Q&A
SBS headcount and hiring discussion
0:23:03
·
3 min
Council Member Feliz and Commissioner Kim discuss the headcount and hiring situation at SBS. Commissioner Kim provides detailed information about staffing levels and vacancy rates.
- SBS has seen an increase of 42 headcount since the start of the administration
- The agency has hired over 167 people, including replacements for those who left
- SBS's actual vacancy rate is only 3.6%, well below the city average of 5.5%
- The agency participated in hiring halls and a hiring sprint to significantly reduce its vacancy rate
Oswald Feliz
0:23:03
Okay.
0:23:04
And a few questions about headcount and hiring.
0:23:06
Yes.
0:23:07
So the fiscal 2025 preliminary plan includes budget headcount of 2 new positions since the fiscal 2024 dotted plan, bringing the total dotted headcount 346 in fiscal 2025.
0:23:23
So what's gonna be the role of these 2 new positions and staffers?
Kevin Kim
0:23:27
So at SBS, because we also help pass through our budget through a number of the other agencies and including office of faith and some positions through the mayor's office of people with disabilities and whatnot.
0:23:42
The exact number of the headcount if you look at it from PS' fiscal year 25, the plan headcount of 346 to put it into context when the administration first came into office we had 304 people at SBS.
0:23:57
So we've had actually an increase of 42 headcount.
0:23:59
And since the start of the administration, therefore, we've also hired over a 167 people when you include people who might have left in between.
0:24:08
But at the end of the day, I think you had mentioned at one point that SBS in your opening that SBS's vacancy rate was double digits.
0:24:17
That's a little misleading because SBS only is only about 3.6%, well below the city average of about 5.5%.
0:24:27
We have only 10 what that means is we only have at SBS alone, 10 positions that are available.
0:24:34
So, again, 3 point 6%.
0:24:37
The other numbers that you see are related to all the other entities that come through us on the budget side, but they control the hiring and their PS budget side.
0:24:49
So We're actually doing remarkably well.
0:24:52
I think one of the big factors was when mayor Adams and and DCAS commissioner Don Panock put on the hiring halls, and we did a hiring sprint.
0:25:01
Our agency on paper went from 1 of the highest at 30% all the way down to at this point.
0:25:08
Maybe it's 10% 11% on the budget side, but SBS alone is only 3.6%.
Oswald Feliz
0:25:13
3 0.6%.
0:25:15
Is that right?
0:25:15
2.6%.
0:25:18
Okay.
0:25:18
And do you believe that the headcount included in the preliminary plan sufficient to meet the needs of the agency in fiscal year 2025?
Kevin Kim
0:25:26
Yes.
0:25:26
Absolutely.
0:25:27
We did so much in 20 in the past 2 years and in particular The first year I was here with a lot fewer people, but I think this past year, we went and took advantage of the hiring sprints and all the great hiring halls that Decast commissioner, Don Panock, organized, and we were able to put in an incredible team And I think you're seeing the results of all the accomplishments we did last year in terms of historic investments and programs and initiatives.
0:25:57
And so we are well poised to go into fiscal year 25 to do some more record breaking activities.