Special Notice / Hearing: Public Hearing, Regular Notice
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Rocio Kiryczun, Human Resources Director
Subject: Update on Position Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Strategies
RECOMMENDATION:
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Conduct a public hearing in compliance with Government Code § 3502.3 regarding County of San Mateo vacancies and recruitment and retention strategies:
A) Open public hearing
B) Close public hearing
C) Accept an update on County of San Mateo vacancies and recruitment and retention strategies.
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BACKGROUND:
On September 22, 2024, Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 2561, codified in Government Code § 3502.3, which requires public agencies to present a status of vacancies by bargaining unit at least once per fiscal year, prior to the adoption of the annual budget. During the public hearing, the County must present vacancy rates, recruitment and retention efforts, and if applicable, identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may remove obstacles in the hiring process.
The statute also allows recognized employee unions the option to present at the public hearing. If the number of vacancies within a single bargaining unit is at least 20% of the total number of authorized full-time positions, the applicable union may also request that the County provide more detailed information on that unit during the public hearing, addressing the total number of job vacancies, the total number of applicants for vacant positions, the average number of days to complete the hiring process, and opportunities to improve compensation and other working conditions.
In May 2025, notices were sent to all County employee unions providing our labor partners notice of the public hearing and describing bargaining unit vacancy rates.
DISCUSSION:
The County of San Mateo vacancy rate is at 11% as of April 30, 2025. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the vacancy rate consistently remained between 10% and 11%. In FY 2022-23, however, it increased to 14% but has since returned to 11% as a result of recruitment and retention strategies approved by your Board.
As of April 30, 2025, the three bargaining units with a vacancy rate exceeding 20% are:
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Professional Clinical Laboratory Technician bargaining unit, which is comprised of Clinical Laboratory Scientists, Cytology Technologists, Public Health Microbiologists, and their supervisory classifications.
• Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Engineering Unit, which is comprised of Construction Inspectors, Delineators, Drafting Technicians, Graphics Communications Specialists, Real Property Agents, Senior Drafting Technicians, and Supervising Public Works Technicians.
• Probation Detention Association (PDA), which includes the classifications of Group Supervisors and Deputy Probation Officers.
|
Bargaining Unit |
Total Positions |
Vacancies |
% of Vacancies |
|
AFSCME: Professional Clinical Lab Tech |
20 |
4 |
20.00% |
|
SEIU: Engineering |
8 |
2 |
25.00% |
|
PDA |
164 |
80 |
48.78% |
The Probation Department has been closely analyzing their vacancies, as the work is constantly shifting as a result of legislative changes. For example, some recent probation reforms have limited the length of probation, causing a decrease in caseloads for Deputy Probation Officers. On the other hand, upcoming requirements to increase the staffing ratios in the Youth Services Center require the Department to maintain vacancies to allow for anticipated additional hiring.
Attachment A details the vacancy rates for all County bargaining units.
In addition to the bargaining units with high vacancy rates, the County has a number of classifications that have been designated as hard-to-fill positions, such as Social Workers, Mental Health Professionals and Stationary Engineers.
Recruitment and Retention Strategies:
To attract top talent to the organization and remain a strong employer, the County is continuously innovating and modernizing our hiring and retention practices. While we have seen improvements, we continue to have some challenges in our hard-to-fill positions due to the competitive labor market, high cost of living, limited affordable housing, long commutes, and an evolving work environment. To address these challenges, the Human Resources Department collaborates with departments to deploy workforce strategies such as expanding County employer-brand marketing and social media engagement, offering hiring incentives for hard-to-fill positions, offering competitive salaries and benefits, implementing process improvements and innovation, developing talent pipelines, and expanding workforce partnerships.
We are continuously evaluating the candidate experience and streamlining recruitment processes to improve services and reduce timelines. We have made County employment more accessible and inclusive by introducing strategies such as skills-based hiring, online testing, video conferencing interviews, and candidate texting. We expanded community engagement by launching employee spotlight campaigns on our social media platforms and hosting several public service career fairs to highlight the wide range of meaningful careers in the County while introducing job seekers to public service. We also continue to grow our talent pipeline by connecting with students and graduates through our outreach at college and community career fairs.
For harder to fill recruitments, we host live informational sessions during the recruitment process so job seekers can engage with hiring managers, hold one-day hiring events, and produce engaging social media content to generate interest in the position. Some positions are also eligible for hiring incentives, which can include a sign-on bonus of up to $30,000 over three years, vacation and sick-leave credits, and advanced vacation accruals. These incentives have positively impacted recruiting for hard-to-fill positions, including the Clinical Laboratory Technicians and Social Workers.
The County has focused on retention efforts by increasing our competitive salaries and benefits, offering longevity pay, wellness days, and tuition assistance. We offer robust training and development programs including leadership academies, talent exchange programs, and work-out-of-class opportunities. The County is currently working on educating employees on career pathways and strengthening community partnerships to create talent pipelines and support succession planning. In addition, we are focused on creating a culture that prioritizes wellbeing, development, and engagement so employees can truly Work with Purpose while providing crucial services to our community.
Through these innovative recruitment and retention strategies, we have seen a marked improvement in the vacancy rate for some of our historically hard-to-fill classifications, such as Public Safety Communication Dispatchers and Social Workers. Moving forward, we will continue to work collaboratively with County Departments to focus on offering meaningful work, skills and career development, well-being initiatives including mental health and financial wellness resources, recognition, and a flexible work environment. Additionally, we will be continuously looking to streamline and expediate our hiring process and evaluating salaries and benefits to ensure we remain competitive.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact.