It is recommended that the City Council receive and file this report.

Effective January 1, 2025, Assembly Bill (AB) 2561 modified the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (“MMBA”) to update California Government Code section 3502.3 (“Section 3502.3”). This modification introduced new requirements for public agencies to annually report vacant positions, recruitment, and retention efforts. Section 3502.3 requires the City to present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts during a public hearing before the City Council at least once per fiscal year. The presentation must be done prior to the adoption of the City’s final budget. Section 3502.3 also requires the City to identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures and recruitment activities that may lead to obstacles in the hiring process during the hearing and allow bargaining units to make a presentation at the hearing. If vacancies within a single bargaining unit meet or exceed 20% of authorized full-time positions in that bargaining unit, the City must provide additional information regarding vacancies and recruitments upon request of that bargaining unit.

In adopting (AB) 2561, the Legislature expressly found and declared that: (a) vacancies in local government are a widespread and significant problem for the public sector affecting occupations across wage levels and educational requirements; (b) high job vacancies impact public service delivery and the workers who are forced to handle heavier workloads, with understaffing leading to burnout and increased turnover that further exacerbate staffing challenges; and (c) there is a statewide interest in ensuring that public agency operations are appropriately staffed and that high vacancy rates do not undermine public employee labor relations.

In Fiscal Year 2026-27, the City of West Covina is authorized for 330 full-time employees (excludes Council Members). The City’s overall vacancy rate is currently 9%. The vacancy rate for each bargaining group is summarized below:  

Bargaining Group	FT Employees Budgeted	Vacancies	Vacancy Rate
Confidential	25	1	4.0%
Department Heads	10	2	20.0%
Firefighters Association - FF/FFPM/ENG	66	5	7.6%
Fire Management	3	1	33.3%
General	27	2	7.4%
Maintenance & Crafts	34	6	17.6%
Mid-Management	28	3	10.7%
Non-Sworn Safety Support	31	5	16.1%
Police Management	8	0	0.0%
Police Officers	93	3	3.2%
Total	325	28	9.0%

*(FF-FIREFIGHTER, FFPM-FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, & ENG-ENGINEER
Employee retention remains a key priority, with the City seeking better ways of recruitment and retention of high-quality employees as a strategic goal. 

The Fire Management Association Bargaining Unit (BU) has a vacancy rate over 20%. There are 3 budgeted positions in the FMA BU with 1 vacancy in the Fire Department.
 

Bargaining Group	FT Employees Budgeted	Vacancies	Department	6/8/26 Update
Fire Management Association	Assistant Fire Chief	1	Fire	Recruitment in Process
Total		1

The Assistant Fire Chief recruitment closed on June 12, 2026, pending examination process. 

The Department Head Group also has a vacancy rate over 20%. Department Heads are unrepresented and City Management is in the process of hiring the following vacancies. 
 

Bargaining Group	FT Employees Budgeted	Vacancies	Department	6/8/26 Update
Department Head	Public Safety Director	1	Public Safety	Recruitment Pending
Department Head	Public Works Director	1	Public Works	Recruitment Pending
Total		2

 The City is working to fill these positions.  The City Manager is working with Human Resources to get a permanent Public Works Director. 

Despite ongoing efforts, maintaining a competitive compensation package remains challenging as other agencies continually update salaries and benefits. To address this, the City is committed to negotiating agreements with bargaining groups to provide competitive pay increases and enhanced benefits. Additionally, market studies play a crucial role in ensuring compensation remains attractive for top talent.

Over the past year, the City has implemented several initiatives to strengthen recruitment and retention, including:

• Exploring new advertising methods and platforms to enhance recruitment initiatives.
• Boosting social media presence to attract and engage prospective employees.
• Enhancing the City's branding as an employer of choice, reinforcing its reputation as a desirable workplace.

These initiatives reflect the City's dedication to attracting and retaining top-tier employees while navigating the challenges of an evolving job market. The City continues to monitor vacancies and assess strategies to assist in recruiting and retaining high-quality employees.
 

The City Attorney's Office did not review the staff report.

The City Council has the following options:
1. Receive and file this report; or
2. Provide alternative direction to staff on the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Proposed FTE budgeted positions through June 30, 2026.