Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: APRIL 21, 2025
TO: CITY COUNCIL
SUBMITTED BY: LAURA GIANNETTI-MERCER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES PREPARED BY: LAURA GIANNETTI-MERCER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES SUBJECT: CITY VACANCIES AND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS report
SUMMARY
This report summarizes vacant City positions and discusses 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
None.
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 budgeted for 629 full-time positions. The City has 65 positions vacant as of April 1, 2026, representing an approximately 10% vacancy rate. Staff attached a summary table showing the number of vacancies and the percentage of total vacancies by each City-recognized bargaining unit and other unrepresented units to this report. The Executive group (EXEC) has the highest vacancy rate on a percent basis, at approximately 27% due to the vacant Director of Administrative Services, Director of Human Resources and Deputy Director of Administrative Services positions. The City has filled the Director of Administrative Services with an interim assignment and Director of Human Resources with an acting assignment.
Recent history reflects periods of recruitment and retention challenges until Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24, following new multi-year Memorandum of Agreements ratification with all employee groups:
FY 2020-21 23.2%
FY 2021-22 25.5%
FY 2022-23 20.0%
FY 2023-24 14.6%
FY 2024-25 10.5%
Staff provided data from March 1, 2024 through February 28, 2025 with the 2025 vacancy report, which included 57 separations, down from 99 in the prior year, contributing to the 4.1% vacancy rate decline (from 14.6% to 10.5%).
The City remains well-positioned to recruit and retain new employees. The City had 57 separations during the same period last year and the number dropped to 44 this year. The City had significantly fewer new hires and promotions, a testament to the hiring changes and retention efforts. The City conducted 57% fewer regular and promotional recruitments and saw a 40% increase in the number of applicants overall, with significantly more applying for entry-level positions, even with fewer recruitments. The quality of applicants continues to improve, as reflected in the 17% increase in eligible candidates over last year.
The Human Resources Department continues to meet each department monthly to discuss vacancies, hiring priorities and recruitments while addressing related personnel budgeting concerns. Staff posts job announcements on the City website as well as GovernmentJobs.com and submits postings to industry-specific websites and the Jobs Available online recruitment publication to attract qualified applicants. Additionally, Human Resources accepts interest cards and notifies candidates when the City initiates a recruitment of interest. Human Resources works in conjunction with the City Manager’s Office to enhance the recruitment-related social media presence to further engage and attract qualified candidates and enhance City branding as an employer of choice.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
Attachment 2 – Vacancies by Bargaining Unit
Attachment 3 – Vacancies by Classification
Attachment 4 – Vacancies Summary Table
Attachment 5 – Summary of Eligible Lists Established
Attachment 6 – Example of Recruitment Flyer
cc: City Manager Eddie Manfro
City Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Efforts Report April 21, 2026 - Page 2