Mayor Adams Expands Workforce Services, Achieves Hiring Milestone For New Yorkers With Disabilities

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent).

The New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) today announced expanded workforce services for New Yorkers with disabilities and celebrated a hiring milestone for this community. Thanks to a previous $1.5 million investment from the New York state Department of Labor, the city will launch the New York Systems Change and Inclusive Opportunities Network (SCION) at 18 Workforce1 Career Centers, run by the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to train staff to better serve and prepare individuals with disabilities for careers. To increase opportunities in city government, NYC Talent is expanding the Partnership for Inclusive Internships (PII) program to place 100 additional New Yorkers with disabilities over three years into paid internships with the goal of becoming employed full time. Since originally announcing a goal of connecting 2,500 New Yorkers with disabilities to good-paying jobs and careers over three years, the Adams administration is ahead of schedule, already connecting over 500 individuals with disabilities to jobs. 

Those who are interested in applying or learning more about job opportunities for people with disabilities can visit NYC: ATWORK, which exists within MOPD and recruits, pre-screens, and connects New Yorkers with disabilities to jobs and internships with established business partners in both the public and private sectors. To learn more about internships through the Partnership for Inclusive Internships, individuals can visit their website.  

“As our city celebrates record economic growth and historic job numbers, all New Yorkers must feel the impact of our shared prosperity, especially New Yorkers with disabilities,” said Mayor Adams. “For too long, people with disabilities have either been left behind or entirely forgotten as the city developed its workforce. In our administration, we have brought everyone to the table to learn from the past so we can build a better, more inclusive future. Today’s announcement is a critical step forward as we continue to honor our pledge of creating an economy that serves all.” 

“Today, we take a significant step forward in our commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable New York City,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “By expanding workforce services, we are providing invaluable career training and internships for New Yorkers with disabilities. This initiative is a testament to our dedication to ensuring that every New Yorker has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.” 

“Connecting New Yorkers with disabilities to career track employment is crucial to this administration’s vision for an inclusive workforce,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Today’s milestone makes clear that this administration is tireless in its effort to ensure all new Yorkers can reach their full potential. Looking to year two of the Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion, I am eager to continue removing barriers to jobs and career success for New Yorkers with disabilities.” 

“Today’s announcement exemplifies our administration’s fundamental belief that all New Yorkers deserve a fair shot at a good-paying job and economic stability,” said City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg. “Government needs to meet New Yorkers where they are and because of our cross-agency collaboration and coordination, we are able to do just that. While today we celebrate our major progress, tomorrow we continue the work of ensuring that people with disabilities receive the training and resources needed to thrive in our city’s economy.” 

“The Adams administration has invested in positioning individuals with disabilities for career success and see it as a critical component of creating a more inclusive, equitable economy that works for all New Yorkers,” said NYC Talent Executive Director Abby Jo Sigal. “Through public-private partnerships, innovative new programming, and investments in Workforce1, which is the backbone of the city’s workforce development system, we are removing barriers to employment so that New Yorkers with disabilities can contribute to and benefit from the city’s prosperity.” 

“At the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, we are dedicated to ensuring that every New Yorker with a disability has the opportunity to thrive in their career. The progress we’ve made in connecting individuals to jobs and internships — from MOPD’s creation of the ‘NYC: ATWORK’ initiative to our current and ongoing collaborations — is a testament to the efforts across city agencies and private partners,” said MOPD Commissioner Christina Curry. “By breaking down barriers and investing in tailored support, we are not only exceeding our goals, but also paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable workforce. We are very happy to support and collaborate with our partners at NYC Talent, SBS, and DCAS in this vital mission. Our commitment to this goal remains unwavering as we continue to create pathways to success for all New Yorkers with disabilities.” 

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“We were proud to partner with our colleagues at MOPD and NYC Talent on this task force as we collectively work to deliver on this administration’s goal of strong, sustainable pathways to careers for New Yorkers living with disabilities,” said New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Louis A. Molina. “Through this partnership — and the efforts of this administration — we have already placed thousands of talented New Yorkers with disabilities in long-term positions, created a record number of jobs, and have no plans of slowing down. We look forward to continuing this work as we help to create accessible pathways to employment for all New Yorkers.” 

“New York City’s workforce is as diverse as the people who call it home, and that includes those who have disabilities,” said SBS Acting Commissioner Dynishal Gross. “The Adams administration’s significant investment in SBS’s Workforce1 Career Centers will help remove barriers for individuals with disabilities and ensure our staff is trained to effectively support their career success. I want to thank MOPD Commissioner Christina Curry and NYC Talent Executive Director Abby Jo Sigal for their partnership as we solidify the city’s place as the global leader in economic opportunity for all.” 

Today’s announcement highlights the Adams administration’s commitment to ensuring all New Yorkers, including people with disabilities, have access to good-paying, stable jobs. The city is ahead of schedule on its goal, exceeding its first-year benchmark of connecting 350 individuals with disabilities to jobs, with the aim to expand and increase goals in the following years. Both Workforce1 Career Centers — which include professional development, referral services, and direct job placements — and the 55-a program — which helps eligible, qualified individuals with disabilities to be hired into competitive civil service positions without having to take an exam — have worked to support people with disabilities find job opportunities.  

NYC Talent’s Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion (CWAI) will help oversee programming and work across city agencies, private partners, and businesses to identify and eliminate barriers for people with disabilities. The CWAI will create an advisory council — chaired by Angela Lean, senior program lead for accessible employee experience at Microsoft, and composed of public and private sector partners — to help advise city agencies on workforce development strategies, identify supportive partners, and elevate best practices to create an accessibility framework and resource toolbox for employers. 

The Adams administration has made continued investments towards creating apprenticeship opportunities across New York City. In June, NYC Talent celebrated major progress towards achieving the administration’s moonshot goal of delivering 30,000 apprenticeships by 2030, a key commitment first laid out in Mayor Adams’ 2023 State of the City address. The city is currently on track to deliver over 14,000 apprenticeship opportunities by the end of 2024 — ahead of schedule and nearly halfway towards the goal announced last year. 

In April, Mayor Adams also announced the launch of the New York City Workforce Development Council, a group of leaders from the business community, educational institutions, unions, and training providers who will help develop and sustain strategies that will aid New Yorkers in finding family-sustaining careers and help employers tap the talent they need to succeed. NYC Talent announced two requests for proposals and a request for information to broaden the city’s understanding of the apprenticeship landscape and determine the support needed to expand apprenticeships. Additionally, last year, Mayor Adams announced “Pathways to an Inclusive Economy: An Action Plan for Young Adult Career Success,” an over $600 million action plan to bolster the city’s talent ecosystem.   

In April, Mayor Adams launched “Run This Town,” a multi-media advertising campaign to engage diverse New Yorkers and help them apply for thousands of available city government jobs. The announcement followed the launch of “Jobs NYC,” a multi-pronged citywide effort to reduce barriers to economic opportunities and deliver workforce development services directly to communities across the five boroughs that are experiencing high unemployment. Both campaigns are expected to further reduce the unacceptable disparities in employment between Black, Latino, and white communities. Finally, the Adams administration continues to host hiring halls to bring both public- and private-sector job opportunities to neighborhoods across the five boroughs on a monthly basis.   

 “I am grateful to Mayor Adams for my appointment as executive director of the Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion as part of this multi-agency collaboration and along with CWAI Director Shondelle Nicholls are focused on achieving our goal to make New York City a model employer,” said Martha Jackson, executive director, CWAI. ”Today, we announced the newly established CWAI Advisory Council members, representing business, the arts, education, nonprofits, health and wellness, hospitality, technology, and finance. With their help we can build on best practices and continue to foster the strong relationships with our committed partners while growing our network of employers to help New York businesses become accessible and inclusive for all.” 

“The outstanding accomplishments that this collaboration of city partners has achieved in just its first year reflect the historic level of investment the Adams administration is making to increase employment for people with disabilities,” said Chris Neale, senior advisor, NYC Talent. “These efforts advance equity and shared prosperity by reducing barriers and increasing access to jobs and careers for all New Yorkers.” 

“We’re excited to be working with our partners in city government to create innovative new workforce approaches that will uplift the economic well-being of New Yorkers with disabilities,” said David Berman, director of programs and evaluation, New York City Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity​. “We’re particularly pleased to be advancing equity driven strategies that work directly with people with disabilities and other stakeholders to co-design new impactful and inclusive services, and to build evidence for what works.” 

“Microsoft applauds New York City’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and accessible future through technology,” said Angela Lean, senior program lead, accessible employee experience, Microsoft. “This Fall, we are supporting the city’s initiative to provide accessibility training for New York City’s 300,000-person workforce, enabling everyone to participate more fully in our increasingly digital world.” 

“By working together, we can help eliminate barriers that prevent individuals living with mental illness from gaining employment,” said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. “The Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion represents a collaboration to address these issues and ensure all New Yorkers have a path toward career success. We are proud to partner in this work and to continue seeking ways that we can ensure our workforce is inclusive for all.” 

“This initiative is a game-changer for people with disabilities who have been historically overlooked in the workforce,” said Marjorie Parker, CEO and president, JobsFirstNYC. “The significant increase in support and opportunities provided by the Adams administration is especially critical now, given the rising number of young people out of school and work reporting a wide range of disabilities. By breaking down barriers and fostering an inclusive environment, we are not only empowering these individuals but also enriching our community with their talents and contributions.” 

“The NYC Workforce Funders Collaborative celebrates the progress made by the CWAI in its first year,” said Cass Conrad, collaborative co-chair, NYC Workforce Funders Collaborative; and executive director, The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation. “We commend the city for prioritizing employment for New Yorkers with disabilities and undertaking this groundbreaking effort to make both its workforce strategy and its services truly inclusive.” 

“I was able to complete an internship with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority through the Partnership for Inclusive Internships,” said Christine Singh, alumni, Partnership for Inclusive Internships, and accessibility projects specialist, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). “The program provided me with immense support throughout my time as an intern, and always made sure I was 100 percent accommodated to succeed in my role and gain valuable experience. This internship opportunity allowed me to experience work at the MTA and expand my network in order to be considered for a full-time role.  Not only did the program provide me with support and encouragement, but the PII team also helped in making my transition smooth and easy to a full-time position at the MTA where I work as an accessibility projects specialist with full accommodations.” 

“Many of us largely define who we are by the work we do, but for people with disabilities, unemployment rates are far higher than for non-disabled people,” said Marco Damiani, CEO, AHRC New York City. “There is growing evidence that one of the most effective pathways to long term employment for people with disabilities is a successful internship. For five years, with private foundation support, AHRC New York City, in partnership with New York City Department of Social Services and MOPD, has demonstrated the powerful impact the Partnership for Inclusive Internships has had on the lives of people with disabilities and their city government colleagues. These life-changing internships provide people with disabilities a strong sense of purpose, but it goes beyond that. Workplace colleagues and managers become more open to the glidepath to long-term employment that an internship provides and see firsthand the value of a diverse workforce. AHRC New York City is grateful for Mayor Adams’ commitment to expanding PII, and for making New York City an employment-first city, one that celebrates the capabilities of people with disabilities while supporting models that strengthen workforce inclusion efforts.” 

“Wells Fargo is honored to join Mayor Adams, CWAI, and MOPD on their mission to breakdown employment barriers by distilling our model of excellence in inclusive hiring and employment practices into educational programs for other companies,” said Stephen DeStefani, program executive, Wells Fargo. “The offering, developed in partnership with our strategic academic partners at UCONN, has been met with tremendous enthusiasm from companies that want to launch meaningful inclusive employment practices but for whom the cost of education and learning in this area has been prohibitive.” 

  “Fostering inclusive hiring practices, removing barriers and creating pathways to long-term, high-quality employment for New Yorkers with disabilities is key to creating a region and economy where all New Yorkers can thrive.” said Rachel Pardoe, senior program officer for people with disabilities, The New York Community Trust.  “We’re proud to support AHRC as it works to forge this public-private partnership.”  

“Launched with private funding, the city’s commitment to sustain the innovative Partnership for Inclusive Internships exemplifies the power of philanthropic and public sector partnership to ensure individuals with disabilities are prepared for and can attain competitive employment,” said Nina Bershadker, executive director, The Taft Foundation. 

“Without question, the Adams administration has advanced its interest in innovation and investment to support workforce inclusivity, accessibility, and diversity. The commitment our membership shares with the administration to equalizing opportunity, not just in terms of employment rate for working-age people with disabilities, but also their earnings and wage security is essential to ensuring that New Yorkers, regardless of their starting position or uniqueness of skill set, can find their way to economic stability and vitality,” said Gregory J. Morris, CEO, New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC). “As the country’s largest city-based workforce development association, NYCETC provides the skills, training, and education needed by New Yorkers to thrive in the local economy, and assists employers in finding and maintaining a highly skilled workforce. We remain committed to the linkage of workforce development and economic development, public and private partnership, and the elevation of a compelling workforce agenda for the city and state to remove barriers to employment for people with disabilities.”   

“The Jobs Council is committed to advancing public-private partnerships that accelerate accessibility to careers and enable business to leverage the skills and abilities of all New Yorkers,” said Degan Mercado Leopold, chief partnerships officer, New York Jobs CEO Council. “The Adams administration has prioritized equity, accessibility, and industry engagement in the evolving New York City workforce development landscape. We applaud this milestone and progress in creating pathways, and the city’s continued commitment to dedicating resources to prioritize job training and on-ramps for New Yorkers with disabilities.” 

   “As a large employer in New York City we are thrilled at the outstanding progress the Adams administration has made providing essential opportunities for those with disabilities,” said Alysia R Steinmann, managing partner, Ernst & Young. “The significant investment into this often-overlooked group allows us to expand our talent pool to further include people of all abilities. As a mother of two children with disabilities, I can attest to the monumental importance of these investments and could not be more grateful to Mayor Adams and his team for prioritizing this growing group of New Yorkers.” 

Photo credit: 1-3) HWM.