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Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City of Chicago’s Office of Budget and Management (OBM) have launched a Workforce Vacancy Data Dashboard, an online tool that tracks job openings across city departments. According to the mayor’s office, the initiative aims to improve transparency and give residents clearer insights into city staffing levels.
“For the first time, this workforce data will be updated monthly and made publicly available in a way that enhances visibility and usability,” Johnson said in a statement. “By making this data public, we are holding ourselves accountable and equipping our communities with the tools to demand better from their government.”
The dashboard, accessible on the Office of Budget and Management’s website, presents job vacancy data in an interactive format. The underlying datasets are also available for download through the City of Chicago’s Open Data Portal. City officials say the initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to increase transparency, particularly in response to aldermanic requests for more accessible budget data.
Budget Director Annette Guzman described the dashboard as a tool to help city officials and residents track hiring trends and make informed decisions, especially ahead of the annual budget season.
Alderman Jason Ervin, chairman of the City Council’s Budget and Government Operations Committee, called the dashboard a “game-changer,” adding, “It equips us with the insight needed to understand hiring trends and better allocate resources during the budget process.”
This initiative builds on Chicago’s broader transparency efforts, such as the TIF Sunshine Ordinance—which made tax increment financing agreements public in 2009—and participatory budgeting programs that let residents vote on certain city expenditures. By publishing workforce vacancy data, the city aims to provide aldermen, advocates, and residents with more detailed hiring and resource allocation insights.
The Workforce Vacancy Data Dashboard is now live on the Office of Budget and Management’s website, with updates scheduled for the first of each month.