Adams signs legislation to address pay disparities, support New Yorkers with disabilities

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday signed eight pieces of legislation to address pay disparities within the city’s municipal workforce and to support New Yorkers living with disabilities residing in shelters or in affordable housing units.

Intros 515-A, 527-A and 521-A bolster the city’s efforts to close pay disparities and strengthen the city’s Pay Equity Law to ensure all city workers are paid fairly.

Intros 92-A, 141-A, 375-A, 676-A and 421-A will support New Yorkers living with disabilities residing in city shelters and in affordable housing units by creating an accessibility advisory board, increasing signage for power-operated doors, and requiring housing developments that receive city funding to incorporate universal design into their spaces, making them more accessible.

“Our city workers keep New York City moving and work around the clock across all five boroughs to ensure New Yorkers get the services they need. The first package of bills will help address pay disparities within our city workforce, so every worker is paid fairly,” said Mayor Adams. “This second package will bolster our efforts to support New Yorkers with disabilities. Our city must be accessible for everyone, and these bills will make our buildings, shelters, and affordable housing spaces more accessible, welcoming, and livable for all.”

“Every New Yorker has a right to housing that is accessible, affordable, and safe,” said Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Commissioner Christina Curry. “I thank Mayor Adams for signing the bill package that aims to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in the city’s shelters system and affordable housing units.”

“We prioritize the unique needs of our most vulnerable New Yorkers in all that we do,” said New York City Department of Social Services Commissioner Gary P. Jenkins. “This legislative action reinforces our ongoing efforts to make shelters even more accessible and easier to navigate for shelter residents with disabilities. We thank Mayor Adams and our elected representatives for taking these important steps to further our shared goal of building a more equal and inclusive city for every New Yorker.”

“Today’s bill signings make life more accessible for our neighbors with disabilities in their homes, at the workplace, and within the city’s shelters,” said New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “By requiring housing projects that receive city funding to incorporate universal design, the places we live will be accessible for a wider range of New Yorkers.”

“Achieving pay equity is a goal shared across this administration,” said Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser. “The Office of Technology and Innovation applauds Mayor Adams and City Council for their commitment to this goal and is proud to continue providing the data and analysis to make meaningful progress towards pay parity.”

“City government can best serve New Yorkers when its workforce reflects the diversity of the people it serves,” said New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock. “That is why equity must be at the heart of the way the city hires and compensates its employees. I applaud Mayor Adams and members of the City Council for prioritizing these issues and for taking legislative action to better support people with disabilities.”

“Our city’s strong construction codes work to create a built environment that is welcoming and inclusive for everyone,” said New York City Department of Buildings Acting Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik, P.E. “By strengthening signage requirements in our codes for automatic doors at our city’s commercial and entertainment spaces, Mayor Adams and the City Council are rightfully prioritizing greater public accessibility.”

Intro 515-A — sponsored by New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams — requires city agency annual employment plans to include information on compensation and efforts to address pay disparities within their workforce.

Intro 527-A — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa — requires DCAS to assess its efforts to provide equal opportunity for a diverse universe of applicants for municipal employment.

Intro 541-A — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Farah N. Louis — amends the existing Pay Equity Law by requiring DCAS to collect and share additional data with the City Council in an effort to identify and address pay disparities within the city workforce.

Intro 92-A — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Diana Ayala — creates an accessibility board to advise and make recommendations to the mayor, City Council, and city agencies on ways to increase accessibility for clients living in city shelters.

Intro 141-A — also sponsored by Councilmember Ayala — requires signage at each entrance or egress to a building required to have power-operated or power-assisted and low-energy doors, directing people to that door.

Intro 375-A — also sponsored by Councilmember Ayala — requires HPD to report every three years on how many of their affordable housing units are set aside for people living with disabilities and are rented to people with disabilities.

Intro 676-A — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Crystal Hudson — requires HPD develop a list of universal design features and require developers who receive city financial assistance to incorporate universal design in all dwelling units in new housing development projects.

Intro 421-A — sponsored by New York City Councilmember Kevin Riley — requires the New York City Department of Homeless Services to produce a quarterly report on families with children living in shelter and include the number of families in each type of shelter, their average length of stay, how many exit for permanent housing, and metrics on school enrollment and attendance.

“Addressing pay disparities within our workforce has been a top priority for this Council,” said Council Speaker Adams. “Now signed into law, our pay equity package will provide crucial data and insights into pay disparities based on gender, race, and ethnicity in our municipal workforce, and help improve practices that promote diversity and pay equity.

“I’m also proud of the Council’s legislative efforts to make our city more accessible for all New Yorkers, including residents of homeless shelters, and increase transparency about homelessness,” she added. “We will continue to focus on enacting solutions that eliminate longstanding inequities facing our communities.”

“These bills will ensure better accessibility requirements and make sure that the city has the tools it needs to provide resources for all New Yorkers,” said Councilmember Ayala. “As a city, we should strive to improve conditions for people with all abilities, and this is a step in the right direction.”

“As a member of the New York City Council, I am proud to see that our city is making progress on our pay equity journey, and we are committed to continuing our efforts to address the pervasive issue of pay disparities, particularly for women of color. Advancing pay equity and diversity in our municipal workforce is a top priority for both the Council and this administration,” said Councilmember Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants, who represents the 45th Council District in Brooklyn.

“We believe that equal pay for equal work is not only a moral imperative, but a fundamental cornerstone of a just society,” she added. “I applaud Mayor Adams’ commitment to creating a legacy of more equitable pay in New York City government.”