New York City Tests Four-Day Workweek Pilot for City Employees

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and District Council 37 (DC 37) Executive Director Henry Garrido have officially launched the city’s four-day pilot program to offer greater work flexibility to city employees. 

The pilot program introduces the concept of a “compressed workweek,” allowing New York City agencies to schedule eligible employees for four-day workweeks, or a combination of four- and five-day weeks. The approach was designed to ensure employees continue to work the same number of hours as in a traditional five-day workweek. According to the city’s official announcement, the pilot program was organized in collaboration with the flexible work committee established in its DC 37 contract agreement. 

Mayor Adams, who in the past has stated, “You can’t run New York City from home,” has since embraced flexible work opportunities like remote work, in efforts to improve attraction and retention efforts within the city’s agencies.  

Adams stated in the city’s recent announcement, “Now, city workers whose job responsibilities don’t allow them to work remotely will have the flexibility they deserve, all while ensuring that the best municipal workforce in the world can continue to deliver every day for New Yorkers.”  

The pilot program builds on the success of the city’s remote work pilot introduced last year, in which over 20,000 DC 37 employees worked remotely. However, the new initiative is specifically designed to cater to roles where remote work is operationally challenging. It provides a potential solution for those who have been unable to access flexible work arrangements in the past year. 

As businesses and organizations continue to adapt to changing circumstances, the concept of compressed workweeks could become a trend that gains attention this year. However, the slow adoption rates mean the concept is still fringe in the workforce.  

The pilot program is set to run through May 2025, with the possibility of a renewal. The city’s more proactive stance in negotiating contracts and trialing flexible work arrangements with its unionized workforce could set a precedent for other major U.S. cities and organizations looking to create establish more flexible work policies.