City of Sacramento
City Council - 2PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2025-01036 5/27/2025 Item 13.
Compliance with Assembly Bill 2561/Government Code § 3502.3 Regarding Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Efforts [Published 05/16/2025] File ID: 2025-01036
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing on the City of Sacramento Workforce Recruitment, Retention, and Vacancy Trends presentation and receive and file the presentation.
Contact: Ebony Heaven, Human Resources Manager, (916) 808-7984, [email protected], Department of Human Resources Presenter: Ebony Heaven, Human Resources Manager, (916) 808-7984, [email protected], Department of Human Resources Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Recruitment, Retention, and Vacancy Efforts Pursuant to AB 2561 3-L522 Vacancy Presentation
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Assembly Bill 2561 (AB 2561), codified in Government Code § 3502.3, was signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2024 and became effective January 1, 2025. The new law requires agencies to hold a public hearing to present the status of job vacancies prior to the adoption of the final budget. During the public hearing, the City must present information on the status of vacancies and the City’s recruitment and retention efforts. Under this new law, agencies are also required to identify hiring challenges and any barriers that may impact staffing levels. The law also requires the City allow any recognized employee organization to make a presentation at the time this presentation is made by the City. Finally, when vacancy rates within a bargaining unit reach or exceed a 20% threshold, agencies are required, upon the request of the recognized employee organization, to provide enhanced vacancy, applicant, and hiring information, as well as opportunities to improve compensation and other working conditions. Two City bargaining units exceeded this threshold, but neither requested the City present the enhanced information.
This presentation provides an overview of the City's workforce vacancy rates, and strategies to
File ID: 2025-01036 5/27/2025 Item 13.
recruit and retain employees. The information and data presented are based on the 2024 calendar year.
Policy Considerations: Under AB 2561, the City must not only report its vacancy rates and hiring strategies but also highlight any existing policies or practices that could be contributing to staffing challenges and identify them as areas for potential policy change or review.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): This action is not a project that is subject to CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines §15378(b)(5)).
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: The Department of Human Resources is responsible for administering and reporting on recruitment, retention, and vacancy-related activities. Providing this information is essential to identifying challenges, planning targeted strategies, and implementing initiatives to strengthen the City's workforce. Transparent reporting supports compliance with AB 2561 and informs efforts to improve staffing levels, enhance employee retention, and address potential hiring policy barriers.
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Human Resources
Recruitment, Retention, and Vacancy Efforts Pursuant to AB 2561 Ebony Heaven, Human Resources Manager
May 27, 2025
Presentation Overview
1. Summary of AB 2561
2. Vacancy Information
3. The City’s Vacancy Data
4. The City Recruitment Efforts
5. Workforce Retention Insights and Initiatives
2 AB 2561: Enhancing Transparency in Public Sector Hiring 3 • The Legislature has determined that high vacancy rates contribute to increased workloads, higher employee burnout and turnover, and reduced effectiveness in service delivery.
• Annual reporting on vacancies, recruitment, and retention before budget adoption.
• If a bargaining unit's vacancy rate is 20% or higher, more detailed reporting must be provided upon request by the employee organization. • Employee organizations must be allowed to present during public hearings.
Beyond the
Numbers: The
Real Story
Behind Long-
Term
Vacancies
4 Vacancy Data by Bargaining Unit for Full-Time Employees As of December 31, 2024
5 Vacancy Data for Part Time & Unrepresented Employees
As of December 31, 2024
6 Citywide Vacancy Rates for all Employees
As of December 31, 2024
7 Citywide Vacancy Rate
for all Full-Time
Represented Positions
= 14%
Citywide Vacancy Rate
for all Part-Time
Positions = 37%
Citywide Vacancy Rate
for all Unrepresented
Positions = 29%
Citywide Vacancy Rate
for all Part- Time and
Unrepresented
Positions = 36%
Citywide Vacancy Rate
for all Positions = 18%
Local 1176 and IAMAW
8 9
2024 Recruitment Review: Insights and Impact
10 Requisitions
Reviewed
Job Postings
Created
Applications
Received
Eligibe Lists
Created
Vacancies
Filled
Percentage of vacancies filled with internal applicants: 34% The Other Side of Retention: A look at Departures
for 2024
11 Retention Rate for Regular Full Time Positions = 99%
Operational and
Policy Improvements
● Procedural Development
● Policy Improvements
Employment and Applicant
Resources Page:
https://www.cityofsacramento.
gov/HR/employment
12 From Vacancy to
Value: Elevating
Recruitment and
Retention
13 ● Incentivizing the hiring
process
● Strategic and inclusive
recruitment approaches
● Talent outreach and
employer branding
● Shaping a supportive and
inclusive work environment
● Creating a culture of
balance and flexibility
● Investing in employee
development
Questions?
Send Requests To:
Ebony Heaven
Human Resources Manager
[email protected]
916-808-7984
Connect with City HR!
https://www.facebook.com/CityofSacramentoHR/
https://www.instagram.com/thecityofsac_hr
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/human-
resources-department-city-of-sacramento/
14 May 2025
Sacramento Fire Department Vacancy PresentationLocal522 Introduction•Vacancies within the fire department present unique challenges that must be handled differently then most other city departments •Every vacancy, must be filled daily•Vacancies are filled in 3ways:•Hiring of new firefighters •Hiring process including fire academy –up to 13months•Voluntary overtime•Mandatory overtime –forcing firefighters to work under the potential threat of discipline
Types of Vacancies•Vacant FTE’s –Ongoing•Retirement•Separation•Promotion•Daily Vacancies•Vacation •Sick Leave•Injury•Regardless of the type and duration of the vacancy it must be filled daily
Daily Affects of Vacancies
•Each fire engine or truck is staffed with 4personnel •34Fire companies operating out of 24fire stations•18Ambulances staffed with 2FF’s•Total daily staffing needs for suppression and ambulance companies•171total (Firefighters, Engineers, and Captains) Fire Department Staffing
Daily Affects of Vacancies
VacationSick Leave RetirementInjury
Daily Affects of Vacancies
•When attempts to fill vacancies through voluntary and mandatory overtime are exhausted, the vacancy goes unfilled and staffing on the fire engine is reduced•When the number of vacancies exceed a fire engine’s ability to function effectively, the company is closed for the day. (Brownout)•In 2024, fire engines or trucks were browned out 152times•Frequently, multiple brownouts occur on the same day resulting in a significant increase in response times to the effected community Fire Department Staffing
Mandatory Hours
202457,960.756.6 –24 hourshifts per day201515,4241.7 –24 hourshifts per day Detail Pool
•Additional FF FTE’sabove the daily staffing requirements•Fills daily and ongoing vacancies without using overtime•Current average vacancies per day -23•Current number of total detail pool firefighters –37-12 Per shift•Needed number of detail pool firefighters -102 Solution
•Reinstate the practice of holding two fire academies per year •Reduce vacancy peaks and valleys occurring with retirements at the end of the calendar year•Continued expansion of the single role ambulance program•Moving firefighters back to suppression until an adequate detail pool number is reached