DATE: June 3, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Hearing Pursuant to Government Code Section 3502.3 to Receive a Report on City of Hayward Vacancies; and Recruitment and Retention Efforts
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council receives the presentation during the public hearing at which the City will report on workforce vacancies, recruitment, and retention efforts. The City's recognized employee organizations will be provided an opportunity to make a presentation on such subjects.
SUMMARY
Assembly Bill 2561, passed in 2024 and codified in Government Code Section 3502.3, requires public agencies, including the City, to hold at least one (1) public hearing per fiscal year to discuss vacancies, recruitment and retention efforts. The Staff presentation during the public hearing will discuss the City's legal obligations under the new law, which took effect January 1, 2025. This presentation and the opportunity provided to union groups to make their own presentations will ensure compliance with the new law.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Assembly Bill (AB) No. 2561, Chapter 409, an act to add Section 3502.3 to the Government Code (GC) was signed into law on September 22, 2024, and became effective January 1, 2025. AB 2561 was introduced to address the issue of job vacancies in local government, which adversely affects the delivery of public services and employee workload. Among other requirements, the bill mandates that public agencies conduct a public hearing to present the status of vacancies, recruitment, and retention efforts during a public hearing before the agency’s governing body at least once per fiscal year prior to the adoption of the next fiscal year’s budget and identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may lead to obstacles in the hiring process.
GC 3502.3 entitles recognized employee groups, regardless of the vacancy rate, to make a presentation before the governing board of a public agency during the same public hearing in which the public agency makes its annual presentation on vacancies.
This report outlines the City’s workforce composition, vacancy trends, and strategies to attract and retain employees. While recruitment and hiring remain top priorities, the City also focuses on long- term retention through incentive programs, internal promotion opportunities, and workplace improvements such as flexible scheduling, professional development, and employee engagement initiatives. All data collected is from the 2024-2025 fiscal year up to April 30, 2025.
Staff will present the following required information at the public hearing:
1. The status of vacancies at the City of Hayward.
2. Information on the City of Hayward’s recruitment and retention efforts.
3. Obstacles in the City of Hayward's recruitment activities that may create challenges in the hiring process.
If the number of job vacancies within a single employee group meets or exceeds 20% of the total number of authorized full-time positions, the staff presentation will also include the following information:
1. The total number of job vacancies within the employee group.
2. The total number of applicants for vacant positions within the employee group.
3. The average number of days to complete the hiring process from when a position is posted.
4. Opportunities to improve compensation and other working conditions if applicable.
City of Hayward Employee Groups
The City consists of 976 authorized regular full- and part-time positions ((956.3 full-time equivalent (FTE)).
The table below shows a breakdown of the percentage of vacancies (regular full-time equivalent) by Employee Group as of April 30, 2025.
Employee Group # of
Vacant
Count
Total
Budgeted
Position
Count
Vacancy Percentage
IAFF Local 1909 3 130 2%
IAFF Local 1909 Fire Officer’s 0 8 0%
Fire Chief’s Association 1 2 50%
Hayward Police Officers’ Association 24 191 13%
Hayward Police Management 0 4 0%
SEIU 1021 Clerical 24 210 11%
SEIU 1021 Maintenance 17 139 12%
IFPTE Local 21 7 119 6%
Hayward Association of Management 11 112 10%
City Appointed 0 3 0%
Mayor and Council 0 7 0%
Unpresented Employees (Exempt) 2 30 7%
Unpresented Employees (Non-Exempt) 0 9 0%
Unpresented Employees (Executives) 1 12 8%
As of April 30, 2025, there is one employee group (Fire Chief’s Association) with a vacancy rate exceeding 20%.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with conducting the public hearing required under Government Code section 3205.3.
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
This agenda item is a routine operational item and supports the City Council’s Strategic Roadmap initiative to Strengthen Organizational Health by reviewing and presenting the status of vacancies, recruitment, and retention efforts.
NEXT STEPS
Receive the informational report on the City of Hayward’s vacancies, and recruitment and retention efforts pursuant to Government Code Section 3502.3.
Prepared by: Megan McClain, Human Resources Analyst II Recommended by: Ian Tecson, Deputy Director of Human Resources Regina Youngblood, Assistant City Manager
Approved by:
_________________________________________________
Michael Lawson, J.D., Acting City Manager