DATE: MAY 5, 2026
DEPARTMENT: HUMAN RESOURCES
FROM: MARINA HORTA-GALLEGOS, DIRECTOR
BY: MARIA AVILA, SENIOR HUMAN RESOURCES ANALYST
DARLENNE BIRRUETA, HUMAN RESOURCES ANALYST
TITLE: ANNUAL POSITION VACANCY UPDATE AND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Receive the presentation for informational purposes only during the public hearing at which time the City will report on workforce vacancies, recruitment and retention efforts consistent with Assembly Bill (AB) 2561 (Government Code Section 3502.3). No action is required.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
AB 2561 requires public agencies, including the City of Salinas, to present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts during a public hearing once per fiscal year. This report along with the public presentation discusses the City’s legal obligations under the new law, which took effect January 1, 2025. The City’s recognized employee organizations will be provided with an opportunity to make a presentation on such subjects as consistent with the new law.
BACKGROUND:
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 present the status of vacancies and 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. The bill was enacted into law and is codified as Government Code section 3502.3, effective January 1, 2025.
In compliance with AB 2561, the City is required to do the following:
Conduct a Public Hearing: At least once each fiscal year, at a public hearing before the City Council, the City shall present information regarding the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts and identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may lead to obstacles in the hiring process.
Allow Employee Organization Participation: The recognized employee organization for each bargaining unit at the City shall be entitled to make presentations during the public hearing concerning vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts.
Additional Reporting for High Vacancy Rates: If vacancies within a single bargaining unit meet or exceed 20% of authorized full-time positions in that bargaining unit, upon request of the recognized employee organization for that bargaining unit, the City must provide additional information during the public hearing, including the following: (1) the total number of vacancies; (2) the number of applicants; (3) the average time to fill positions; and (4) opportunities to improve compensation and working conditions for employees in the bargaining unit. (Gov. Code § 3502.3(c).)
VACANCIES
For purposes of this report and vacancy tracking, every regular position was counted including frozen, unassigned and over hire positions. Data was secured from calendar year 2025. On December 31, 2025, there were 668 authorized positions. Of the authorized positions, 75 were vacant. For calendar year 2025, the City’s collective annual average percentage of vacancies for regular, positions was 11.21% During calendar year 2025, there were 125 vacancies created by promotions, transfers, retirements, separations and position reconciliations. During this same time, 122 vacancies were filled. The average time to fill a position was 183.47 days. Time to fill is tracked from the first day of vacancy until day filled. Some delays in filling positions include extensive background investigations, candidate relocation, position swaps for new or different positions, candidates declining job offers, and/or job description updates.
The table below provides some context regarding the vacancies that occurred in 2025.
Reason for Vacancy
Vacancies
Retirements
12 Voluntary Separations
31 Internal Promotions
43 Other (involuntary and medical separation, position reconciliation, death) 39 Employee units were tracked as listed below and the chart reflects vacancies as of December 31, 2025. The table also reflects that the Confidential Management, Police Management Association, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Crew Supervisors had a vacancy rate of 20% or greater. Confidential Management includes professional staff managing and supervising personnel and/or programs. A list of vacancies in Confidential Management as of December 31, 2025, is included in Exhibit A. Police Management Association includes police sergeants and police commanders. Eligibility lists were established in March of 2025 for both positions. Crew Supervisors had two vacancies at the end of 2025, Urban Forestry Crew Supervisor and Wastewater Crew Supervisor. Both recruitments were in progress at the end of 2025. There were three positions that were unassigned as of December 31, 2025. They include two positions in the police department that were added after the fiscal budget was adopted and one position in Information Systems Technology. The two police department positions were in the job description development stage at the end of 2025.
Groups
Vacancies
FTEs
% of Vacancies
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Crew Supervisors 2 7
28.57%
Confidential Management
4 15
26.66%
Police Management Association
6 30
20%
Association of Management Personnel of Salinas (AMPS)
15 82
18.29%
Salinas Municipal Employees Association (SMEA)
28 198
14.14%
Salinas Police Officers Association (SPOA)
12 129
9.3%
International Association of Firefighters (IAFF)
3 93
3.22%
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Blue Collar 2 79
2.53%
Confidential Miscellaneous
0 13
0%
Executive Group
0 10
0%
Fire Supervisors Association (FSA)
0 7
0%
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS
The City continues to employ various recruitment strategies and outreach to ensure vacancies are broadly advertised and accessible to qualified candidates. Vacancies are posted on the City’s official website and the NEOGOV recruitment portal, as well as industry-specific job boards for positions that are difficult to fill.
Recruitment and retention challenges include limited applicant pool for some positions, private sector competition, recruitment length, compensation, remote work requests and background investigations. To address these obstacles, the City is finalizing a remote work policy; has expanded its presence at community and school job and resource fairs; received applicant feedback and is developing a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) information page on the Human Resources website; and has revised processes that may potentially be considered employment barriers. Human Resources will continue to think of innovative ways to widen applicant pools and shorten hiring times. During calendar year 2025, alternate testing hours were made available to applicants and simultaneous oral boards were held to accommodate larger applicant pools and shorten the time applicants waited for an oral board for public safety and non-public safety positions.
CEQA CONSIDERATION:
Not a Project. The City of Salinas has determined that the proposed action is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378).
CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES:
No.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
This report supports the City Council’s goals of Public Safety (i.e., enhancing recruitment initiatives to increase staffing for police and fire departments), City Services (i.e., provide high quality of customer services), and Youth and Seniors (i.e., improve, expand and develop youth and senior facilities and programs).
DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION:
The Human Resources Department coordinates with all City Departments relative to recruitment and retention efforts.
FISCAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact to receive this report.
Fund
General Ledger Number
(Operating/CIP)
General Ledger Account Name
Remaining Budget Appropriation
Amount Requested
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
ATTACHMENTS:
Exhibit- A Confidential Management Group Open Positions Page | 3
Page | 1
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