Mayor Adams Signs Eight Bills, Taking Action to Address Pay Disparities, Support New Yorkers With Disabilities

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams  on Tuesday February 21st, 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’s 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.”

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.

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