Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: MARCH 18, 2025
TO: CITY COUNCIL
SUBMITTED BY: EDDIE mANFRO, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES PREPARED BY: EDDIE MANFRO, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES SUBJECT: CITY VACANCIES AND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS REPORT
SUMMARY
This report summarizes vacant City positions and discusses the current City recruitment and retention efforts.
PROPOSED MOTION
Receive and file.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
AB 2561 added California Government Code Section 3502.3, which now requires public agencies to make a presentation at least once per fiscal year on the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts during a public hearing.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2561 (AB 2561) into law on September 22, 2024 to amend the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA). AB 2561 added California Government Code Section 3502.3 which requires public agencies to hold a public hearing at least once per fiscal year to report on vacancy and recruitment status and retention efforts.
The City has 614 full-time positions budgeted with 65 of these positions vacant as of March 1, 2025, for an approximately 11% vacancy rate. Staff attached a summary table to this report showing the number of vacancies and percentage of total vacancies by each City bargaining unit and other unrepresented units. The Fullerton Management Association (FMA) has the highest vacancy rate on a percentage basis at approximately 20%. Positions in other bargaining units currently underfill several FMA positions contributing to the FMA vacancy rate.
The City full-time vacancy rate reached near 25% during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and through 2022. The City’s compensation package also fell significantly below market during that time and the City saw a significant number of employees leave for other employers. The City also saw a significant decrease in interest in employment with the City at that time. City recruitment efforts garnered low numbers of applicants, no-shows for tests and interviews and candidates often turning down job offers or leaving shortly after accepting employment. In short, Fullerton was not an employer of choice.
The City ratified a multi-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City and the Fullerton Firefighters’ Association (FFA) which improved the vacancy rate and ability to attract and retain employees. The City carried this momentum forward and ratified similar agreements with all remaining employee groups who now have multi-year labor agreements that include significant improvements to the City compensation package, producing significant results. The City receives significantly larger numbers of applicants for vacant positions, the quality of applicants has improved, the City has significant improvement in offer acceptance and fewer employees leave for other agencies.
The City is now in a good place when it comes to recruiting and retaining new employees. The City had 99 separations, 108 new hires and 59 promotions between February 2022 and January 2023. In comparison, the City had 57 separations, 97 new hires and 64 promotions between February 2024 and January 2025. The City established roughly the same number of eligible lists but experienced a 30% increase in the average number of candidates per eligible list.
The Human Resources Department continues to meet monthly with each operating department to prioritize upcoming recruitments and ensure the City meets staffing needs. Staff attached a year-to-date summary of eligible list established for Fiscal Year 2024-25 to this report.
The City posts job announcements on the City’s website as well as GovernmentJobs.com to attract qualified applicants. The City also submits postings to industry-specific websites and the Jobs Available online recruitment publication as appropriate. Additionally, the City accepts interest cards that notify candidates when the City initiates an interest recruitment. Human Resources works in conjunction with the City Manager’s Office to enhance its recruitment-related social media presence to further engage and attract qualified candidates and enhance the City’s branding as an employer of choice.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Vacancies by Bargaining Unit
Attachment 2 – Vacancies by Classification
Attachment 3 – Vacancies Summary Table
Attachment 4 – Summary of Eligible Lists Established
Attachment 5 – Example of Current Open Recruitment Flyer cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
City Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Efforts Report March 18, 2025 - Page 2