforts for Calendar Year 2025, pursuant to Government Code Section 3502.3. This public hearing is held for information purposes and is in compliance with the Brown Act reporting requirements.
ATTACHMENTS
1. AB2561 Presentation
2. Full Text of Assembly Bill No. 2561
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None