Why does the County of Riverside utilize three different “Difficult-to-Recruit” (DTR) lists?

When a classification is difficult to recruit, there are three ways to address bringing candidates into the position, or to provide retention tools to existing employees.  Many positions exist on all three lists, or on one or two lists but not all three.  This occurs because the benefit of one program might address the specific recruiting or retention issue, or more than one tool might be needed to address an acute shortage of candidates.

What are the differences between the three “Difficult-to-Recruit” lists?

Employee Referral Program – This program pays a “finder’s fee” to regular County of Riverside employees when a new external employee is hired into an eligible position as a result of their referral.  The Employee Referral Program motivates current County employees to “Share the Secret” and tell their friends, family, or former work colleagues about how working in Riverside County is “Beyond Your Expectations” in exchange for a referral bonus of a minimum of $300 up to a maximum of 1% of the referred position’s salary.  Specific program guidelines apply to determine eligibility, and positions are added to this list with the approval of the hiring department or agency head and the Human Resources Director.  Internally, we refer to classifications eligible for payment of the Employee Referral Bonus as “DTR-ERP.”

Educational Support Program – The Educational Support Program “Difficult-to-Recruit”, also know as “DTR-ESP”, list is comprised of positions that have been designated difficult to recruit or retain by Department Heads and approved by the HR Director. Most of these positions will require a certificate or degree, and it is designed to “grow our own” employees by counseling, encouraging, and supporting them to pursue higher education and advancement.  There are multiple components to the Educational Support Program, such as textbook and tuition reimbursement, and educational loan repayment, all of which use the same “Difficult-to-Recruit” list.

Class and Compensation – “Difficult to Recruit” (DTR-Comp) is a provision of the County Salary Ordinance 440, Section 8.B(3) that provides additional flexibility in the area of compensation in certain classifications.  The DTR was created to address immediate recruitment and retention issues and is intended as a short-term measure to deal with an immediate and clearly demonstrated recruiting or retention problem within a department, operation unit or location.