Bronx school hosts the first signup as NYC snow shovelers get $30 an hour
The Sanitation Department has raised pay for its emergency snow shovelers. In-person signups begin Saturday, Sept. 19, at a Bronx high school.
Shoveling snow for New York City this winter will pay $30 an hour. The Department of Sanitation opens in-person signups for its emergency shoveler program on Saturday, Sept. 19, in the Bronx.
Overtime pays more. Once a shoveler passes 40 hours of work in a single week, each extra hour earns $45. The raise follows the program’s biggest turnout yet: 7,800 residents took part last winter. That crew dug out 29,000 fire hydrants, 34,000 bus stops and 135,000 crosswalks. Crews also worked evening shifts and went out while storms were still underway.
Who can sign up to be an NYC snow shoveler
To qualify, you need to be 18 or older and have legal permission to work in the United States. You also need to be fit enough for hard physical labor in cold, snowy conditions.
Getting your name in early pays off. The deadline to watch is Nov. 30. People who register by then get two benefits: faster pay and a spot in a December training session that lasts four hours, with the time paid. The city’s target is for shovelers to receive their money no later than two weeks after they finish a job.
What to bring to a DSNY registration event
Saturday’s signup takes place at Taft High, a Bronx school at 240 E. 172nd St. The doors open at 9 a.m., and registration closes at 5 p.m. Bring:
- A phone number and an email address that work
- Completed withholding forms: the federal W-4 and the New York State IT-2014
- A completed I-9 and the identification it calls for (the official I-9 Acceptable Documents list shows which documents count)
You can leave printed photos at home. In past years the department asked shovelers to bring their own. Now the pictures will be taken at each registration event, which removes one more hurdle to joining.
More registration dates in all five boroughs are coming soon. For the schedule, check the department’s @NYCsanitation social media accounts or nyc.gov/snowemploy.
Quick answers
How much do NYC emergency snow shovelers get paid?
The base rate is $30 an hour. Any hours beyond 40 in a single week pay $45.
Who can register to be a snow shoveler in NYC?
You must be 18 or older, have legal permission to work in the United States and be able to handle hard physical labor in winter weather.
Where is the first snow shoveler registration event?
At Taft High in the Bronx, 240 E. 172nd St., on Saturday, Sept. 19. It opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.
