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New York City Council
Oversight - Municipal Retention Strategies
Read summaries and jump into the video at the segment start.
Council staff open the Committee on Civil Service and Labor hearing, instruct attendees to silence devices, explain that no one may approach the desk, and direct those wishing to testify to the sergeants at arms.
Chair Shirley Aldebol welcomes attendees to the second hearing in a series on the NYC municipal workforce, noting last month's session covered recruitment and today's focus is civil service retention strategies.
Aldebol calls municipal workers the backbone of the city and notes that over 32,000 individuals departed the city's workforce in fiscal year 2025, raising the question of what is driving attrition at such a pace.
Aldebol cites research showing employees seek work-life balance, career development, and competitive pay. DCAS exit surveys show resignations outpacing retirements, over a quarter citing lack of advancement, and 54% would consider leaving for more remote work flexibility.
Aldebol describes new city efforts including the Little Apple free child care center, an expanded Mayor's Scholarship program, and a labor-partnership task force on civil service modernization, while noting lengthy hiring timelines still frustrate recruitment.
Aldebol thanks senior legislative counsel Rie Ogasawara, Senior Policy Analyst Nina Rosenberg, Chief of Staff Sophia Brown, and her District 13 team, and recognizes Council Members Narcisse, Hudson, and Morano for attending.
Aldebol announces the committee will hear testimony from representatives of DCAS and the Office of Labor Relations and turns to committee counsel to administer the oath for the panel.
Committee counsel instructs panelists to raise their right hands and affirms they will tell the truth, the whole truth, and respond honestly to council member questions.
Katrina Porter, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Human Capital Officer at DCAS, introduces colleagues Katie Ann Otar and Dan Pollack, and describes DCAS's mission to make city government work for all New Yorkers, including its workforce.
Porter describes the opening of the Little Apple child care center at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, saying the program puts up to $20,000 back into the pockets of working municipal families.
Porter describes the expanded Mayor's Scholarship Graduate Program, a new undergraduate support pipeline, the NYC to Learn e-learning platform, and the citywide career account with designated career counselors under Local Law 75.
Porter says the pension system and retirement planning classes, pension Q&As, pre-tax benefits, flexible spending accounts, and public service loan forgiveness help employees manage everyday costs and plan for the future.
Porter describes the first citywide employee viewpoint survey under Local Law 76, with over 16,000 respondents and 78% feeling respected, and the second-year exit survey report where 11 of 14 categories received mostly positive ratings.
Porter highlights the Civil Service Modernization Advisory Committee with organized labor, free civil service exams for high school students and first-time test takers, the doubled Civil Service Pathway Fellowship, and the new Jobs NYC Center.
Porter says the city's 85% retention rate matches New York State and the federal government, that median city tenure is about nine years versus three in the private sector, and that the vacancy rate has fallen to 3.8% from 8.4% in 2021.
Porter concludes that investing in employees ensures talented New Yorkers can build lasting careers with the city, thanks the committee, and notes Dan Pollack will also read testimony.
Daniel Pollack, First Deputy Commissioner at the Mayor's Office of Labor Relations, introduces colleague Zach Leiter, apologizes for a cold, and says he will outline collective bargaining efforts on recruitment and retention.
Pollack says the last round delivered over 16% wage increases over five years, a flexible work pilot extended through June 2027, and equity funding that raised entry pay, eliminated early steps, and funded retention bonuses for titles like lifeguards, 911 operators, and DSS caseworkers.
Pollack describes OLR-administered benefits including health, deferred compensation, flexible spending accounts, IRAs, and union welfare funds, and highlights the new NICE PPO plan with an expanded retirement network and wider behavioral health network.
Pollack notes Work Well NYC's 10th anniversary and the employee assistance program providing physical, mental, and emotional health support, and acknowledges the city needs to improve how it communicates benefits to employees.
Pollack says with many collective bargaining agreements expiring in the coming year, recruitment and retention will remain a critical point of discussion in the next round of bargaining with labor unions.
Council Member Crystal Hudson asks what percentage of the workforce the 16,000 survey respondents represent and what DCAS is doing to boost participation; Porter says the survey runs on a two-year cadence and the next is due in 2027.
Hudson asks the size of the total city workforce; Outar says 370,000 employees, later clarifying the survey went to 169,000 excluding DOE and H&H with about 10% responding, and promises to follow up with exact figures.
Aldebol asks about the nine-year average length of service and whether DCAS has agency-level breakdowns; Outar says the workforce profile report covers citywide data and agencies can do deeper dives on specific titles.
Aldebol asks whether there are spikes in departures at three or five years; Outar says most departing employees leave within zero to four years, citing career development, salary, and work-life balance, and describes an information initiative on career pathways.
Aldebol asks how far out DCAS and agency heads anticipate supervisory vacancies; Porter describes the exam-based, data-driven annual workforce planning process with questionnaires to agencies and targeted hiring events for high-attrition titles.
Aldebol, drawing on her experience as a city caseworker, asks whether agencies have infrastructure to pass institutional knowledge to newer employees; Porter says succession planning happens at the agency level and DCAS does not manage it citywide.
Aldebol notes some NYC to Learn courses cost up to $1,900 and asks who pays; Outar says costs range from $150 to higher for certificate programs and are borne by agencies, not employees, and Pollack notes some union training funds.
Aldebol asks whether DCAS tracks training requests and how workers learn courses are free; Outar describes outreach through agency personnel officers, training liaisons, dedicated NYC to Learn sessions, and flyers emphasizing no cost to employees.
Aldebol asks whether outreach has increased training participation; Outar says participation grew from about 13,000 to over 20,000 employees over three years, with classes filling up and more sessions added.
Aldebol asks which course categories have the highest enrollment; Outar says demand varies, with Excel, project management, and leadership courses well attended, and DCAS does targeted outreach for under-enrolled courses.
Aldebol asks whether trainings lead to promotional opportunities and whether DCAS tracks agency participation; Outar says promotion outcomes are tracked at the agency level and DCAS data is not that granular, though it plans to engage low-participation agencies.
Council Member Frank Morano questions whether an 85% retention rate is worth celebrating given 32,000 departures, and asks whether the 3.8% vacancy rate accounts for eliminated or frozen positions; Porter defends the figures as comparable to other large employers.
Morano asks whether agency commissioners are evaluated on retention rates and whether DCAS would support publishing agency retention rates with corrective action plans; Porter says she cannot speak to evaluations but is open to the discussion.
Morano notes the child care program has only 40 slots in lower Manhattan and asks how it helps workers in Staten Island or on overnight shifts; Porter says it is a pilot meant to develop a framework that could be expanded, and Hudson notes the long waiting list.
Aldebol notes the MMR cites a target of 10,377 training participants for FY26 and FY27, far below actual participation, and asks whether those targets have been adjusted.
Outar corrects earlier testimony, saying the survey excluded DOE and H&H, was sent to 169,000 employees, and drew a 10% response rate.
Outar says DCAS is identifying additional vendors, building better pathways into HR and IT training, and expanding virtual, in-person, and asynchronous options in the spring catalog.
Aldebol asks whether DCAS gets feedback from agencies on training needs; Outar describes listening sessions with vendors, agency partners, and employees, plus agency-specific supervisory training.
Aldebol asks how promotional exam decisions differ from open competitive exams; Porter says DCAS uses data on employees eligible for promotion and can add exams to the schedule throughout the cycle.
Aldebol asks how OMB's headcount budgeting influences promotional exam decisions; Porter says it does not, because exams are a forward-looking, preemptive measure ready six to nine months after administration.
Aldebol cites Local Law 130 exit survey results showing compensation, benefits, work-life balance, and growth rated negatively, and asks whether agency organizational structures could add career ladder levels; Pollack says that is largely an agency prerogative.
Aldebol notes 80% of departures were resignations, 13.5% retirements, and 5.5% transfers, and asks whether transfer trends exist; Porter says movement is common given opportunities across 80-plus agencies.
Aldebol cites survey data that 35% of employees found work-life balance skewed and felt emotionally drained; Outar and Pollack describe Work Well NYC, which reached over 60,000 participants, and the employee assistance program.
Aldebol asks whether managers are trained to remind employees about wellness programs; Pollack says OLR created a new communications division and acknowledges benefit communication needs improvement, while Outar notes stress and emotional intelligence courses.
Aldebol asks whether EAP numbers include DOE and H&H; Pollack says EAP serves DOE, H&H, and other agencies while uniformed agencies have their own programs, and clarifies Work Well reached 60,000 participants.
Aldebol asks whether agency heads or the mayor's office decide which titles get hybrid work; Pollack says under agreements with DC 37 and other unions, agencies decide the degree of remote work and who is eligible.
Aldebol asks about the comparative worth analysis required by Local Law 27; Porter says the city contracted with a vendor in 2025, desk audits are beginning, and the first report to the Council is due May 7.
Aldebol asks whether DCAS would review minimum qualifications for titles found substantially similar; Porter says the report will include recommendations and DCAS is open to Council input.
Aldebol asks about the child care waiting list and staff at the center; Porter says 37 families are waiting, and Outar says the center is vendor-managed with no city employees working there.
Aldebol asks whether departing employees can elaborate on personal reasons and whether parenting responsibilities factor into child care expansion; Outar says the survey does not probe personal reasons, though a separate needs survey informed the center's creation.
Aldebol asks about services at the Jobs NYC Center, which drew 2,400 applicants on opening day; Porter says SBS manages the center while DCAS supports with civil service exam information, kiosks, and a computerized testing center.
Aldebol asks whether the committee convened and what legislation could help; Porter says it has met twice, working groups are active, and recommendations are targeted for the end of the year, with an offer to brief the Council.
Aldebol asks how many employees enrolled in the expanded undergraduate scholarship program; Outar says about 91 individuals from roughly 21 agencies applied to schools, and DCAS is collecting award data.
Aldebol asks which agencies are most represented among scholarship seekers and how many applications the 2026 cohort received; Outar says she will follow up and that graduate applications are due in November.
Aldebol asks whether DCAS is expanding scholarship partnerships with other schools; Outar describes cold calls, information sessions, and school resource fairs to connect employees with programs.
Aldebol asks whether DCAS is coordinating with the state on high-demand fields for the expanding Reconnect programs; Porter says DCAS has not had that level of conversation but plans to share information with agencies.
Aldebol asks how DCAS gets the word out about programs; Porter describes monthly meetings with about 200 agency personnel officers, and Outar notes direct emails and information sessions for scholarship programs.
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse asks how much the city spends on overtime and why nurses, EMTs, and other health care workers are leaving; Porter and Outar say they do not have that data but will follow up.
Narcisse asks whether DCAS has retention data on H&H workers and whether the city knows the cost of losing and replacing an employee; Outar says H&H runs its own survey, and Porter says the cost data is not available today.
Narcisse notes most of the 32,000 departing employees did not complete exit surveys or interviews despite Local Law 130; Outar explains DCAS provides templates and guidance but participation is voluntary and subject to selection bias.
Narcisse cites resignations rising from 71% of departures in FY24 to over 80% in FY25 and asks which agencies and titles are losing people and where they go; Outar cites social services and uniform titles and career growth concerns.
Narcisse thanks the panel and stresses that better data on why employees leave would let the city design solutions, warning against being penny-wise and dollar-foolish on training and retention.
Aldebol asks how OLR and the administration identify titles for equity funding; Pollack says it draws on retention and recruitment data, agency conversations, and union negotiations, citing dozens of DC 37 titles plus probation officers and school safety agents.
Aldebol asks where the equity funding concept is being applied now and whether contracts can be reopened mid-term; Pollack says last round's funds are spent, the concept will be considered in the next round, and reopeners are possible by mutual agreement.
Aldebol asks why certain employees are excluded from the NYC EAP; Pollack explains uniformed agencies like NYPD, DOC, sanitation, and fire run their own EAP programs with peer counselors, and OLR coordinates with them.
Aldebol asks what factors shape salary schedules and how common retention bonuses are; Pollack says OLR weighs recruitment and retention data, where in a career employees leave, and union input, and is cautious about shifting pay between junior and senior employees.
Aldebol asks how exit survey and interview data guide decisions to raise pay for specific titles; Pollack says OLR will review exit and viewpoint surveys, union input, and the year in which employees tend to leave a title.
Aldebol asks whether OLR has a role in increasing awareness of DCAS programs; Pollack says DCAS does an excellent job promoting them, OLR will work with them and involve unions, and OLR will focus on its own benefit programs.
Aldebol asks whether employees reliant on SNAP or CHIP can decline bonuses that might push them over income thresholds; Pollack says bonuses and salary payments are mandatory but OLR would consider such requests, and Aldebol concludes her questions.
Aldebol opens the floor to public testimony, reminding attendees of decorum rules, the two-minute speaking limit, and how to submit written testimony within 72 hours.
Rose Lovaglio-Miller, Associate Director of District Council 37, introduces herself and notes her union represents more than 90,000 municipal workers providing essential city services.
Lovaglio-Miller says the city focuses more on recruitment than retention, that many programs are unknown to employees, and that DC 37's 16.21% contract increases were outpaced by roughly 21% growth in metro-area prices.
Lovaglio-Miller describes members who are homeless or living in cars and calls for a municipal housing program, arguing that what the city deems affordable is out of reach for workers like school lunch helpers and park workers.
Lovaglio-Miller says the city could designate high-vacancy titles as hard to recruit, which would eliminate residency requirements and the 15% lower new-hire rate, tools she says the city is not using.
Lovaglio-Miller explains that non-competitive titles lack leave rights of competitive ones, opposes reclassification, and cites 911 operators as a retention problem where many recruits fail to complete training.
Lovaglio-Miller says she wants to partner with the city rather than criticize it, urging the administration to use unions in a real, not superficial, way on retention and civil service reform.
Aldebol asks whether housing instability drives turnover; Lovaglio-Miller says yes, arguing that housing insecurity leads to discipline and resignations, and that municipal housing would be both a recruitment and retention tool.
Catherine Vaughn, co-executive director of Abundance New York, praises DCAS progress but notes the Mayor's Management Report cited insufficient staffing about 20 times, and argues retention is a cost-effective lever.
Vaughn says 60% of employees who resigned in FY24 had less than five years of service, attrition is acute in frontline roles like ACS child protective specialists and DOB inspectors, and citywide overtime grew to $2.5 billion in 2025.
Vaughn proposes automatic raises at six and 18 months, citing ACS as a model, and argues paying to retain costs less than replacing workers, noting FDNY EMTs top out under $60,000 while firefighters earn nearly double.
Vaughn proposes planning for predictable retirements and promotions, and calls on DCAS to publish vacancy and attrition data by title and agency dashboards, plus a standing labor-management forum on civil service modernization.
Aldebol asks what the Council can legislate, such as data dashboards; Vaughn says centralized data on where retention problems are worst would pay for itself, and Lovaglio-Miller agrees.
Lovaglio-Miller says advancement is slowed by lengthy OMB approvals to fill and place employees in lines, and that treatment of workers at job sites is an intangible driver of turnover.
Aldebol asks how treatment can improve; Lovaglio-Miller describes DC 37's years-long effort to negotiate salaries for accreted managerial titles where pay ranges from $50,000 to $190,000 for similar work, urging a more streamlined floor. Aldebol thanks the witnesses.
Aldebol checks whether anyone on Zoom wishes to speak, then calls registered speakers Mamadou Juma Barry and Chowdhury Hassan Mahmood, who do not appear, and waits for the sergeant at arms to locate a sign-up.
Matthew Lee, a legislative fellow for Council Member Narcisse, says early turnover and employees not knowing their benefits drive attrition, and proposes free transit access for all city employees as a tangible benefit.
Aldebol reminds the public they can submit written testimony within 72 hours, thanks the administration and public for attending, and adjourns the hearing.