TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: Update on Hiring and Employee Referral Incentive Pilot Programs
BRIEFING ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ?
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider approving Resolution No. 24-016 continuing the District's current hiring incentive and employee referral pilot programs for the remainder of calendar year 2024.
Staff Contact:
Sebron Flenaugh III, Executive Director of Human Resources
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - High-Performing Workforce
Initiative - Employee Recruitment, Training and Retention
Well-designed and implemented hiring and employee referral incentive programs may serve as powerful methods to both attract new talent and retain existing employees, particularly in the transportation and maintenance channels. It is essential to evaluate and adjust these programs to ensure they align with the District's evolving talent management goals and address employees' needs and expectations.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
The hiring incentive and employee referral programs are included in the current and requested for the upcoming fiscal year's budget. The cost through the end of calendar 2024 will be approximately $250,000.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
In March of 2020, at the on-set of the COVID-19 pandemic, the District temporarily adjusted service in response to state and local mandates. This included pausing recruitment efforts, notably for bus operators, due to uncertainty regarding the pandemic's duration. As vaccination efforts progressed in spring 2021, service restoration planning commenced. However, the District faced challenges filling new operator training classes compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Within a year of the pandemic, the job market landscape had undergone significant changes, swinging from heavy layoffs and job losses in 2020 to becoming highly competitive with low unemployment rates. This shift provided candidates with numerous ...
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