To: Board of Supervisors
From: Sheriff
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Exception to Hiring Freeze for Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HCCF) Correctional Deputy I/II Positions
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve an exception to the hiring freeze for 4.0 FTE Correctional Deputy I/II (Class 0424) for FY2023-24.
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Core Services/Other
Strategic Plan Category: 3003 - Enhance employee recruitment and retention
DISCUSSION:
On January 30, 2024, HCSO requested your Board to approve an exception for multiple critical positions. At that time your Board approved 12 positions within the Correctional Deputy classification structure. All 12 of those positions have been filled as of the drafting of this agenda item. However, due to attrition in the last four months there are currently 10 vacancies. HCCF has 1 candidate ready for an employment offer but is unable to make the offer due to the hiring freeze. There are 3 additional candidates that have started backgrounds and may be ready in time to be hired before June 30, 2024. HCCF is requesting an exemption to the hiring freeze for 4.0 Correctional Deputy I/II positions for the remainder of FY2023-24 to move forward with hiring the current candidates pending their background completion.
HCCF is a mandated service with mandated minimum staffing requirements. In light of county budget struggles HCCF has reduced its Correctional Deputy I/II workforce during FY2023-24 to a number of FTE’s that is reasonable to retain on an on-going basis given recruitment challenges. The current number of funded positions for HCCF at full staffing is not enough to meet its mandated minimum staffing requirements. HCCF fills its required staffing schedule with mandated overtime from its current staffing and overtime provided by Deputy Sheriffs as needed. Reducing the funded and allocated positions for Correctional Deputy I/II positions any further is not recommended. For FY2024-25, HCCF did not propose any further reductions to the allocated number of Correctional Deputy I/II. Any further reductions to HCCF’s workforce in order to meet budget constraints would come from other classifications.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
General Fund (1100)
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no negative financial impact in FY2023-24 as the positions that HCCF is requesting a hiring freeze exception were all funded in this fiscal year. An additional request for General Fund appropriation has not been requested in FY2024-25 for any Correctional Deputy I/II positions.
It is anticipated that there could be a positive financial impact by this action by allowing recruitment and hiring to happen as quickly as possible which will result in a reduction of overtime long-term. However, it is impossible to quantify this anticipated savings.
STAFFING IMPACT:
There is no negative staff impact for this action. HCCF is not requesting any additional positions.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board could deny this request for an exception to the hiring freeze for the 4.0 FTE Correctional Deputy positions, however this is not recommended due to mandated service requirements.
ATTACHMENTS:
None
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: 12/18/2023, 1/30/2024
File No.: 23-1444, 24-57