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PUBLIC HEARING
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: June 3, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Andrea Russell, Director of Human Resources
Department: Human Resources
Subject: AB 2561 Annual Vacancy Report (All Wards)
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California:
1. Conduct a public hearing in accordance with AB 2561 (2024); and
2. Receive and file a report on the City of San Bernardino’s annual vacancy rate.
City Manager's Comments
This report is in compliance with AB 2561 which was passed in 2025. The total vacancy rate in the City is 12.9%.
Executive Summary
Human Resources, in compliance with AB 2561, conducted a review of the total staffing and vacancy rates for FY25/26 budgeted positions as of May 1, 2026.
Background
The State Legislature passed, and Governor Newsom signed AB 2561 (Chaptered at California Government Code §3502.3) effective January 1, 2025, requiring public agency employers to hold a public hearing to present the status of filled/vacant positions within the agency, and if vacancy rates meet or exceed 20% of the total number of authorized full-time Union represented positions, the agency is required to make additional reporting requirements upon request of the recognized employee organization as follows:
1. Total number of job vacancies within the bargaining unit.
2. Total number of applicants for vacant positions within the bargaining unit.
3. Average number of days to complete the hiring process from when a position is posted.
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4. Opportunities to improve compensation and other working conditions.
The Legislative Bill authorized the recognized bargaining unit shall be entitled to make a presentation at the public hearing at which the agency presents the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts for positions within that bargaining group.
Discussion
As of May 1, 2026, position and vacancy data by bargaining unit is as follows:
BARGAINING UNIT
FY25/26
BUDGETED
POSITIONS
FY 25/26
VACANCIES
FY 25/26
VACANCY
RATE
GENERAL UNIT 273 37 13.55%
MANAGEMENT& CONFIDENTIAL 136 27 19.85%
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT 66 11 16.67%
SBPDA 29 7 24.14%
SBPCA 120 6 5.00%
SBPMA 16 0 0.00%
SBPOA 303 34 11.22%
TOTAL 943 122 12.94%
As outlined above, the SBPDA exceeds the 20% vacancy threshold established in AB 2561. Additional reporting requirements for this bargaining unit are as follows:
SBPDA REPORTING CATEGORY RESPONSE
TOTAL JOB VACANCIES WITHIN BARGAINING UNIT (12
MOS) 7
TOTAL APPLICANTS FOR POSITIONS WITHIN
BARGAINING UNIT (12 MOS) 386
AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS FROM JOB POSTING TO
HIRE (12 MOS) 168 DAYS
The Mayor and City Council are required to hold a public hearing prior to the annual budget adoption. This item will be brought back to the Mayor and City Council annually as required by law.
2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
Holding a public hearing in accordance with AB 2561 aligns with Key Target No. 2.
Focused Aligned Leadership & Unified Community by reviewing vacancy data that allows the City to identify strategies to build a culture that attracts, retains, and motivates the highest quality talent.
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Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with receiving and filing a report the City of San Bernardino Vacancy Data as required by AB 2561.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California:
1. Conduct a public hearing in accordance with AB 2561 (2024); and
2. Receive and file a report on the City of San Bernardino’s annual vacancy rate.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Vacancy Data by Bargaining Group as of 5.1.26 Attachment 2 – Position Vacancies by Bargaining Group as of 5.1.26 Attachment 3 – AB 2561 Presentation
Ward:
All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
June 4, 2025 – Mayor and City Council conducted a public hearing in accordance with AB 2561; and received and filed the report on the City of San Bernardino’s vacancy rate.
CC: Eric Levitt, City Manager