The Glendora City Council approved Tuesday night a trial run for a Employee Recruitment Incentive Program in an effort to attract qualified candidates for vacant positions.
In a vote of 4-1, with Council member Gary Boyer voting against, the program was approved, but with a one-year trial run suggested by Councilwoman Judy Nelson. The Employee Recruitment Incentive Program would provide cash incentives for current employees who refer qualified candidates who are successfully employed.
City Staff cited the pool of qualified candidates has thinned over the last several years, largely due to the candidates choosing other career paths, or recruitment by other cities.
These other cities have also become increasingly competitive to attract and retain qualified candidates, City Staff said.
The Employee Recruitment Incentive Program would largely rely on current employees to assist in recruitment.
Full-time employees who refer an applicant who is selected for a “difficult to fill” position will receive an incentive award of $2,000, half of which is awarded upon hiring of the probationary employee and the second half awarded after successful completion of the probationary period.
Full-time employees who refer an applicant for a “not difficult to fill” position will receive a total of $750 upon successful completion of the probationary period, City Staff said.
City Staff listed police officers and engineers as examples of positions being difficult to fill.
City Manager Chris Jeffers agreed.
“Much like education today, you had a glutton of teachers and all of a sudden you had a shortage of teachers. It ebbs and flows depending on the nature of the position. Right now I see engineers and police officers being difficult to fill … two years from now it could be librarians,” Jeffers said.
Exempt from the incentive program are all human resources/risk management employees, management employees of the division with the vacancy, sworn and non-sworn police officers directly involved in recruiting and candidates who have applied in the last year.
The idea for a Employee Recruitment Incentive Program was born out of a November 2015 Strategic Plan retreat.
