What They’re Saying: New Yorkers Praise Mayor Adams’ Announcement That New York City Hit All-time High In Total Jobs, Recovered Nearly One Million Jobs Lost During Pandemic

October 20, 2023

Adams Administration Drives City’s Jobs Recovery More Than One Year Ahead of Projections

NEW YORK – Yesterday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that New York City has set a record high for the total number of both public and private sector jobs in city history, with 4,709,400 total jobs, according to new data released by the New York State Department of Labor, seasonally adjusted by the New York City Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget. With this milestone, the city has regained all of the 946,000 private sector jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic — surpassing the previous record of 4,702,800 total jobs set in January 2020 — and marked a new phase in its economic recovery.

Here's what New Yorkers are saying:

“The jobs recovery is clear evidence of the business community’s confidence in the leadership of Mayor Adams and his commitment to ensuring that New York remains a magnet for global talent and a center of innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City.

“After years of hardship and uncertainty, New York’s hotel industry is barreling back, and hospitality workers are finally returning to work,” said Rich Maroko, president, Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC). “HTC applauds the mayor’s steady, confident leadership and his commitment to opening up New York City. Our members are back to work, providing for their families, and pushing our economic recovery even further.”

“When the Covid-19 pandemic struck our city, we lost nearly one million private sector jobs, including hundreds of thousands in our restaurant and nightlife industry. And while our hospitality sector is still recovering, it is vibrant, and today’s historic announcement that New York City’s overall jobs economy has not only fully recovered, but set a record, which means there will be more people spending more money at our local restaurants and bars, helping to create even more jobs,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director, NYC Hospitality Alliance. “Cheers to Mayor Adams and all the advocates, entrepreneurs, and workers who made this critical milestone possible.”

“Bravo to Mayor Adams for his great leadership taking care of New York City. Let’s keep this momentum going, to build for New Yorkers with more jobs and partnership,” said Frank Garcia, president, the New York State Coalition of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. “More than ever, we need to protect our small businesses, who are the heart of New York City.”

“We have enormous confidence in New York City as both a home for our firm and destination for investment,” said Jon Gray, president and COO, Blackstone. “Mayor Adams understands that a thriving business community is a critical part of a great city, creating jobs and opportunity.” 

“The Adams administration is to be commended for achieving another key milestone on the city’s path to recovery from the Covid pandemic,” said James Whelan, president, Real Estate Board of New York.

“Today’s announcement of a record-high number of jobs proves once again that New York City is a strong, vibrant city, and the global economic capital. There is no better place to share this news than PENN 1,” said Steven Roth, chairman and CEO, Vornado Realty Trust. “The building demonstrates the innovation and investment that is driving our city’s growth, and as we continue our multi-billion transformation of the PENN DISTRICT, New Yorkers and the world will witness the success that awaits.”

“The record-breaking job growth in New York City is a promising sign of our economic recovery and incredible potential,” said Robin Hood CEO and “New” New York Panel Co-Chair Richard Buery,Jr. “New York City is still the greatest city in the world and remains a catalytic engine of opportunity.  It is crucial that we continue to prioritize and center equity and inclusiveness as cornerstones of our comeback as well as our future growth so all New Yorkers can thrive.”

“This achievement is a testament to the resilience and determination of our city,” said “New” New York Panel Co-Chair Dan Doctoroff. “New York is once again adapting in the face of tremendous challenge but it doesn’t just happen – it happens because New Yorkers – public and private sector, small business, large corporations, residents, and advocate, work together to understand the challenges, envision a better future, and work tirelessly to execute and will adaptation and resilience into place.”

"Today’s employment numbers reflect a remarkable milestone in the city’s economic recovery,” said “New” New York Executive Director B.J. Jones. “This accomplishment is a testament to the energy and opportunity that New York generates, fostered by collaboration between the public and private sectors.  The Adams Administration has set the stage for an even more vibrant and equitable future.”

“New York City: resilience literally personified. With unwavering determination, we have not only regained pre-pandemic total jobs, but we now celebrate the most jobs in our illustrious history,” said Andrew Rasiej, co-founder, Civic Hall; and chairman, New York Tech Alliance. “Mayor Eric Adams and his team have laid the groundwork for this remarkable recovery, creating the conditions necessary for our city’s robust resurgence. Together, we have proven that New York City always rises, stronger than ever before.”

“We are thrilled to celebrate this milestone for New York City. As a true mixed-use neighborhood, Union Square welcomes workers from all boroughs across industries, in addition to being a training hub for workforce development,” said Julie Stein, executive director, Union Square Partnership. “The amenities within Union Square serve the diverse retail, food, and entertainment landscape, and we value all businesses that choose to be part of our neighborhood. The continued growth of economic engines across New York City is a testament to the resilience of New Yorkers and businesses alike.”

“Times Square congratulates the Adams administration on their announcement today of over 4.7 million total jobs continuing to show the great economic recovery of New York City,” said Tom Harris, president, Times Square Alliance. “Times Square recently saw the 192^nd new business open in the district, wildly surpassing the 179 businesses that we lost during the pandemic and adding the strong message that Times Square and New York City are thriving and will continue to grow through the end of the year and beyond.”

“It is amazing and impressive to see the jobs returning to our city,” said Lucy Sexton, executive director, New Yorkers for Arts and Culture. “Culture and arts, one of the city’s main industries, and one which took a terrible hit during the pandemic, looks forward to working with our mayor to fill our streets, venues, and public spaces with music, theater, dance, art, culture, and vibrancy in every neighborhood!”

“This job announcement signifies the great strength of our city and its workforce, and we thank Mayor Adams, Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin Kim for their leadership,” said Jeff García, president, New York State Latino Restaurant Bar & Lounge Association. “New York City’s workforce growth is vital to our city’s recovery and future. We look forward to our continued collaboration and work with the administration in uplifting the city’s workforce and the hospitality industry.”

“I commend Mayor Eric Adams and his administration for achieving this remarkable milestone in New York City’s economic recovery. The resurgence of nearly 1 million jobs lost during the pandemic is a testament to the city’s resilience and its commitment to fostering economic opportunities,” said Freelancers Union Executive Director Rafael Espinal. “Freelancers and independent workers have played a vital role in this recovery, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the city to ensure that these employment opportunities are equitably shared by all New Yorkers.”

“Today’s jobs numbers prove the resilience of New York’s economy. Over the past decade, the tech sector has added more than 100,000 jobs to the city’s economy and stepped up as the leading driver of job growth during the pandemic,” said Julie Samuels, president and executive director, Tech:NYC. “Today, tech talent is in high demand across all industries, and the momentum we’re seeing only continues to increase. We applaud the Adams administration for today’s milestone and remain committed to expanding opportunities that reach all New Yorkers.”

“Seeing New York City set a new record for jobs is another great sign of the vibrancy of our city’s economy,” said Carl Weisbrod, senior advisor, HR&A; and panel member, “New” New York. “I’ve always been optimistic about our future. This just underscores our role as the world’s pre-eminent city.”

“It was a celebratory morning as Mayor Adams honored the tenacity and enduring spirt of New York City’s workforce with news of a record-high for total number of public and private sector jobs in city history,” said Carlo A. Scissura, Esq, president and CEO, New York Building Congress. “The building industry has seen a similar bounce-back, with our latest Construction Outlook Report showing 153,000 private sector jobs this year, up 10 percent from our 2022 estimate. We are also within five percent of recouping all jobs lost during the depths of COVID-19 and anticipate full recovery by 2025. So here’s to our workforce, who never stop striving to keep our city growing and thriving!”

“I am so energized by New York City hitting its all-time record for jobs, signaling a full post-pandemic recovery,” said Khin Mai Aung, executive director, Mid-Atlantic for Generation Citizen. “Nobody does it like New York City! I’m honored to have contributed in some small way to this landmark achievement through the ‘New’ New York Panel.”

“The announcement confirms that being part of this city, launching a company in New York City, is where you want to be as a business owner,” said Rudy Cazares, president and CEO, Cazares Logistics LLC. “If you can do it here, you can do it anywhere.”

“Reaching 4.7 million jobs is a testament to the resilience of all New Yorkers. From the depths of the pandemic, to achieving this milestone, is truly incredible,” said Doug Cotter, CEO, Grant Associates. “Thank you, Mayor Adams, for never giving up on this city and leading our recovery!”

“As a woman of color tech founder, I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive environment than New York City to launch my social enterprise,” said Lulu Meza, CEO and product lead, Snappable and Venture Access Founder Fellow. “I’m proud to leverage the city’s vibrant and talented workforce as I strive to enable food security for all, starting right here in New York City.”

“I’m such a big advocate for the CareerWise program, and thought it was so important to talk about it during the jobs announcement event,” said Destiny Parra, marketing associate, Accenture. “A lot of youth don’t know about it, and I want to spread awareness. Getting jobs back to how they were pre-Covid is vital, important to know, and important for youth to understand.”

“This means so much for me — because they give everybody the opportunity to have a job, a good career. The nursing program was very helpful for me, not only for my profession, and taught me about the Rules of New York City,” said Hata Beqa, registered nurse. “If you want to do something in New York, you only have to work so hard, and you can do what you want to do. This is the difference from my country to here. You want to do something, you do it. You work, you do it.”

“The mayor’s announcement is a testament to the city’s determination to support workforce programs. Through these efforts, I obtained an internship with LifeSciNYC, part of the New York City Economic Development Corporation,” said Juanice Mickles, intern, LifeSciNYC. “I now feel more prepared and supported in my goal to help cultivate the life sciences industry. This industry is important in improving the health of New York City’s vulnerable communities. As a native New Yorker, I have a lifelong commitment to this great city!”

“As we’ve always said, you should never bet against New York City and the record number of jobs prove it,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO, New York City Tourism + Conventions. “Congratulations to Mayor Adams for this major milestone in New York City’s economic recovery.”

“The pandemic may have knocked us down, but New York City has gotten up bigger and stronger,” said Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick. “These job numbers represent a truly impressive milestone in our recovery from the pandemic, and there is more to come. Up next: additional measures that will make it easier for businesses to open and grow, leading to thriving neighborhoods and an even more prosperous city.”

“We are proud of the work this administration has done to get our local economy back on track and to help working New Yorkers realize their fullest potential,” said Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “DCWP continues to provide services, like our Financial Empowerment Centers, to help our neighbors stay on track to financial success. Thank you to the mayor and to our fellow agencies for championing an equitable economic recovery and ensuring our city is able to thrive.”  

“Art and culture are essential parts of the economic engine that drives New York, and we’re thrilled that we’ve worked together as a city to achieve this incredible milestone,” said New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “New York City is back!”

“As the largest public housing authority in the nation, we understand the need for affordable places to live and the importance of generating employment opportunities for New Yorkers, including the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who live in NYCHA developments,” said New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “We applaud the administration's focus on creating and preserving jobs across the five boroughs and stand with our city partners in this critical work.”