Int 0692-2026

Proposed Int. No. 692-A By Council Members De La Rosa, Schulman, Joseph, Maloney, Won, Louis, Encarnaci�n, Narcisse, Hankerson, Guti�rrez, Brewer, Dinowitz, Krishnan, Abreu, Epstein, Gennaro, Aldebol, Wong, Nurse, Marte, Hudson, Santosuosso, Banks, Cab�n, Hanif, Salaam, Oss�, Hanks, J. Sanchez, Lee, Thomas-Henry, P. Sanchez, Avil�s, Restler, Riley, Zhuang, Ung, Stevens, Brooks-Powers, Feliz, Far�as, Wilson, Ariola, Paladino, Morano, Vernikov and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) (in conjunction with the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan Borough Presidents) ..Title A Local Law in relation to workforce stabilization payments for school paraprofessionals, and providing for the repeal of such local law upon the expiration thereof ..Body Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. Legislative intent and findings. The council finds and declares that (i) the city of New York has experienced persistent difficulties in recruiting and retaining school paraprofessionals due to low rates of pay, resulting in staffing shortages and turnover that impair the continuity of educational and student-support services, including critical services for students with disabilities; (ii) the city of New York has a moral, ethical, and legal obligation to make available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities, including through appropriate staffing ratios, individualized services, and meaningful teaching supports; (iii) maintaining a stable school paraprofessional workforce is necessary to protect student safety and to ensure the effective delivery of instructional and support services in schools; (iv) workforce stabilization payments are necessary to address such emergency conditions until these conditions are rectified through collective bargaining, and the council will continue through its oversight function to monitor these conditions and address them as appropriate through potential legislative action; and (v) this local law is intended to provide such payments in a manner that does not limit or diminish the rights of any party to collectively bargain pursuant to article 14 of the civil service law or chapter 3 of title 12 of the administrative code of the city of New York. � 2. Workforce stabilization payments for school paraprofessionals. a. Definitions. For purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings: Department. The term "department" means the department of education of the city of New York. Eligible school paraprofessional. The term "eligible school paraprofessional" means any school paraprofessional employed during the 2026-2027 school year. School paraprofessional. The term "school paraprofessional" means any employee of the department in a title or position designated by the department as a paraprofessional or substitute paraprofessional title for purposes of the salary schedule applicable to school paraprofessionals, or designated by an employee's applicable collective bargaining agreement as a paraprofessional or substitute paraprofessional title. Workforce stabilization payment. The term "workforce stabilization payment" means a non-pensionable payment of up to $10,000 made to an eligible school paraprofessional in addition to any salary, wages, differentials, or other compensation otherwise payable. b. Payment schedule. Workforce stabilization payments shall be paid to each eligible school paraprofessional in four installments on the following payment schedule: no later than January 1, 2027 for the payment period from September 1, 2026 through November 14, 2026; no later than March 1, 2027 for the payment period from November 15, 2026 through January 31, 2027; no later than June 1, 2027 for the payment period from February 1, 2027 through April 14, 2027; and no later than August 1, 2027 for the payment period from April 15, 2027 through June 30, 2027. c. Proration. Each eligible school paraprofessional who is designated a full-time employee by the department or pursuant to such employee's applicable collective bargaining agreement shall be paid a workforce stabilization payment of $10,000 according to the payment schedule set forth in subdivision b of this section. The workforce stabilization payments required pursuant to subdivision b of this section shall be prorated according to the number of days an eligible school paraprofessional was on payroll in the relevant payment period during the 2026-2027 school year. � 3. Nothing in this local law shall be construed to limit or otherwise alter the right of the mayor, a certified employee organization, or any other person or entity, to bargain pursuant to chapter 3 of title 12 of the administrative code of the city of New York. � 4. Nothing in this local law shall be construed to require the payment of any workforce stabilization payment following the expiration and repeal of this local law, or to a school paraprofessional covered by a collective bargaining agreement that provides for an increase in the total annual compensation as owed to such school paraprofessional on the effective date of this local law that is equal to or greater than the amount of the workforce stabilization payment. � 5. This local law takes effect immediately and expires and is deemed repealed upon the payment of a workforce stabilization payment to all eligible school paraprofessionals, or upon the execution of a collective bargaining agreement or collective bargaining agreements that provide for an increase in the total annual compensation for all eligible school paraprofessionals equal to or greater than the amount of the workforce stabilization payments required pursuant to section two of this local law, whichever occurs first. Upon such execution of all relevant collective bargaining agreements, the mayor shall notify the corporation counsel for the purpose of effectuating section 7-111 of the administrative code of the city of New York. Any failure to provide the notification described in this section shall not affect the effective date of any provision of this local law. LS #18918 7/8/2026 5:30pm 3 1