Mayor Adams Spearheads A Savvy Plan To Link More New Yorkers To Jobs, Smash Barriers To Opportunities

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced “Jobs NYC,” a new multi-pronged citywide effort to reduce barriers to economic opportunities.

Including deliver workforce development services directly to communities across the five boroughs that are experiencing high unemployment. The collaborative effort will focus on three core pillars: 1) revamping the administration’s “hiring halls” in an effort to bring public and private job opportunities and career services to economically-disadvantaged communities on a monthly basis in each borough, 2) launching a new Jobs.nyc.gov talent portal to connect New Yorkers to job and training opportunities, and 3) continuing to reform the city’s Minimum Qualification Requirements to make certain entry-level jobs within city government are more accessible. In June 2023, Mayor Adams removed the bachelor’s degree requirement for certain city jobs.

“While we have a lot to celebrate in recovering all of the private-sector jobs lost during the pandemic — more than a year ahead of schedule — our recovery has not been equitable and it has not yet reached every New Yorker. That’s why we are doing everything we can to make sure New York City remains a city for working-class people,” said Mayor Adams. “Black unemployment is still far too high in New York City and across the nation, but Jobs NYC will bring a whole-of-government effort to meet New Yorkers where they are — helping to build an economy of the future with real pathways to family-sustaining careers. This is how we ensure all New Yorkers, particularly those in Black and Brown communities, have access to the jobs of the 21^st century, and this is how we can continue to recruit a workforce that is reflective of the diversity of our city. Jobs NYC will help us build a city where opportunity reaches every borough, block, and neighborhood.”

“We have recovered all of the private-sector jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that recovery has not been equitable,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “The unemployment rate for Black New Yorkers is 9.3 percent compared to 3 percent for white New Yorkers. This difference is unacceptable. Through a new jobs portal, hiring halls across the five boroughs, and changes to the Minimum Qualification Requirements for city jobs, we are making additional changes to close that gap. These investments build upon the Adams administration’s work throughout the past two years. We created job hubs in select neighborhoods, launched the largest public-private loan fund for small businesses in the city’s history, and set a $6 billion record in M/WBE awards. Today’s announcement ensures that all New Yorkers have the opportunity to participate in the city’s thriving economy.”

“At the start of this administration, we committed, through Executive Order 22, to invest in the city’s talent and workforce development systems,” said Deputy Mayor of Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Development Maria Torres Springer. “The key to that investment was to develop strategies that centralize, and better coordinate workforce services and programming for the benefit of New Yorkers who need them most. The Jobs NYC portal and Jobs NYC hiring halls — digital and physical points of entry to the city’s workforce system — bring public and private employment opportunities and workforce programming together in a central place, realizing the goal of a better centralized and coordinated talent and workforce development system that meets New Yorkers where they are.”

“Jobs NYC provides the full spectrum of resources a New Yorker needs to find a job, from a one-stop shop online portal to career training to job opportunities in both the private and public sectors, and delivers it right to the communities most in need,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana J. Almanzar. “This all hands-on-deck government approach will make it easier for New Yorkers to better participate in our economy and uplift entire communities. I want to thank all the community based-organizations, government agency partners, private-sector collaborators, and my fellow deputy mayors who are ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to prosper in our economic recovery.”

“Today’s announcement executes on our values to expand opportunities in every area across the city and to take action to see that every individual and family has the chance to fully participate in the economy,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “We encourage interested New Yorkers to explore opportunities to work for Team New York City as part of our city government. There are so many fulfilling career pathways to help us build an ever stronger and more equitable city.” 

“Jobs NYC leverages the strength and scale of New York City’s public workforce system and its many partners to ensure city resources are more easily accessible and reaching the communities that need them the most,” said New York City Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development Executive Director Abby Jo Sigal. “This integration of technology and community partnership helps streamline client access to important career services and other benefits, so all New Yorkers can more easily find the resources they need to obtain good-paying jobs and share in the city’s economic prosperity.”

“Democratizing technology and removing barriers to access critical services and information are key commitments made by the Adams administration, and the Jobs NYC talent portal is yet another example of delivering on these promises,” said New York City Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser. “Jobs NYC, and its targeted training and workforce development resources, make it easier for more New Yorkers to be skills-ready and connect to greater economic opportunities across the city.”

“There is no greater privilege than working for the city and serving our fellow New Yorkers, and thanks to this effort to reevaluate some of the city’s more restrictive titles through our Minimum Qualification Requirement reviews, it is our hope that more people than ever will be eligible to join our great municipal workforce,” said New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock. “With the launch of Jobs NYC, we are not only expanding opportunities for New Yorkers to find meaningful employment, but also ensuring that our city’s workforce represents the diversity and talent of our communities. Through innovative advancements like the renewed hiring halls and the online jobs and talent portal, we are breaking down barriers, and fostering equity and access in every corner of our city.”

“Jobs NYC is an example of this administration’s commitment to bringing resources directly to communities,” New York City Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit Executive Director Adrienne Lever. “Rather than asking people to navigate multiple government websites to find help, this streamlined approach will make it easier for New Yorkers to apply to jobs. The Public Engagement Unit is thrilled to support this important initiative to bring employment resources and job opportunities to more New Yorkers.”

“Jobs NYC is about more than just employment. It is the embodiment of SBS’s mission to unlock the economic potential of all New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “SBS is proud to support this initiative by connecting jobseekers directly with employers, ensuring that everyone in New York City has the opportunity to succeed as we build up the ‘City of Yes.’”

“Jobs NYC will bring economic opportunities directly to communities throughout the five boroughs. This initiative will build on the extensive investments already made by the Adams administration to reduce barriers between employers and those seeking employment,” said New York City Mayor’s Office Community Affairs Unit (CAU) Commissioner Fred Kreizman. “CAU is eager to support Jobs NYC and connect New Yorkers to jobs, services, trainings, and more.”

“We are proud to partner on the development of the Jobs NYC talent portal,” said New York City Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity Acting Executive Director Carson Hicks. “Helping New Yorkers to more easily access jobs and training opportunities is a key part of our mission to increase economic opportunity.”

“New York City’s economic recovery has been robust, but it has also been uneven with many communities, especially communities of color, still experiencing high rates of unemployment and economic instability. As a result, we continue to see more New Yorkers relying on government benefits to make ends meet,” said New York City Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. “With Jobs NYC, the Adams administration is taking the necessary steps to reverse this trend and ensure that New York City’s recovery is truly equitable. We look forward to working with our Jobs NYC partners to reduce barriers to employment and connect disadvantaged New Yorkers to quality employment opportunities that will lead to long-term financial security.”

“Our city has experienced a great economic rebound, but the benefits of this recovery have not been equally distributed. Through Jobs NYC, this city is helping bridge the gap — bringing employers to the table and placing job opportunities at the fingertips of every New Yorker,” said New York City Chief Equity Officer and Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice Commissioner Sideya Sherman. “The city is taking an important step in reversing this trend by focusing resources, including hiring halls, trainings, and educational programs, towards the communities with the highest unemployment rates. We are pleased to collaborate with our fellow city agencies and community partners to help more New Yorkers start and grow their careers.”

“Jobs NYC builds on the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development’s existing workforce development efforts, and we are thrilled to help secure hiring hall sites and volunteers in support of Mayor Adams’ forward-thinking vision to enhance the lives of working-class New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Keith Howard. “DYCD is excited to work alongside our administration colleagues and provider partners to connect communities to training and paid opportunities, particularly in neighborhoods that need jobs the most.”

Chaired by First Deputy Mayor Wright, with Deputy Mayors Torres-Springer, Almanzar, and Williams-Isom as co-chairs, Jobs NYC brings a whole-of-government approach to building a more equitable city through workforce development. Working across nearly two dozen city agencies, in addition to partnering with community organizations and private partners, the Adams administration will revamp the already popular hiring halls. Not only will these hiring hall take place in each borough on a monthly basis in areas of the city experiencing employment disparities, but — in addition to connecting New Yorkers with job opportunities in the municipal workforce — these events will now provide jobseekers with the unique opportunity to engage with multiple organizations, including employers interviewing for roles and community-based organizations connecting talent to training and other opportunities.  

To deliver job and training opportunities citywide, the Adams administration also launched the Jobs NYC online talent portal, a free resource managed by the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development and accessible through the MyCity portal that connects job seekers to career opportunities, free employment services, and occupational-skills trainings for opportunities in both the public and private sectors.

In June 2023, DCAS began reducing barriers to employment within city government by reforming the city’s Minimum Qualification Requirements for entry level civil service titles. To date, DCAS has completed review on 17 entry-level titles with the potential to impact 20,000 jobs and expand eligibility for civil service positions that were previously restrictive and posed difficult for many applicants to meet minimum qualifications. Previous requirements mandated a college degree or credits, but with this updated review, the city is now more inclusive and equitable, focusing on relevant work experience and practical skills rather than formal education.

Today’s announcement builds on a series of policy reforms made by Mayor Adams to retain top talent in the city workforce, provide high-quality services to New Yorkers, and create equitable pipelines to enter the city’s workforce, which has historically been a vehicle for economic mobility for millions of New Yorkers. Last month, Mayor Adams made city government more family-friendly for thousands of employees by expanding both paid parental and family leave for non-union city workers. Impacting over 10,000 municipal employees and making the city more competitive with municipalities and employers across the country, the Adams administration doubled paid parental leave for non-union employees, from six to 12 weeks, and began providing up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for those caring for seriously ill family members.

In the last 13 months, Mayor Adams has successfully negotiated contracts with unions representing 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. These agreements with District Council 37, Communications Workers of America Local 1180, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, Uniformed Sanitation Workers’ Union Local 831, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), the Police Benevolent Association, the Uniformed Officers Coalition , the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Teamsters Local 237, and dozens of other unions have all included wage increases, including retroactive wage increases for employees that had not received a raise in years. Additionally, many of these contracts included dedicated funding to address retention and recruitment challenges and other important benefits, such as the child care fund established in the agreement with DC 37.

Additionally, in an effort to retain talent in the human services sector, just two weeks ago, Mayor Adams 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.

“The nonprofit sector is an economic engine in New York, and human services organizations help people find jobs and also employee over 125,000 workers in New York City, said Michelle Jackson, executive director, Human Services Council. “Unfortunately, the sector is facing significant vacancy rates and the recent multi-year -of-living adjustment investment announced by the mayor goes a long way in helping that, but we also need to find and retain new talent. Jobs NYC provides a great opportunity for local nonprofits to find that new talent while also connecting people in their programs to other job opportunities, particularly in areas with high unemployment.”

“Economic opportunity is critical for safe, healthy communities,” said Ionna Jimenez, project director, Brownsville Community Justice Center. “By bringing employment opportunities right to Brownsville’s doorstep, Jobs NYC’s localized approach not only reduces barriers to employment but also promotes greater community cohesion and fosters economic growth at the grassroots level.”

“New York City’s workforce is the backbone of its economic success. The Jobs NYC effort builds on the commitment of the Adams administration to the development of an inclusive, post-pandemic economy by increasing access to employment-related resources and on-ramps online and in-person,” said Gregory J. Morris, chief executive officer, New York City Employment and Training Coalition. “As a membership that is relied to connect New Yorkers, of all ages, in every borough, to people on the path to good paying jobs that sustain them and their communities, we acknowledge the innovative initiatives put forth by Mayor Adams to make New York ‘work’ for working people. From the moonshot goal on apprenticeships and the establishment of an Office of Community Hiring to the Women Forward NYC Action Plan and today’s announcement regarding the reformation of the city’s minimum qualification requirements, we are readying New Yorkers who drive our local economy today, and our young people who will make up our future workforce for this transformative moment in our city’s economic development and growth.”

“JobsFirstNYC will support the Jobs NYC initiative by providing access to our innovative Skills Mapping initiative, helping jobseekers better understand their skills and how they connect to jobs available during neighborhood employment events and in the broader market place, and facilitate connections with OneTen, a national coalition of top employers working to bridging the opportunity gap for skilled workers without college degrees,” said Marjorie Parker, chief executive officer and president, JobsFirstNYC. “JobsFirstNYC remains dedicated to partnering with all workforce development stakeholders, including employers, jobseekers, and training programs, to foster equitable economic opportunity and empower individuals in every community.”

Photo credit: HWM.