Proposed Legislation Would Give City Power to Require Companies That Benefit from City Contracts to Provide Employment and Apprenticeship Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals and Those Living in Economically Disadvantaged Communities
Community Hiring Provisions is Expected to Connect 36,000 New Yorkers Each Year from Economically Disadvantaged Areas to Jobs
The Adams administration today co-hosted a rally with members of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Caucus, as well as union officials and community advocates to urge state lawmakers to pass legislation authorizing community hiring provisions for New York City. The proposed legislation — part of Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Agenda” — would empower the city to set local hiring requirements in city-funded contracts, connecting an estimated 36,000 New Yorkers from economically disadvantaged communities to apprenticeship opportunities and jobs annually.
“Community hiring is critical to building an equitable, inclusive, and broad-based recovery,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “Leveraging the city’s contracts to deliver jobs and apprenticeships to communities with the greatest level of need just makes sense. We look forward to working with our partners in Albany to get this done before the end of session.”
“Thanks to Mayor Adams’ leadership, the city is now 99 percent of the way back to pre-pandemic job levels and the economy is returning to full strength,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “We urgently need community hiring to provide employers with increased access to local talent, ensure our recovery doesn’t leave the neediest New Yorkers behind, and maximize the city's economic gains.”
The community hiring bill would allow New York City to use its purchasing power to provide opportunities to low-income New Yorkers and those living in high-poverty areas. It would connect an estimated 36,000 people with apprenticeships and job opportunities each year.
The legislation establishes a new city Office of Community Hiring and Workforce Development, which would be empowered to set forth hiring goals for city procurement contracts. These hiring goals mandate that a certain percentage of jobs or apprenticeship opportunities created through these contracts would go to low-income New Yorkers, or New Yorkers who reside in an area that is considered economically disadvantaged.
Once these hiring goals are set forth, the city will be allowed under the legislation to incorporate community hiring into the award methodology for contracts, considering criteria that include a bidder’s ability to meet or exceed community hiring goals. Finally, the legislation enables the city to connect contractors with referral sources, such as workforce development programs, that will help them meet their hiring goals by referring qualified talent.
“Our economic recovery and future prosperity depend on the diverse talents of all New Yorkers connecting and contributing to the economy,” said Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development Executive Director Abby Jo Sigal. “Talent is New York City’s most important resource, and what makes our city great. Through community hiring legislation, we can leverage the city’s purchasing power to generate employment, apprenticeship opportunities, and economic mobility for low-income New Yorkers.”
“Our low-income communities are still reeling from the economic impact of the pandemic, and creative solutions like the community hiring program are critical to our efforts to level the playing field for vulnerable New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. “We are so grateful for the incredible support for the city’s advocacy to amend the relevant state legislation to better reflect the urgent needs of New Yorkers and prioritize the true recovery of New York City.”
No comments:
Post a Comment