Overtime Through The Roof As NYC Struggles To Deal With Migrants
The city is intensifying its efforts to enlist municipal employees for overtime work at emergency migrant shelters, despite the Adams administration’s plans to cut up to 15% from all department budgets by the upcoming spring.
The newly established Office of Asylum Seeker Operations recently distributed surveys via email to city employees to gauge their interest in working at the “migrant respite centers.”
Many city workers have been accruing overtime for several months by assisting at these centers after their regular shifts. Some have expressed their willingness to continue doing so, with one Department of Education staff member stating, “I love to help families, and the extra money I will make on the weekends is great. I can do this for as long as needed.”
Additionally, the agency has requested all department supervisors to “encourage” their staff to volunteer at the centers, particularly during weekdays, instead of reporting for their usual duties. This move is aimed at potentially reducing the need for overtime.
It’s worth noting that first-responders from the NYPD and FDNY, as well as other specific staff members, are not being enlisted to work at the migrant centers, according to sources.
Councilman Robert Holden (D-Holden) expressed concerns that reallocating city workers to the centers would have a negative impact on taxpayers, stating, “Pulling city workers to deal with the migrant issue means fewer services for New Yorkers. This can’t continue, and we must point to President Biden for neglecting our city.”
The city has established over 200 emergency shelters to accommodate approximately 113,000 migrants who have sought assistance since the surge began in the spring of 2022. The cost incurred has exceeded $2 billion, with projections estimating it will reach $12 billion by July 2025 unless the federal and state governments provide financial support, according to officials.
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