Attachment A
VACANCY, RECRUITMENT, & RETENTION EFFORTS REPORT
OVERVIEW
Assembly Bill 2561 (AB 2561) amended the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act by adding Government Code Section 3502.3, which requires local public agencies to enhance transparency and accountability in public sector staffing. The full text of the bill is available at AB 2561 Bill Text.
The purpose of AB 2561 is to address growing concerns over staffing shortages in public agencies, which can lead to increased workloads, employee burnout, lower morale, and quality of public services to citizens.
Key provisions of AB 2561 require agencies to:
•Report annually on staffing vacancies, recruitment, and retention efforts. •Identify any internal policies or practices that may inhibit hiring or retention. •Provide recognized bargaining units with an opportunity to participate in the public hearing.
•If any bargaining unit exceeds a 20% vacancy rate, provide additional data upon request, including the total number of job vacancies within the bargaining unit, the total number of applicants for vacant positions within the bargaining unit, average number of days to complete the hiring process when position posted and opportunities to improve compensation and other working conditions.
In compliance with AB 2561, the City of Lancaster has invited the Local 911 Teamsters Union to participate in this hearing.
WORKFORCE OVERVIEW
As of June 1, 2025, the City of Lancaster has 319 full-time equivalent (FTE) budgeted positions.
Of these, 69 positions are represented by bargaining units. No employee group currently meets or exceeds the 20% vacancy threshold that would trigger enhanced reporting under AB 2561. •Overall Vacancy Rate: 5.64%
With the recent addition of the Lancaster Police Department, vacancies in law enforcement roles disproportionately affect the overall vacancy rate due to longer recruitment timelines and more rigorous qualification requirements, including background checks, testing, and POST requirements.
•Adjusted Vacancy Rate (excluding Police Officers): 2.90% Vacancy Rate Calculation:
Vacancy Rate (%) = (Number of Vacant Positions / Total Authorized Positions) × 100 Summary of Vacancy Rates by Employee Group (as of June 1, 2025):
Employee Groups FTE's
Budgeted Vacancies Vacancy Rate
2000 Series
(Executives) 6 0 0.00%
2100 Series
(Police Executives) 2 0 0.00%
2200 Series
(Contracted Executives) 3 0 0.00%
3000 Series
(Mid-Management) 39 3 7.69%
4000 Series
(Full-Time Salaried) 157 3 1.91%
5000 Series
(FT Hourly Non-Union) 28 3 10.71%
5100 Series
Hourly FT Law Enforcement 15 9 60.00%
6000 Series
(Hourly FT - Local 911 Teamsters Union) 69 0 0.00%
City of Lancaster Total 319 18 5.64%
RECRUITMENT ACTIVITY
In 2024, the City filled 31 full-time positions and hired 174 part-time/temporary employees.
Recruitment efforts yielded:
•4,815 full-time applications
•9,033 part-time/temporary applications
While the volume of applications remains high, a significant portion originates from candidates outside the region or from applicants seeking remote work, often without meeting the minimum qualifications. Some qualified candidates opt out of the process due to the local cost of living or perceived misalignment with compensation and benefits.
EMPLOYEE SEPARATIONS
Eighteen full-time employees separated from the City in 2024. Reasons for separation included:
•2 - Left to other municipal positions
•3 - Transitioned to private sector opportunities
•1 - Voluntarily resigned without new employment
•7 - Retirements
•1 - Termination
•1 - Voluntarily resigned for childcare responsibilities •1 - Voluntarily resigned for family medical caregiving •2 - Relocation out of state
These figures reflect common workforce trends and highlight the need to continually evaluate retention strategies, including flexible work arrangements, career development, and competitive compensation.
EMPLOYEE RETENTION
The City is actively implementing programs to retain and support its workforce, including:
•Annual employee engagement surveys
•Launch of the Graduate Program in 2024
•A comprehensive 2025 Classification and Compensation Study •Starting negotiations with Local 911 Teamsters Union in 2025 •Continuation of a comprehensive benefits package and flexible scheduling options •Launch of the Lancaster Employee Empowerment Program (LEEP) •Longevity awards and employee recognition
•Continued Professional development and launch of the Lancaster Leadership Academy Retention data indicates higher attrition among employees in their first few years of service, underscoring the importance of effective onboarding and meaningful employee engagement to support employee retention.
ORGANIZATIONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT
In alignment with AB 2561, the City continues to assess its internal hiring and retention practices.
Current areas of focus include:
•Exploring new job advertisements and outreach, especially for hard-to-fill roles such as Police Officers, Engineers, and Executive team members
•Evaluating compensation and benefits against market benchmarks, ensuring competitiveness
•Improving onboarding processes and employee engagement touchpoints These strategies aim to strengthen the City’s position as an employer of choice, support organizational resilience, and ensure the effective delivery of public services.
CONCLUSION
The City of Lancaster remains committed to transparency, workforce stability, and compliance with the requirements of AB 2561. This report affirms that no bargaining group currently exceeds the 20% vacancy threshold. While vacancy levels remain below the threshold for enhanced reporting, the City will continue to monitor workforce trends, evaluate internal practices, and implement strategies to attract, retain, and support its employees.