Human Services Council of New York - HSC

❗️Human services nonprofits continue to face financial risk and operational uncertainty because of delays in the State’s contracting process. Without timely contract payments, nonprofits can’t meet payroll and operating costs, or reliably budget and be confident in their ability to pay workers. These delays ultimately impact New Yorkers receiving essential services.

HSC is sending a memo of support asking the Governor to sign A2740B/S4877A, which would require State agencies with significantly delayed renewal contracts to report on the status of delayed contracts and obstacles to contracts being executed in a timely manner.

Read the memo at the link in bio.

This budget season, the Campaign also made headway at the State level. Our progress included securing a COLA for State-contracted workers and building momentum for legislation to help achieve for human services workers.

While we did not secure all of the asks we demanded, we still made big strides towards our long-term vision of truly equitable pay for workers and fully-funded programs for our communities. Together, we are chipping away at a broken government contracting system.

➡️ Swipe for a recap of what we achieved at the State level this year.

It’s a wrap! Our collective efforts delivered big wins for nonprofit human services workers in the FY25 City budget. Thanks to your calls, emails, and actions, we secured a $741 million investment towards wage increases for human services workers.

Although we have much more work to do to achieve for human services workers, this victory was a big step towards undoing decades of divestment in the sector.

Swipe to the end 🤭 for a recap of what we achieved at the City level this year.

✍️It’s official! A $741 million COLA deal is in the City budget, providing an over 9 percent wage increase to City-contracted human services workers over the next three years. We were also glad to see the restoration of budget cuts to the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services.

Thank you to Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Council for this investment, and to all the advocates who have consistently mobilized for ! We know this is just the beginning of investing in essential services for our communities. 🌟

Read the City’s press release, with a response from HSC’s Executive Director Michelle Jackson: https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/510-24/new-yorkers-join-mayor-adams-speaker-adams-celebrate-fiscal-year-2025-budget-agreement-that

The State legislative session has ended, and unfortunately, the Wage Board legislation did not pass.

Although we're disappointed, we're optimistic about the future of this bill and will continue our advocacy in the next budget cycle.

Full Statement from HSC's Executive Director Michelle Jackson: https://files.constantcontact.com/fff820e9001/66ce9883-77ec-476c-9bd4-ac7b98451a6f.pdf?rdr=true

As we wrap up the City and State budget season, let’s finish strong with one more action before the summer! 💪

From JUNE 10th-14th, email the Mayor and City Council to thank them for the City’s recent $741 million investment in wage increases for human services workers. They played a pivotal role in making this happen, so we want to let them know we appreciate their efforts!

Sign up: https://bit.ly/JustPay-Thank-You

🔥Hot off the press!

Tune in to the The Capitol Pressroom for a new interview with HSC's Executive Director Michelle Jackson about why we need to get the Wage Board Legislation passed by the State Legislature this June: https://capitolpressroom.org/2024/05/28/wage-board-proposed-for-human-services-workers/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0qgGd4FKlX192neS5v7L8L4EZK3gUOeIEq1a3xxYNsO2zt2RNBAlnyD8s_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw

Wage board proposed for human services workers May 28, 2023 - After mixed success in raising wages for human services sector workers in the budget, Human Services Council Executive Director Michelle Jackson is pushing a wage board to get this critical workforce the compensation they deserve.

This is what working together to fund looks like! ☝️☝️☝️
 
Thank you for inviting us to celebrate the City’s historic $741 million investment towards wage increases for human services workers. We look forward to continuing to partner to strengthen the City’s procurement system and fully fund !

Yesterday, HSC once again took the fight for to Albany! 🙌 Advocates from and had some great conversations with legislators about the Wage Board Bill, which would help pave the way for longterm wage equity for nonprofit human services workers.

Thank you to the legislators who took time to meet with us and learn why the legislature needs to pass this bill in June! 📆

We’re so proud to share that HSC’s Executive Director Michelle Jackson was recognized on City & State NY’s 2024 List for her leadership in advocating for the human services sector and our essential workforce! 🌟

👏 A huge congratulations to Michelle and all of our incredible human services partners who were recognized.

See the full list here: https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2024/05/2024-nonprofit-trailblazers/396532/?oref=csny_powerlist_nl -jackson

On , we celebrate human services workers and their passion, talent, and dedication to serving New Yorkers. Block prints are a long tradition in labor movements, so today we’re sharing one that honors the human services workforce.

Although human services workers keep New York afloat, they are in deep water too. For too long, government has not paid them the wages they deserve.

The struggle for is ongoing. But thanks to your advocacy, we’ve made steady progress towards undoing decades of disinvestment.

Support human services workers today by signing up for our action on May 15th here or at the link in bio: bit.ly/WageBoardPhoneZap

Block print by Alana Tornello, HSC’s Director of Resilience

We want the Wage Board!

The State budget did not include a 3.2% COLA for human services workers - so we’re continuing to push hard for Wage Board Legislation. This bill would create a Wage Board to make recommendations on equitable wages for human services workers.

Sign up to call your State legislator on May 15th and ask them to co-sponsor the bill: /bit.ly/WageBoardPhoneZap

The State Budget includes a 2.84% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the human services sector, which falls short of the 3.2% COLA human services workers need.

We must work harder than ever to pass Wage Board legislation to ensure workers’ pay is no longer used as an annual bargaining tool in Albany.

Read HSC’s full statement:https://files.constantcontact.com/fff820e9001/1fb9c9d5-9335-4037-ae0c-64909d487bc3.pdf

🚨 All hands on deck for ! 🚨

The final State budget is running late, so we’ve organized an Emergency Email Action to ensure we have the legislature’s firm support for an inclusive 3.2% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for State-contracted human services workers!

Over the last few months, we’ve fought hard for the COLA. Now, it’s time to get this across the finish line.

⏰ The State budget could pass in the next few days – so we don’t have much time. Please take one minute to email your Assemblymember today: bit.ly/JustPay-Emergency-Action

This morning, NYC experienced a 4.7 magnitude earthquake. NYC has advised residents to be aware for aftershocks.

Learn more about how to stay safe during and after an earthquake with guidance from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NYC Emergency Management, and NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

HSC will also crowdsource updates and guidances in our Earthquake here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YNcoHaiBC9xUUS6qEy4z-8K8Uj5GIcIQVKM-cOjZVpU/edit

“I am mayor of the City of New York today because human services workers were there to support my family when we needed it most.”

Read Mayor Eric Adams's new op-ed on his historic $741 million investment into pay increases for human services workers! https://www.amny.com/opinion/giving-a-raise-for-new-york-citys-human-services-workers/

Op-Ed | Giving a raise for New York City’s human services workers | amNewYork When I was a child, my family lived on the edge of homelessness. My five siblings and I would go to school with black trash bags full of our clothes in case

“Nonprofits are having a really hard time..keeping talent because they can go work in other industries…So this [COLA] helps to reverse that.” - HSC's Executive Director Michelle Jackson

Read more about last week’s victory in New York Nonprofit Media:

NYC gives 9% raises over three years to human services workers The annual cost-of-living bump comes after advocates rallied and pushed for pay increases

“This administration and Council are reversing the divestments of decades." - HSC's Executive Director Michelle Jackson

ICYMI: Yesterday, Mayor Adams announced a $740 million investment providing City-contracted human services workers with over 9% wage increases over the next 3 years!

There is still much more work to do to ensure human services workers are paid fairly. But with decades of divestment and underfunding, this City COLA announcement is a step in the right direction and demonstrates a commitment to lifting up those who do so much for New York.

NYC pumps $741M into ‘long overdue’ raises for human services workers The $741 million investment will bankroll raises for some 80,000 city human services workers, many of whom live at or near the poverty level.

📣 BIG NEWS: just announced that City-contracted human services workers will receive over 9% in wage increases over the next 3 years. This is a major win for , and is the result of thousands of calls, emails and actions from human services workers!

Here’s what to expect: 
📣A 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for FY25 – on top of the $170 million already allocated for the Workforce Enhancement Initiative from the last two years
📣 A 3% cost-of-living adjustment for FY26  
📣 A 3% cost-of-living adjustment for FY27

Since we launched the JustPay campaign in 2021, we’ve been calling on the City to make long overdue investment in the essential human services workforce. There is much more advocacy to do to ensure human services workers are paid fairly. But with decades of divestment and underfunding, this City COLA announcement is a step in the right direction.

Thank you , First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana Almanzar, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, and all our champions – including , .brannan, and   – for listening to our voices!

“Nonprofit workers are united, organized, and ready to make their voices heard this budget season. Coalitions across the state…are all pushing for a COLA because they want to put workers first.”-
HSC's Executive Director Michelle Jackson

Read press coverage of our Advocacy Day in Albany:

Nonprofit human services workers push for parity - The Chief Nonprofit organizations and elected officials rallied in Albany Monday to push for legislation that would enact a higher cost-of-living adjustment for human services workers and also establish a wage …

This holiday season, human services nonprofits want nothing more than a fair and timely contracting system!

On each of the , HSC will share a recommendation that we hope the City and State will implement - along with some surprising stats from our 2023 Contract Survey, which captured the experiences of human services nonprofits who contract with the City and State.

Follow along to learn about how the current contracting system harms nonprofits and our communities, and our recommendations for change.

See our survey results here or at the link in bio: bit.ly/HSC-Contract-Survey-Results