FIN 2021-10-11 Item 1C - Funding - Staffing Request from Human Resources Department

Browse Search

City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Finance & Governance Committee FROM: Juan Padilla, Human Resources Director Eric Drever, Chief of Police CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: September 30, 2021 SUBJECT: Transfer of funds to create a new HR Position ISSUE The City Human Resources Department (HR), in collaboration with the City of Tukwila Police Department (PD), is requesting Council authority to transfer funding from a vacant Police Department FTE to the HR to create a new FTE in HR. This position would be a Human Resource Analyst. BACKGROUND Over the last couple of years HR has seen an influx in work and assignments across all lines of business. This includes Recruiting, Civil Service hiring, Protected Leaves, Safety and Claims (L&I), Safety Program, Employee and Labor Relations, managing of the Self -Funded Healthcare Plan, and Labor negotiations. DISCUSSION HR staff have been performing at a very high operational tempo going on 18 months with the current FTE authority. Staff is proposing to bring on a HR Analyst to ensure the appropriate staffing level to increase productivity in the following key areas. Police: We are projecting that Police Recruiting (Civil Service) will need to ramp up exponentially in the coming months and maintain a continuous surge until the changes being made by the Federal and State level become the new normal in Police Operations. Due to pending vaccine mandates from the Federal Government, the City may lose additional officers that choose not to be vaccinated. We are currently recruiting for multiple positions in PD that include entry, lateral, or certified entry Police Officer positions, while preparing to also fill the currently frozen (8) PD positions, and 5 current vacancies. Recruiting: Just in the last year alone, the City HR Department has revamped or hiring process to lead the way in creating more inclusive hiring practices to align with our City's Equity policy. We have hired 95 new staff members in 2021 to date, while continuing to work over 20 hiring processes currently. Safety Program: As a by product of the increased operational tempo in HR, the City's Safety Program has not had the attention it needs. Our safety program works cross departmentally and helps us mitigate risk across the City and as mentioned by our Emergency Manager it is needed to help coordinate Safety and be a conduit for all employees. Some of the tasks are maintaining our Accident Prevention Program, managing our City Safety Committee, creating and managing training for all City Employees such as Blood Borne Pathogens, Drivers Safety policy, CDL and random drug testing, AED management across the City, and working as a key member with the City's Wellness Committee.