NEW YORK (Feb. 1, 2023) — Gregory J. Morris, CEO of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition, released the following statement on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Fiscal Year 2024 Executive Budget
proposal:
“Many of Gov. Hochul’s proposed investments to support New York’s workforce are encouraging and can potentially translate to meaningful improvements in the quality of life for thousands of New Yorkers. Over the coming weeks, the Legislature should absolutely work with the governor on indexing the minimum wage to inflation, which will be especially meaningful for women and people of color across the state. Expanding eligibility for childcare assistance will also help more New Yorkers access the resources they need to secure good-paying career opportunities to support their families. By opening pathways for community hiring on government projects and reducing barriers that public assistance recipients have to long-term employment, we will rev up our local economic engines and provide more opportunity than ever for New York talent. Extending youth employment programs to a full school year will also have a significant impact on young adults whose unemployment rates are recovering at a much slower pace than any other age group. We are hopeful that our state will prioritize these significant and sustainable investments so that we’re supporting tomorrow’s workforce as much as working New Yorkers today.”
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About the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC)
Founded in 1997, the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) is the largest city-based workforce development association in the country. NYCETC works to ensure that every New Yorker — especially those who have been historically marginalized and disenfranchised and cut off from workforce opportunities — has access to the skills, training, and education needed to thrive in the local economy and that every business is able to maintain a highly-skilled workforce.