CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
4/27/2026
1 SUBJECT:
AB 2561 Compliance – Vacancy Rate and Workforce Planning Public Hearing RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Conduct a Public Hearing in accordance with Government Code Section 3502.3 (AB 2561) to present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retentions efforts in advance of the adoption of an annual budget.
STAFF CONTACT:
Zach Harris, HR Manager
650-501-0443
[email protected]
Marisol Gómez, Director of Administrative Services
(650) 501-0257
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
Overview of AB 2561:
AB 2561 is a new state mandate that 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", prior to budget adoption. The legislation calls for agencies to review and publicly report on barriers to recruitment and retention, identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, or recruitment activities, and outline workforce strategies to address these issues. Recognized employee organizations must also be notified and given the opportunity to participate.
Vacancy Analysis:
As of the last week of March 2026, the City of Pacifica had 201.75 budgeted positions. Vacancy rates were reviewed by department and bargaining unit to provide a focused and actionable overview of staffing gaps across the organization. These figures were presented in visual form and will be updated annually to meet AB 2561’s transparency requirements.
Pacifica City Council 2
April 27, 2026
Barriers to Hiring and Retention:
• Highly Competitive Job Market: Neighboring agencies and private sector employers frequently offer higher salaries and more flexible work environments. • Cost of Living Constraints: High housing and living costs in the Bay Area continue to discourage applicants from relocating.
• Career Pathway Perception: Some positions are viewed as offering few promotion opportunities, reducing applicant interest.
• Workforce Transition and Knowledge loss: A large portion of the City's workforce is eligible for retirement within the next five years, risking loss of institutional knowledge and increased vacancy backfill pressure.
Strategic Recruitment and Retention Initiatives:
To support the City’s Strategic Goal of attracting and retaining a talented workforce, several recruitment and retention strategies have been implemented:
Recruitment Initiatives
• Optimize Job posting and interview scheduling processes to reduce time-to-hire. • Continue the City's internship program as a key pipeline for early-career talent. • Pursue grant funding opportunities to strengthen diversity-focused recruitment and outreach efforts.
Retention Initiatives
• Conduct periodic employee engagement surveys, including a follow-up to the 2025 survey to assess initiatives by the Employee Engagement Committee that was formed in response to the 2025 survey results.
• Support career mobility through structured classification frameworks, supplemented by ongoing benchmarking against peer agencies to ensure continued alignment and relevance.
Pacifica City Council 3
April 27, 2026
• Ongoing compensation studies are conducted to ensure market alignment and competitiveness.
Conclusion:
The City of Pacifica is committed to proactively addressing workforce vacancies and planning needs in accordance with AB 2561. These efforts will continue to evolve with ongoing collaboration between City leadership, departments, and meeting with employee organizations and designated representatives to build a resilient and sustainable workforce.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None. This is an informational report only.
ORIGINATED BY:
Human Resources
ATTACHMENT LIST: