TO: HONORABLE MAYOR FROM: Jennifer Schembri
AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: February 2, 2022
Approved Date
2/3/2022
SUBJECT: HIRING INCENTIVE REFERRAL PROGRAM FOR CITY EMPLOYEES
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution to temporarily increase the Hiring Incentive Referral Program for City employees to $1,500, effective February 20, 2022, and expiring on June 30, 2022.
OUTCOME
Adoption of the resolution will approve a temporary increase to the City’s existing Hiring Incentive Referral Program (Program) for City employees from $500 to $1,500, effective February 20, 2022. This temporary increase will expire on June 30, 2022, at which time the HIRP will revert back to the previous rate of $500.
BACKGROUND
On June 18, 2013, the City Council approved a resolution establishing the Program for City employees, effective July 1, 2013. This pilot program had no expiration date, and currently exists as the City’s Hiring Incentive Referral Program which is administered by the City’s Human Resources Department. The Program currently provides a payment of $500 to current City employees for each external applicant that they refer to City recruitments who is then hired into a full-time, permanent or overstrength, budgeted position.
Adoption of the Administration’s recommendation would temporarily increase the payment provided by the Program from $500 to $1,500, for the period of February 20, 2022, through June 30, 2022. The temporary increase to the Program, in conjunction with a concerted effort to inform current City staff of this program and other recruitment efforts, would bolster the City’s ability to recruit and hire the most qualified external candidates for the City’s vacancies.
The San Jose Police Department (SJPD) has had a separate hiring incentive referral program which has provided compensatory time to current City employees for each external applicant that COUNCIL AGENDA: 02/15/2022
FILE: 22-155
ITEM: 2.10
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
February 2, 2022
Subject: Hiring Incentive Referral Program for City Employees
they refer to City recruitments who is then hired into a full-time, permanent or overstrength, budgeted position. Effective February 20, 2022, the SJPD’s hiring incentive referral program will be replaced by the City’s Program through June 30, 2022.
ANALYSIS
Adoption of this recommendation would result in a temporary increase to the City’s Program, from $500 to $1,500, effective February 20, 2022, and expiring on June 30, 2022.
CONCLUSION
Due to the City’s current vacancy rate, it is recommended that the City Council adopt the Administration’s recommendation outlined in this memorandum which would provide a temporary increase to the City’s Program. The Program would be temporarily increased from $500 to $1,500 for the period of February 20, 2022, through June 30, 2022.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
No further follow-up with the City Council related to this action is anticipated at this time.
CLIMATE SMART SAN JOSE
The recommendation in this memorandum has no effect on Climate Smart San José energy, water, or mobility goals.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City Clerk’s website as part of the February 15, 2022, City Council Meeting Agenda.
COORDINATION
This memorandum was coordinated with the City Manager’s Budget Office, and the City Attorney’s Office.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
February 2, 2022
Subject: Hiring Incentive Referral Program for City Employees
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION/INPUT
No commission recommendation or input is associated with this action.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
The increased costs associated with the temporary increase to the Program will be absorbed within departments’ existing budgets.
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-008, General Procedure and Policy Making resulting in no changes to the physical environment.
JENNIFER SCHEMBRI
Director of Employee Relations
Director of Human Resources
The principal author of this memorandum was Bill Gold, Senior Executive Analyst in the Office of Employee Relations. For questions, please contact Jennifer Schembri, Director of the Office of Employee Relations and Director of Human Resources, at (408) 535-8150.