Mayor Eric L. Adams Op-Ed: Run This Town: Work for City Government and Help Write the Future

Since day one, our administration has had a clear mission: protect public safety, rebuild our economy, and make our city more livable for working-class New Yorkers. Every day, we are delivering on that vision. We have recovered all the private-sector jobs lost during the pandemic, one year ahead of schedule; overall crime is down across the city this year, and we are improving the quality of life for the 8.3 million New Yorkers who call this city home.

At the start of our administration, more than 10 percent of our Black brothers and sisters were unemployed and, as recently as last January, Black New Yorkers were four times more likely to be unemployed than white New Yorkers. But new economic data shows that we have cut the racial employment disparity in half and Black unemployment is now down to its lowest point in half a decade. We have narrowed this gap by delivering new opportunities to communities across the five boroughs that have been overlooked for far too long, leading to high unemployment. However, our work is not done.

That’s why we launched Jobs NYC, our campaign to bring hiring halls with both private- and public-sector job opportunities to communities experiencing high unemployment. Additionally, our Small Business Opportunity Fund has helped people of color open small businesses, and we have had two straight fiscal years of city and city-affiliated agencies awarding minority and women businesses over $6 billion in total awards.

For our young people, especially young people of color, we are helping them discover their passion through our Pathways to an Inclusive Economy, Summer Rising, and Summer Youth Employment programs. And our Green Economy Action Plan is building an economy of the future with real pathways to family-sustaining careers. This is what building an inclusive economy can and should look like.

Last week, we took another big step forward with the launch of our “Run This Town” advertising campaign that encourages New Yorkers to apply for city jobs because we want more New Yorkers to join Team New York and help us run this town!

The campaign is about connecting New Yorkers to good-paying city jobs and career opportunities — careers that support families, help pay bills, and build the future of our city.

New Yorkers interested in helping us run this city, or even applying for jobs in the private sector, can visit our new jobs portal at jobs.nyc.gov.

Additionally, thanks to commonsense reforms towards our minimal qualification requirements for certain entry level city jobs, including removing college degree requirements for numerous positions, it’s easier than ever to apply for a city job. We have thousands of open jobs in city government, from school safety agents to tech roles and more. Our benefits have also never been stronger either.

We transformed city government to be more family-friendly for thousands of employees by expanding both paid parental and family leave for non-union city workers — doubling paid parental leave for non-union employees, from six to 12 weeks, and providing up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for those caring for a seriously ill family member.

I entered public service because I saw that people were being left behind and wanted to make a difference. Now, I want to help recruit the next generation of leaders who will help us build a more equitable New York City.

Our administration understands that a job is more than what we do in the waking hours of our lives. A job is what enables us to achieve the American Dream. That is why we have made historic investments to connect New Yorkers with the career and training opportunities they need to earn good-paying jobs. We remain committed to making sure that all New Yorkers, particularly those in Black and Brown communities, share in the prosperity of our city.

Our administration is embarking on a new, exciting chapter in New York City’s history, and job seekers have an opportunity to write it with us. Together, we can make New York City the best city in the world to live — and work — in.