Title
Aquatics Hiring Update
Description
This report provides the Community and Cultural Investment Subcommittee with an update on the status of Aquatics hiring for the 2022 pool season.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
During a typical aquatic season, City of Phoenix pools welcome more than 463,000 visitors to the facilities. The Parks and Recreation Department provides programming to include more than 2,700 swimming lessons, swim and dive recreational teams, water basketball team, and water safety classes with more than 20,000 participants. Approximately 650 aquatics staff are needed to operate and provide services at our 29 aquatic facilities.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all swimming pools were closed in 2020. As a result, the Parks and Recreation Department lost more than 50 percent of its aquatic workforce and opened only 12 of 29 pools in 2021, with COVID-19 related restrictions and overall program and facility modifications.
The Aquatics team works year-round recruiting and training lifeguards and swim lesson instructors due to the large number of aquatic staff needed each year. Recruitment efforts typically begin in September prior to the upcoming season; however, they began in June this past year. Recruitment efforts included special events for existing employees to promote referrals of family and friends; the creation of a new Instagram channel for PHXLifeguards; outreach at high schools; promotion of Discovery Guard and Junior Lifeguard programs; social media and news outlets; and communication with previous employees.
Despite these efforts, recruitment continues to be a challenge, as it is nationally; and the department will still be short of the required number of staff needed to open all 29 pools for the 2022 season.
To help address the lifeguard shortage and to attract new candidates and former aquatics staff, a special incentive pay was announced on March 3. The Parks and Recreation Department will be providing a $2,500 pay incentive to lifeguards this season. Eligible lifeguards who accept employment with the City will receive a one-time $500 payment in their first paycheck; and the remaining $2,000 will be paid to lifeguards in good standing at the successful completion of the swim season. This incentive pay is applicable to life guards, swim lesson instructors, pool managers and assistant pool managers, as they all require lifeguard certifications.
This new incentive pay, when combined with the $14.02 hourly wage for lifeguards, equates to an hourly wage close to $21.00 per hour, based on the average number of hours worked in a typical swim season.
In addition, the department is offering a $100 referral pay to existing City employees who refer a person who completes their lifeguard certification and becomes employed with the City.
Within the first few weeks of announcing the incentive pay, more than 180 individuals have signed up for lifeguard certification classes; however, at each of the last three classes there has been an approximate 40 percent no-show rate. While the incentive pay has increased interest in lifeguard positions, there continues to be a shortage of swim lesson instructors and pool management staff. At present, there are enough pool management staff to operate 14 pools.
Pools will open on Memorial Day weekend, May 28, 2022. The final number of pools that will open for the 2022 season will be determined by the number of individuals who successfully complete the required lifeguard certification and on-boarding process. Equitable geographic coverage across the city, pools open and closed in 2020, and pool attendance will all be critical factors in the final selection of pools.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Inger Erickson and the Parks and Recreation Department.