Mayor Adams, DC 37 Launch Compressed Workweek Pilot for New York City Employees who Cannot Work Remotely

January 17, 2024

New Option to Allow Agencies to Schedule Eligible Employees for Four-Day Workweeks as Long as Employees Still Work Same Number of Hours as Five-Day Workweek 

Flexible Work Is Critical Tool for Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent, Providing High-Quality Services for New Yorkers 

New Pilot Launches After Successful Rollout of Remote Work 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and District Council 37 (DC 37) Executive Director Henry Garrido today announced a new pilot program offering DC 37 members work flexibility as the Adams administration continues its efforts to support and retain top-level talent providing services to New Yorkers. The pilot was created in collaboration with the flexible work committee established in the DC 37 contract agreement, reached in February 2023 and ratified on March 31, 2023. Under this pilot program, New York City agencies can offer a four-day workweek — or a schedule of working four days one week and five days the next week — to DC 37-represented employees who cannot work remotely but can work a compressed workweek that still meets the operational needs of their agencies. Daily hours worked will be increased so employees still work the same number of total hours over a two-week period. 

“As we’re entering into a new era of work, I have always been clear that we must put equity at the heart of the discussion — and with this new compressed workweek pilot for those who do not have a remote work option, we are doing just that,” said Mayor Adams. “Now, city workers whose job responsibilities don’t allow them to work remotely will have the flexibility they deserve, all while ensuring that the best municipal workforce in the world can continue to deliver every day for New Yorkers. I’m grateful to Henry Garrido of DC 37 for his partnership, and we’re looking forward to seeing this pilot program begin.” 

“After successfully working together to launch a remote work pilot, I am pleased we and DC 37 were able to work collaboratively on another pilot that will offer potential flexibility opportunities to eligible DC 37 members who can't work remotely,” said New York City Office of Labor Relations Commissioner Renee Campion. “Thank you to Henry Garrido for his partnership, and the city and union representatives on the work flexibility committee for the work they put into this agreement.” 

“We have said all along that the world of work has changed. Our commitment during contract negotiations was to offer flexible arrangements for as many of our members as possible, the majority of whom are in positions that can’t be carried out remotely due to the nature of their work,” said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. “Immense credit goes to the Flexible Work Committee, who took time to listen and develop recommendations that respond to the demands of city workers’ varied job requirements.” 

Over 20,000 DC 37 employees are already working remotely as part of the remote work pilot program negotiated last year. This new pilot will allow agencies to potentially offer flexible work opportunities to the remaining DC 37 members who have roles where it is operationally not feasible to work remotely. The pilot will run through May 2025, with the option of renewing for an additional year. 

The Adams administration has made significant progress in reaching contract agreements with its unionized workforce and has included work flexibility pilots in many of those agreements. In two years, and less than a year after its first agreement with DC 37, the Adams administration has successfully negotiated contracts with unions representing approximately 93 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. Other than with DC 37, contracts have been negotiated with the Police Benevolent Association, the United Federation of Teachers, the Uniformed Officers Coalition, Teamsters Local 237, Communications Workers of America Local 1180, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, the Uniformed Sanitation Workers, and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators. The Adams administration is currently in collective bargaining discussions with unions representing the city’s remaining unionized workforce. 

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