LOS ANGELES – Today, the Los Angeles City Council approved a motion by Councilmember Tim McOsker to establish a standardized process that will allow City employees at risk of layoff to be reassigned, transferred, or swapped into existing, vacant, and funded positions across City departments. The motion is a critical component of the Council's broader budget strategy to avoid service disruptions, protect the City workforce, and maintain City operations.
This morning, the Personnel and Hiring Committee, chaired by McOsker, held its first hearing on the Layoff Avoidance Plan, also known as the "Transfer Portal," with a presentation by the Personnel Department General Manager Malaika Billups and the City Administrative Office.
"Our goal is to meet weekly—both in special and regular sessions—to get updates and ensure we’re doing everything we can to reassign the more than 600 employees currently facing layoffs," said Councilmember Tim McOsker. "There are two tracks: one focuses on transferring employees into funded positions with similar job classifications, and the other, which I hope will be delayed temporarily, is the formal layoff process. This effort is about building a solid informational and procedural foundation to protect our workforce and keep city services running strong."
The Personnel Department shared today that it has already sent letters to approximately 7,300 City employees whose classifications match vacancies in proprietary departments or special-funded positions. These departments include the Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the Los Angeles Public Library, the Los Angeles Housing Department, and others. To date, approximately 1,400 employees have expressed interest in transferring to these positions.
During the Personnel Committee hearing today, McOsker emphasized the importance of transparency and timing: "This process is fluid, but what is clear is that we need to understand the timing of transfers, the finalization of a potential layoff list, and the cascading impact of bumping rights. Our civil service rules guide us, but our commitment is to avoid triggering that cascade wherever possible. We must continue assembling the list of opportunities and evaluating what remains at risk."
Today’s adopted motion directs the City Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Personnel Department to report weekly on progress toward establishing a standardized transfer and swap process. The reports will include identification of eligible civil service classifications, legal or contractual considerations, and the benefits to recruitment, retention, and workforce development.
The Mayor’s proposed budget included the elimination of 1,647 filled positions in response to fiscal challenges. The Budget and Finance Committee, however, worked to restore over 1,000 of those filled positions, prioritizing departments that provide core services such as Planning, Transportation, and Public Works. These restorations were made possible through position swaps and transfers, targeted reductions to new services, and the identification of new revenue.
With the Council’s adoption of this motion and the first Personnel Committee hearing completed today, the City is taking immediate action to implement a layoff avoidance plan before the end of the fiscal year. By focusing on funded vacancies and employee qualifications, the City aims to retain personnel, minimize service disruptions, and stabilize its workforce.
Next week, the committee will hear from the Office of Finance, which is expected to fill revenue-generating roles as quickly as possible. McOsker underscored the importance of being ready by the first day of the 2025-26 Fiscal Year, July 1, so that the City can meet and exceed its revenue projections.
###