Agreement Will Offer 9.27 Percent Increase Over Next Three Years
Commitment Builds on Administration’s Continued Efforts to Support Working-Class New Yorkers and Put Money Back in Their Pockets
New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced a $741 million investment for an estimated 80,000 human services workers employed by non-profit organizations with a city contract as part of a new cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The human services workforce — which is overwhelmingly female at 66 percent and 46 percent women of color — remains on the frontlines of the most pressing issues facing the city as they deliver vital services across housing, food access, health services, and asylum seeker services, among other areas. The Adams administration’s investment in a new COLA represents a critical step towards delivering pay equity across race and gender for a workforce that provides lifesaving services across the city. With today’s announcement, to date, the administration has invested over $1.4 billion towards wage enhancements for the human services sector.
“When things get tough, we must invest in our most valued asset: the people who are on the frontlines solving the most pressing issues facing our city,” said Mayor Adams. “Human service workers are the hands and heart of New York City, providing 24/7 work that benefits all New Yorkers. From navigating our city during the darkest days of COVID-19 to caring for asylum seekers to tackling our homelessness crisis and so much more, human service work is often tiring and thankless, but the workforce is essential to our city. I am proud that our administration is delivering human services workers the pay raise they deserve, and putting money back into their pockets. By offering fair pay, we are creating a fairer and more equitable city, especially for this largely women and women of color population, and ensuring that New York City is not just the greatest city in the world to live, but also the greatest place to work, especially for those who sacrifice so much to serve others.”
“Our nonprofit partners in health and human services are the lifeblood and economic engine of our city, and tirelessly work in partnership with the city to support New Yorkers,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “This multi-year cost-of-living investment in our valued health and human services workforce is a crucial step for the sector. This work builds on the Adams administration’s commitment to equitably supporting our diverse workforce sectors across the city, to continue to clear the over $6 billion backlog of contract payments to our nonprofit providers we have already achieved, and provide direct relief to the more than 80,000 workers who serve our community every day.”
“Our frontline human services workers are tasked with supporting New Yorkers across their life cycle along the way to a better life for themselves and their families,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “In order to fulfill our vision where all New Yorkers are given the opportunity to thrive, we must respect, support, and fairly compensate our workers in this sector. Today’s announcement is an investment in each of our human services staff members, and an acknowledgement that in order to best serve all New Yorkers, we must invest in those who do that work.”
“During New York City’s most difficult moments, human service workers have been there to answer the call,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana Almanzar. “From a global pandemic to a humanitarian asylum seeker crisis, and everything in between, human service workers have been on the frontlines, delivering care and services to those most in need. When I came to this country as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, I saw firsthand their unwavering kindness and dedication to lending a helping hand to all. Today, I celebrate with them as they receive wages that reflect their commitment to our city.”
“Human service workers have been at the heart of New York City’s pandemic response and economic recovery, juggling the responsibilities of caring for New Yorkers in a variety of fields — from supportive housing services to workforce programs — in addition to their own families,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Coming off the heels of the administration’s ‘Women Forward NYC’ action plan, these wage adjustments will impact the daily lives of our city’s human service workers, putting money into the pockets of working-class New Yorkers, driving the administration's vision for an equitable recovery, and making sure our communities have the services they need.”
“To prioritize the wellbeing of lower income and vulnerable New Yorkers, we must also care for the people who care for them, who are overwhelmingly women and people of color,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “This cost-of-living raise helps ensure these are good, competitive jobs that attract, retain and reward quality talent.”
Building on a 7 percent workforce enhancement in the Fiscal Year 2024 Executive Budget, human services workers will see the following COLA:
- 3 percent effective July 1, 2024
- 3 percent effective July 1, 2025
- 3 percent effective July 1, 2026
Under Mayor Adams’ leadership, the city has made significant investments and enacted policies to support the human services workforce and put money back into the pockets of New Yorkers. The Adams administration worked with the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services (MOCS) on the the ‘Clear the Backlog’ initiative, now unlocking over $6 billion and allowing nonprofits to get paid for their vital services. Together with New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, MOCS, and the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofits, Mayor Adams announced a new reform for discretionary contracts that will eliminate red tape and make it easier for nonprofits that contract with the city to get paid on time. The innovative reform eliminates a total of nine months of discretionary, contracting processing time for nonprofits every year, beginning in the out-years for applicable contracts.
Additionally, Mayor Adams successfully fulfilled a campaign pledge to work with Albany lawmakers and secure an enhancement of the New York City Earned Income Tax Credit, benefitting over 800,000 families and strengthening the city’s social safety net. As part of “Accessible, Equitable, High-quality, Affordable: A Blueprint for Child Care & Early Childhood Education in New York City,” the Adams administration reduced the per child co-payment or out-of-pocket cost of subsidized child care for a family earning $55,000 a year from $55 a week in 2022 to $4.80 a week.
Today’s announcement builds on the Adams administration’s continued efforts to support working-class New Yorkers. For the city’s workforce, in just two years, and a little more than a year after its first agreement with DC 37, the Adams administration has successfully negotiated contracts with unions representing nearly 95 percent of the city’s workforce and 100 percent of the city’s uniformed workforce — the quickest any mayoral administration has reached that milestone in modern city history.
“Our essential human services workforce, the majority of whom are women and nearly half are women of color, deserves to be paid fairly for the critical services they provide for New Yorkers in every community,” said New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “Today’s announcement of a $741 million investment in cost-of-living adjustments for 80,000 human services workers represents an important step in the right direction towards fulfilling our obligation. The City Council has advocated for investing in this vital workforce and will continue to support building upon our commitments to ensure their success.”
“Human service workers and leaders have worked for years for this moment. This agreement – to provide a three percent cost-of-living adjustment in each of the next three years, along with a workforce enhancement – is a testament to their sacrifices in our city’s moments of need,” said Michelle Jackson, executive director, Human Services Council. “I’m proud to stand with the Just Pay movement and Mayor Adams in celebrating a fair deal that honors the tireless work of the sector and treats our workers as the essential pieces they are in the fabric of our communities.”
“Each night, Urban Resource Institute offers critical support to individuals and children affected by homelessness and domestic violence. Families arrive seeking refuge, often with little more than the clothes on their back, and they are met with compassion and expert care from our staff, aiding their healing process,” said Nathaniel M. Fields, chief executive officer, Urban Resource Institute. “Amid soaring domestic violence and homelessness, the significance of our team's work, and the human services sector at large, cannot be overstated. We appreciate the support from Mayor Adams, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, and Speaker Adrienne Adams for recognizing the importance of our staff with the COLA. This support not only acknowledges the crucial services provided but also uplifts a workforce largely composed of women of color. We look forward to working with the administration and city council to tackle the root causes of poverty, homelessness, and violence.”
“The commitment by New York City for three-year salary increases for dedicated human services staff is much appreciated, and much needed,” said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, executive director, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. “We applaud the Adams administration as the wellbeing of our staff is our high priority. These increases recognize that the crisis of affordability has severely impacted essential human service workers who assist our most vulnerable New York neighbors to meet basic needs. As we commend this initiative, Catholic Charities also pledges to work with the administration to address other important issues impacting the capacity of nonprofit human service agencies to deliver critically needed services.”
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