Overview
- The Department of Sanitation recruited per‑diem shovelers to clear public walkways, paying $19.14 per hour with a rise to $28.71 after 40 hours.
- Applicants were told to bring two small photos, two original IDs plus copies, and a Social Security card, and they must be eligible to work in the U.S.
- Critics contrasted the hiring documents with New York City voting rules that generally do not require ID at polling places, accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani of inconsistency.
- Mamdani and DSNY said the requirements predate his tenure and are required under federal employment law, with DSNY noting it cannot issue pay without verifying work authorization.
- Early sign‑ups appeared uneven, with some garages reporting no applicants for hours and another in Brooklyn tallying about 35, as the city moved to deploy more than 1,000 shovelers and aimed for roughly 1,400; one outlet separately reported a temporary raise to $30 per hour, which others had not confirmed.