Item 166/2026
Final
City of Garden Grove
INTER-DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
To:
Lisa L. Kim From: Jany Lee
Dept:
City Manager Dept: Human Resources
Date: 5/12/2026
Subject: Report on the City of Garden Grove vacancies, and recruitment and retention efforts pursuant to Government Code Section 3502.3. (Action Item)
OBJECTIVE
To hold a public hearing and receive a report regarding the City’s vacancies, and recruitment and retention efforts per Assembly Bill 2561 (Government Code §3502.3).
BACKGROUND
Effective September 2024, Assembly Bill 2561 amended the Meyers -Milias-Brown Act by adding Section 3502.3 to the Government Code. The intent of AB2561 was to enhance transparency and accountability between public agencies, employee organizations and the public regarding staffing activities and challenges.
Pursuant to AB2561, the City is required to do the following:
1) At least once a year, the City shall hold a public hearing to present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts, including iden tifying any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may lead to obstacles in the hiring process. The hearing must be conducted prior to the adoption of the final budget if an annual or multi -year budget is being adopted in the fiscal year;
2) The City shall allow each recognized bargaining unit of the positions presented in the public hearing to make a presentation; and
3) If the number of job vacancies for a bargaining unit meets or exceeds 20% of the authorized full-time positions, the City will provide additional information upon the request of the affected bargaining unit. The additional information will include: (a) the total number of vacancies; (b) the total number of applicants for vacant positions; (c) the average numb er of days to complete the hiring process; and (d) opportunities to improve compensation and other working conditions.
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DISCUSSION
The Human Resources Department works extensively with other City departments to conduct comprehensive recruitment and selection processes to fill the City’s vacancies. In 2025, the City started with 572 full -time budgeted positions and added seven positions for a total of 579 positions by the end of the year. The City’s average vacancy rate across represented and unrepresented bargaining groups ranged from 0% to 11%.
2025 Average Vacancy Rate
Employee’s Association 11%
Employee’s League 10%
Police Officer Association 5%
Police Management 0%
Central Management (Unrepresented) 0%
Middle Management (Unrepresented) 9%
The City had a retention rate of 96% for full -time positions in 2025. There was a total of twenty-three (23) employees who resigned to pursue other employment opportunities or personal reasons. The retention rate for each of the represented and unreprese nted groups ranged from 93% to 100%.
2025 Average Retention Rate
Employee’s Association 96%
Employee’s League 95%
Police Officer Association 96%
Police Management 100%
Central Management (Unrepresented) 100%
Middle Management (Unrepresented) 93%
The City had a retention rate of 85% for part -time positions in 2025. There was a total of twenty-six (26) part -time employees who resigned from the City. Part -time employee resignations were attributed to a variety of reasons, including full -time em ployment, scheduling conflicts, and educational obligations.
Recruitment Efforts
In 2025, the City worked collaboratively with departments to fill City vacancies through consistent recruitment efforts. Human Resources conducted a total of ninety -four (9 4) recruitments with over 7,000 applicants considered for these positions. To attract qualified candidates, the City implemented targeted advertising strategies. In addition to advertising on the City’s website and GovernmentJobs .com, the City also adverti sed on specialized platforms, such as American Water Works Association (AWWA), American Public Works Association (APWA), California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO), Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), International Code Council (I CC), California Building Officials (CALBO), California Animal Welfare Association, California P.O.S.T., and Handshake.
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Human Resources staff consistently explored options to streamline recruitment processes while adhering to established hiring practices, a s well as state and federal regulations. In 2025, the average duration for the recruitment and examination process is 39 days. This timeframe is influenced by a variety of factors, including the difficulty in filling the position, internal or external candidate poo l, and the number and complexity of examination components.
To ensure a consistent pipeline of candidates, Human Resources has conducted regularly scheduled recruitments for the Police Department and Community Services. For the Police Department, the City conducts quarterly recruitments at the Recruit and Academy -enrolled levels, and biweekly recruitments at the Lateral Police Officer and Academy Trained levels.
This ensures that the Police Department has a continuous pool of candidates to fill current and future vacancies for sworn positions. For Community Services, the City conducts triannual recruitments for the part-time classifications of Recreation Specialist and Recreation Leader.
Human Resources also holds bi -weekly meetings with the Police Departm ent and monthly meetings with Public Works to discuss department recruitments and vacancies. Since these are the two largest City departments, these meetings provide an opportunity to strategize on short-term and long -term recruitment plans and priorities, along with discussing and resolving recruitment and hiring issues. Human Resources staff meet with other City departments as needed to discuss recruitment processes.
The City has also implemented measures to increase candidate participation in the recruitment process. By taking advantage of changing technology, the multiple -choice examination has continued to be administered remotely to allow candidates to take the examination at their convenience. Additionally, the City has provided candidates with th e opportunity to conduct their interviews remotely through Zoom.
Although the City has had success in filling full -time positions, there have been a few challenges to the hiring process rooted in both structural limitation and evolving labor market.
First, there has been difficulty in filling part -time positions. Most candidates seek full -time employment and often decline part-time offers. It is common for several offers to be declined before a candidate accepts. This lengthens the time to fill the position.
Additionally, the City faces challenges as minimum wage has increased quickly over the past two years. Starting in April 2024, the State minimum wage for fast food workers started at $20.00. Following, in January 2025, the State general minimum wage increased from $16.00 to $16.50 per hour, and, subsequently in January 2026, the Statewide minimum wage increased to $16.90 per hour. Currently, the lowest starting hourly rate for the City is $17.00 per hour. The small margin between these rates have made it challenging to recruit and fill- entry level and part-time positions when private employers or other agencies can offer more competitive wages and benefits. Another recruitment challenge facing the City and other employers is the evolving nature of th e workplace. The COVID -19 pandemic significantly reshaped workplace expectations, with many employees now accustomed to and preferring positions that offer remote or hybrid work arrangements. Despite the trend towards back to in-office work, prospective ap plicants still frequently inquire about hybrid schedules before applying and departing employees have cited the availability of such arrangements as an attractive benefit offered by their new employer. Although the City has a Telecommuting Item 166/2026
Policy, the agre ement for remote work is decided by each department on a case -by-case basis, which cannot be guaranteed during the recruitment process.
Retention Efforts
The City has established and implemented several comprehensive initiatives to strengthen employee engagement and retention. These initiatives include longevity pay to recognize long-term service, as well as regular appreciation and recognition events that highlight the City’s commitment to its workforce. This includes the annual Employee Service Awards, which honors employees for milestone years of service.
The City also prioritizes employee development through a variety of educational opportunities. The City offers professional development training to enhance technical and/or supervisory skills and support promotional growth. In addition, the City partners with California State University, Fullerton to send employees to the Leadership Academy, helping cultivate and prepare internal talent for future leadership roles. Employees may also participate in the Tuition Reimbursement Program, which helps offset the cost of pursuing a degree.
In 2025, the City also implemented two changes to enhance employee retention. First, The City established the CLIMB Committee (Committee for Leadership, Innovation, Management, and Building) for Middle Management employees. This committee focuses on expanding access to training, development, and career advancement opportunities, to aid in the succession planning for City leadership. Second, during the negotiations proc ess, the City agreed to a reallocation of the vacation accrual tiers, resulting in employees accruing vacation hours earlier throughout their tenure with the City.
Beyond these core strategies, the City also implements other retention practices, such as a 9/80 work schedule, City holiday closure, employee assistance programs, and clear internal promotional pathways. The City also supports employee -led engagement efforts through initiatives such as the Coaches Committee, which organizes events and activit ies that promote employee connection, recognition, and overall workplace well -being. Collectively, these efforts are intended to foster a stable, motivated, and high-performing workforce that is committed to long-term public service.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact for the City Council to hold a public hearing and receive a report regarding the City’s vacancies, and recruitment and retention efforts per Assembly Bill 2561.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
Conduct a public hearing on the City’s vacancies, recruitment and retention efforts per Assembly Bill (AB)2561 (Government Code section 3502.3); and Item 166/2026
Receive and file the informational report on City of Garden Grove vacancies, and recruitment and retention efforts pursuant to Government Code Section 3502.3.
By: Caitlyn Stephenson, Principal Human Resource Analyst