Executive Budget Includes Wage Increase for Social Service Workers

On Thursday, May 7th, Mayor de Blasio released his FY 2016 Executive Budget. That budget included a $11.50 per hour wage floor for the City’s contracted social service workers, which will raise the incomes of nearly 10,000 workers, as well as a $5 million investment in a career pathways system to support education and training opportunities for the social services workforce.  He also announced a 2.5% cost of living adjustment for contracted social service workers.

This is a remarkable first step for our Career Ladder Campaign, a joint project between FPWA and the Fiscal Policy Institute.  In the next phase of this campaign, we will work with the City and with social services nonprofits to implement this wage floor, and we will continue to advocate for a $15/hour wage floor.  We will also expand our campaign to other City contracted services as well as to the State and philanthropic sector.

Below is a joint statement from FPWA CEO Jennifer Jones Austin, and FPI Deputy Director James Parrott:

The Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA) and the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) applaud the Mayor for including in his Executive Budget a first-ever $11.50 per hour wage floor for the City’s contracted social service workforce. FPWA and FPI have been advocating for this important commitment over the past year. This will mean a big earnings boost for 10,000 workers whose wages currently average less than $10.00 per hour. These front-line workers, many of whom live in poverty or near-poverty conditions, provide early childhood education, foster care, afterschool programs, senior case management, housing services, and other vital programs for vulnerable populations. This wage increase is an important first step in ensuring a living wage for this essential workforce. In addition, we are encouraged by the inclusion of a 2.5% cost of living adjustment for social service workers, and commend the Human Services Council (HSC) for leading the advocacy community in this effort. We are also heartened to see the inclusion of $5 million to develop a Career Pathways System for the social services sector that will long-last provide real opportunities for these dedicated workers to advance up a career ladder. These essential investments reflect Mayor de Blasio’s profound commitment to further improve the quality of social services and make progress toward reducing poverty and income inequality.