Fewer bus lines, slowed first responder times, and overwhelmed hospitals — these are just some of the effects of San Francisco’s staffing problems, according to an investigation conducted by the San Francisco Civil Grand Jury.
The jury, which released their report on Wednesday, says that the city’s hiring practices are preventing vacant positions from being filled. On average, it takes the city eight-and-a-half months to fill a job, with some jobs requiring more than 50 steps to get hired.
These problems are made worse by vacancies within the Department of Human Resources itself, which is responsible for key steps in the hiring process. The jury also cited the high cost of living and increased demand for city services as contributing factors.
There are about 5,000 vacant city jobs. These vacancies make up about 14 percent of the total number of permanent city jobs. In 2019, that number was less than seven percent.
The jury recommended that for departments providing critical services, the vacancy rate should not exceed five percent in the next fiscal year. Mayor London Breed’s office has until August 20 respond to the report.
