Title
Recommendation to Receive an Informational Report on the Status of City of Alameda Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Efforts as Mandated by Assembly Bill 2561. (Human Resources 10025060)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In accordance with Assembly Bill 2561 (AB 2561), which added Government Code section 3502.3 to the Meyer-Millias Brown Act (MMBA) effective January 1, 2025, the City of Alameda (City) is required to hold a public hearing at least once per fiscal year to provide information on the City’s current workforce vacancies, recruitment and retention efforts, and any barriers to hiring. This report presents the required data, including vacancy rates, hiring timelines, and internal movement within the workforce. AB 2561 also entitles recognized employee units to present at the same public hearing. The Alameda Police Officers Association (APOA) exceeds the 20% vacancy threshold established by AB 2561 and, at the request of APOA, have included additional recruitment and retention information and identified opportunities for compensation and other working conditions improvements.
BACKGROUND
On September 22, 2024, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2561 into law to amend MMBA and create Government Code section 3502.3 (GC 3502.3), thereby creating a new obligation for public agencies to publicly address the status of their vacancies during a public hearing at least once per fiscal year. Agencies must identify and address policies or procedures that may hinder hiring and retention efforts and must also allow recognized employee organizations the opportunity to present information at the hearing. If any recognized bargaining unit has a vacancy rate of 20% or more, additional reporting obligations apply.
DISCUSSION
Human Resources staff, in compliance with AB 2561, prepared a report on the City’s vacancy status, and recruitment and retention efforts. All data collected is from the 2024 calendar year unless otherwise noted.
City of Alameda Labor Groups
There are eleven (11) labor groups (9 represented and 2 unrepresented), and two employment contracts, at the City consisting of 601 authorized regular full-time equivalent (FTE) positions as of December 31, 2024. The City’s represented labor groups are:
• Alameda Police Officers Association (APOA)
• Alameda Police Management Association (APMA)
• Alameda Police Officers Association/OE3, Non-Sworn (PANS)
• Alameda City Employees Association (ACEA)
• Management Confidential Employees Association (MCEA)
• Electric Utility Professionals of Alameda (EUPA)
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1245 (IBEW)
The City’s unrepresented groups and four employment contracts are:
• Alameda Municipal Power Unrepresented (AMPU)
• Executive Management Employees (EXME)
• City Manager
• City Attorney
• Police Auditor
• Rent Program Director
Per AB 2561, recognized employee units are entitled to present information during the public hearing in which the vacancy status is presented. Human Resources staff notified the City’s nine (9) representative units of their rights under this legislation, with APOA requesting to present during the public hearing.
Vacancies, Recruitment, Retention
Vacancies
Position vacancies are created for a number of reasons including when newly budgeted positions are approved, there is internal movement such as a promotion or transfer, or when an employee leaves the organization due to retirement, voluntary resignation, or involuntary separation. When vacancies occur, it is a high priority for the Human Resources Department and the City’s hiring managers to fill vacant positions in order to ensure continuity of services, maintain operational efficiency, minimize the need for overtime, and minimize disruptions to departmental functions. Timely recruitment and hiring efforts help the City sustain its workforce, meet community needs, and uphold service standards while also providing opportunities for internal growth and external talent acquisition.
Although AB 2561 now requires staff to present annually on the status of vacancies and efforts to recruit and retain staff, it has always been a priority for departments to fill vacancies as soon as reasonably possible. Throughout the 2024 calendar year, the City’s average vacancy rate per month was 10.3%. When excluding APOA positions, the City’s average vacancy rate per month is adjusted to 7.72%. The vacancy rate is calculated monthly as the quantity of vacancies divided by the quantity of positions. Additionally, vacancy information was collected by labor groups over the 2024 calendar year. The average annual vacancy rate for represented employees was:
|
LABOR GROUP |
VACANCY RATE |
|
Alameda City Employee Association/OE3 (ACEA) |
9.5% |
|
Alameda Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA) |
2.8% |
|
Alameda Police Management Association (APMA) |
0% |
|
Alameda Police Officers Association (APOA) |
24.4% |
|
Alameda Police Officers Association Non-Sworn (PANS) |
4.6% |
|
Electric Utility Professionals of Alameda (EUPA) |
11.3% |
|
International Association of Fire Freighters, Local 689 (IAFF) |
3.4% |
|
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1245 (IBEW) |
12.1% |
|
Management & Confidential Employees Association (MCEA) |
9.9% |
The average annual vacancy rate for unrepresented employees was:
|
UNREPRESENTED GROUP |
VACANCY RATE |
|
Alameda Municipal Unrepresented Employees (AMPU) |
14.6% |
|
Executive Management Employees (EXME) |
7.8% |
|
Police Auditor |
0% |
|
Rent Program Director |
0% |
|
City Manager |
0% |
|
City Attorney |
0% |
It is important to note that the vacancy rate for EUPA and IBEW are inclusive of positions that are allocated to payroll but unfunded, preventing Human Resources from filling the positions. Of the City’s labor groups, APOA exceeded the 20% vacancy rate threshold.
Recruitment and Retention Efforts
The City’s recruitment objectives are to identify and attract well-qualified candidates through a structured process governed by the Civil Service System. This system ensures a fair, merit-based, and competitive approach to filling vacant positions. Departments initiate recruitment by submitting a requisition through GovernmentJobs, the City’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Human Resources then develops a competitive examination process tailored to the job specification, with input from the hiring manager and aligned with industry best practices. This process may include written exams, performance tests, and oral boards. Successful candidates are placed on an eligible list ranked by exam performance and referred to the hiring manager, who conducts final interviews and extends conditional offers to selected candidates.
On average, from the creation of a requisition to fill a vacancy to establishing an eligible list from which hires are made took 84 calendar days. On average, following the establishment of the eligible list and extending a conditional offer to the selected candidate, took 28 calendar days.
During 2024, Human Resources filled 122 vacancies through the following:
• Existing Eligible List: 43
• Reinstatement: 2
• New Recruitment: 46
• Promotional Only Recruitment: 31
As reflected above, forty-three (43) vacancies were filled by existing eligible lists, which included fifteen (15) Police Officer hires and seven (7) Firefighter hires. On average, Human Resources staff conducted six (6) new recruitments a month during the 2024 calendar year. This is exclusive of Police Officer Recruit, Graduate, and Lateral continuous recruitments which are ongoing.
To address hiring barriers, Human Resources launched a classification specification revision project in August 2024. This initiative aims to modernize outdated job specifications-the foundation of job postings-by clearly outlining essential duties, ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and creating structured career pathways through redefined job series.
Timely communication and candidate engagement have led to more efficient recruitment cycles. According to data from the City’s ATS, Alameda fills positions approximately 35 days faster than comparable agencies. To enhance the candidate experience and expand accessibility, Human Resources has continued to utilize virtual options for conducting oral board interviews, implemented a virtual testing platform for delivering written exams, and developed an interview preparation guide offering practical tips and strategies for oral board interviews.
Additionally, the City now uses external rating panels for oral board interviews and removes candidate materials (e.g., applications and résumés) from the evaluation process to reduce potential bias. As part of ongoing labor negotiations, Human Resources conducts total compensation surveys-including base salary, medical plan contributions, and other monetary benefits-to ensure the City remains competitive in the labor market.
To address ongoing vacancies within the Alameda Police Department (APD), the City introduced a $75,000 hiring bonus in July 2023. Prior to this initiative, the City established a lateral hiring incentive that offers service credit for purposes of retention and longevity pay, accelerated vacation accrual, and a reduced probationary period. Additionally, APD has partnered with Human Resources to host full-day recruitment events, allowing candidates to complete the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLET-B), the Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB), and participate in interviews-all in a single day-to streamline and expedite the hiring process.
Retention remains a critical focus for the City. In addition to recruitment efforts, Human Resources promotes a supportive work environment that prioritizes employee well-being and work-life balance. A four-day workweek is available for most classifications, and eligible positions offer flexible telecommute options. The City also supports staff through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which includes resources on topics such as stress management, financial planning, and communication skills. Regular retirement planning events help employees prepare for long-term goals, while annual supervisor training provides practical tools to support effective leadership. Collectively, these strategies aim to foster professional growth, increase job satisfaction, and strengthen overall employee retention.
During 2024, a total of 98 vacancies were created through the following:
• Newly Budgeted Positions at Mid-Year (July 1, 2024): 3
• Internal Promotions: 19
• Internal Transfers: 2
• Retirement: 23
• Involuntary Separation: 9
• Voluntary Separation: 42
The annual attrition rate, which was calculated by dividing the number of employees who separated during the 2024 calendar year by the average number of employees during that same period, was 12.3% for the 2024 calendar year. APOA positions accounted for fifteen (15) separations, five (5) of which were retirements and ten (10) of which were voluntary separations. When removed from the annual attrition rate calculation, the City’s attrition rate adjusts to 9.9% for the 2024 calendar year.
Alameda Police Officers Association (APOA)
Per AB 2561, recognized employee units with vacancies of 20% or greater are entitled to request additional information. Human Resources contacted APOA and was requested to provide supplemental information specific to the unit:
• Number of Vacancies in Unit: 22
• Number of Applicants for Vacant Positions:
o 695 applications in 2024
o 159 applications for 2025
• Average Calendar Days to Hire:
o 147 Days in 2024
o 159 Days in 2025
• Opportunities to improve compensation or other working conditions (APOA)
Since launching the $75,000 hiring bonus in July 2023, the City has experienced a significant increase in applications and successfully hired its first lateral Police Officer since 2020, in addition to filling vacancies created by retirements. Human Resources conducts bimonthly oral boards for Police Recruit classifications in partnership with APD, interviewing between 10 to 14 candidates per session. APD also actively participates in job fairs and recruitment events-traveling as far as the College of the Siskiyous-and offers ride-alongs to applicants as part of the testing process.
Despite these efforts, the City continues to face external challenges in recruiting and retaining Police Officers, particularly those with five to ten years of service. Exit interviews reveal that separations are often due to personal circumstances such as family obligations, commuting distance, lifestyle preferences, or attractive benefits offered by other agencies, including take-home vehicles and substantial hiring incentives. Retention remains a shared priority between the APOA and the City, with a focus on maintaining competitive compensation and longevity and retention program.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with this informational report and public hearing.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with Alameda Municipal Code and the City’s Employer/Employee Relations Resolution, Resolution No. 15735, and compliant with Government Code section 3502.3 of MMBA.
ALTERNATIVES
There are no alternatives to this staff report since it is required that cities provide a status report on vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts during a public hearing by the newly amended MMBA.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Receive an informational report on the status of City of Alameda vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts as mandated by AB 2561.
Respectfully submitted,
Noelle White, Acting Human Resources Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Acting Finance Director