Report to City Council
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TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Robert Cardenas, Human Resources Director
Natalie Potter, Human Resources Division Manager
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TITLE: ANNUAL AB 2561 STAFFING VACANCIES REPORT
(REPORT OF: HUMAN RESOURCES) (DISTRICT: NOT
APPLICABLE)
TITLE SUMMARY: Annual AB 2561 Staffing Vacancies Report
DISTRICT: Not Applicable
Recommendation(s)
1. Conduct the Public Hearing on the City of Moreno Valley Workforce Recruitment, Retention, and Vacancy Trends presentation and receive and file the presentation.
SUMMARY
In September 2024, Assembly Bill (AB) 2561 (Gov. Code § 3502.3) was signed by the governor of California. AB 2561 requires a public agency to present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts at a public hearing at least once per fiscal year, allowing recognized employee organizations to present at the hearing. This report outlines the City of Moreno Valley’s legal obligation under AB2561, which took effect January 01, 2025.
AB2561 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 present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts during a public hearing.
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As of December 202 5, the City of Moreno Valley had Sixty-seven (67) staff vacancies , representing a 14.5% vacancy rate. The number of vacancies includes budgeted positions we are continuously recruiting on a continuous basis, for example, part -time crossing guards.
In 2025, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) had a 9.3% vacancy rate.
In 202 5, the Moreno Valley Management Association ( MVMA) had a 16.4% vacancy rate.
In 2025, the Moreno Valley Confidential Management Employees (MVMCE) had a
20.7% vacancy rate.
The MVCME bargaining unit exceeded the 20% vacancy threshold during the reporting period, driven by six vacancies created between August and December 2025. Of these, three positions were filled with an average time ‑ to‑ fill of approximately 119 days, while three remain open, each aged 160 –208 days, significantly contributing to the elevated vacancy rate. Vacancies stemmed from a mix of internal promotions (50%), involuntary separations, and one voluntary separation, with all recruitments conducted via external and internal processes.
The high proportion of promotion ‑ driven backfills, combined wi th long-standing open positions in administrative and technical classifications, continues to place operational strain on the unit and is the primary cause of the unit's failure to meet the AB2561 20% vacancy threshold.
As of today, three of the six vacan cies have been filled, and we are actively recruiting for the remaining positions. Current efforts include accelerating backfills for promotion‑ driven vacancies, utilizing internal candidate pools, and maintaining ongoing recruitments for high‑ need classifications.
DISCUSSION
In compliance with AB 2561, the City of Moreno Valley is required to undertake the following actions:
1. Public Hearing: At least once each fiscal year, at a public hearing before the City Council, the City shall present information re garding the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts (Gov. Code § 3502.3(a)(1)) and identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may lead to obstacles in the hiring process (Gov. Code § 3502.3(a)(3)).
If the City Council adopts an annual budget during the fiscal year, the presentation must occur before the adoption of the final budget. (Gov. Code § 3502.3(a)(2)).
2. Employee Organization Participation: Allow the recognized employee organization for each bargaining unit at the City to make presentations during the public hearing
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concerning vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts.
There are three (3) represent ed bargaining units at the City. (Gov. Code § 3502.3(b)).
3. Additional Reporting for High Vacancy Rates: If vacancies in a single bargaining unit meet or exceed 20% of authorized full -time positions, the City must provide additional reporting at the request of the employee organization, including:
Total number of vacancies
Number of applicants
Average time to fill positions
Opportunities to improve compensation and working conditions (Gov. Code § 3502.3(c)).
Policy Implications:
The administrative policy for the public hearing on City vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts (“Policy”) establishes protocols for the City’s public hearings on vacancies to ensure a fair, orderly, and efficient hearing process.
The Policy sets forth specific requirements concerning matters such as the provision of notice to recognized employee organizations regarding the public hearing and their right to make a presentation at the hearing, the length and order of the City’s and the employee organizations’ presentations, and the standards of discourse during the public hearing.
Position Data:
Fiscal Year 2025/26, the City of Moreno Valley was budgeted for 462 full-time employees.
For Calendar Year 2026, the City of Moreno Valley had:
181 full-time vacancies
141 full-time vacancies filled
As of May 2026, the City is currently recruiting for 59 vacancies.
Recruitment Efforts:
In 2025, the City of Moreno Valley enhanced recruitment efforts, including:
Adopting a recruitment framework for the City of Moreno Valley titled, Building, Nurturing, and Maintaining the Workforce of the Future. Utilizing NEOGOV to manage and attract applicants.
Prioritizing recruitments by training hiring managers on NEOGOV. Leveraging LinkedIn to market and attract applicants to the City’s job postings. Implementing a new onboarding process developed by the newly formed Human
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Resources team, providing a structured introduction to the City's mission and operations.
Creating a mentorship program to support employee development and career growth.
Developing a benefits summary program to educate prospective employees on the City’s offerings.
Increasing knowledge through lunch and learn sessions to engage employees in professional development.
Expanding leadership training initiatives to build internal talent pipelines.
Retention Efforts:
The City also implemented strategies to improve retention, including:
Establishing an onboarding program that introduces new employees to the City's mission and customer service standards, emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and customer service (CICS).
Providing continuing education and training opportunities. Expanding mentorship programs and increasing internships. Enhancing employee wellness programs, including ment al health resources and fitness incentives.
Offering tuition reimbursement programs to support employee career development.
Increasing opportunities for internal promotions and career path planning. Recognizing employee contributions through employee appre ciation events and award programs.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Open a public hearing to receive and respond to any comments from the public and/or recognized employee bargaining organizations; close the public hearing; and accept the vacancies, recruitment, and retenti on report from Human Resources. Staff recommends this alternative.
2. Do not open a public hearing to receive and respond to any comments from the public and/or recognized employee bargaining organizations; close the public hearing; and accept the vacancies, recruitment, and retention report from Human Resources. Staff does not recommend this alternative.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with conducting the public hearing required under Government Code section 3205.3. However, addressing recruitment and retention issues may involve future budget and bargaining considerations, which will be presented to the City Council as necessary.
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NOTIFICATION
Posting and distribution of the agenda.
PREPARATION OF STAFF REPORT
Prepared By: Department Head Approval:
Natalie Potter Robert Cardenas
Human Resources Division Manager Human Resources Director
CITY COUNCIL GOALS
Community Image, Neighborhood Pride and Cleanliness: Promote a sense of community pride and foster an excellent image about our City by developing and executing programs which will result in quality development, enhanced neighborhood preservation efforts, including home rehabilitation and neighborhood restoration.
Positive Environment: Create a positive environment for the development of Moreno Valley's future.
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
1. Economic Development
2. Public Safety
3. Library
4. Infrastructure
5. Beautification, Community Engagement, and Quality of Life
6. Youth Programs
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Report Approval Details
Document Title: STAFFREPORT_HR_VACANCYREPORT2026.docx
Attachments:
Final Approval
Date:
Jun 10, 2026
This report and all of its attachments were approved and signed as outlined below:
Robert Cardenas
Natalia Medina
Felicia London, MPA
Launa Jimenez
Brian Mohan
Patty Rodriguez