Item 7 - DRAFT Recommendation 20260126-007 - Extension of Contingent Hiring Pilot — original pdf

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RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Municipal Civil Service Commission Recommendation Number: 0260126-007: Extension of a Waiver of the Municipal Civil Service Rules for the Contingent Hiring Pilot Date of Approval: January 26, 2026 Recommendation: The Municipal Civil Service Commission recommends extending the “Contingent Hiring Pilot” through December 2026, temporarily waiving the Municipal Civil Service rules to exempt specific positions from posting or application requirements. Description of Recommendation to Council: In October 2024, the Municipal Civil Service Commission recommended that Council approve a 12- month pilot to waive the posting requirement for specific positions for Citywide hiring. City Council approved a 12-month waiver on November 21, 2024 (Resolution No. 20241121-060). Austin Human Resources has requested an extension of the pilot program through December 2026. This recommendation from the Municipal Civil Service Commission is to extend the pilot through December 2026. A competitive process will continue to be conducted for these positions, and selections will be made on Merit and Fitness. The City will maintain the current list of titles previously approved by council, and add three titles from Municipal Court: Clinical Case Manager, Court Clerk Assistant, and Court Clerk Assistant, Bilingual. All candidates for vacant positions must complete an interview process where they are evaluated for Merit and Fitness and screened to identify if they meet minimum and preferred qualifications. If a contingent offer is made, candidates must complete any assessments required for the position, they must successfully pass any required background checks, and they must submit an application. Rationale: The pilot began in January 2025 and ended December 2025. Austin Human Resources developed guidelines stating all departments are eligible to participate if that have titles on the approved list. City-sponsored, community, or public events where contingent offers are provided are advertised to allow current employees and temporary employees the ability to participate. The pilot has been successful with 134 interviews conducted and 49 contingent offers made during various hiring events around the City, including the City’s Annual Career Expo held in April 2025. At the start of the pilot, there were 123 vacant positions from the approved title list, and at the beginning of November there were 103 vacancies – a 16 % improvement. Motioned By: Seconded By: Vote: For: Against: Abstain: Off the dais: Absent: Attest: __________________________________