By Mike Lee

In a victory for public workers in New York City, the union and the Mamdani Administration agreed to extend the flexible work pilot program for mayoral agencies until the end of May 2027.

The program, which was negotiated as part of the 2023 Citywide Economic Agreement, provides alternative schedules which include up to two remote work days per week for more than 70,000 city workers, including many District Council 37 members. It also allows for flexible schedules and compressed time for certain titles that are ineligible for telework.

During this extension period, the Flexible Work Committee established by DC 37 and the city as part of the initial agreement will continue to address related issues as they arise, including modernization policies regarding workspaces at city agencies.

The program, launched in June 2023, included extensive bargaining with every city agency and the union to ensure eligible workers had the opportunity to work on a hybrid or alternative schedule. Allowing these workers to choose also benefited retention and recruitment efforts in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest agreement extends the flexible work pilot program through May 31, 2027, with the option to renew for one additional year. Employee participation in the pilot is voluntary. Information on eligibility has been communicated to DC 37’s local presidents.

This article originally appeared in the April-June 2026 issue of PEPTalk Magazine.