NYC Emergency Snow Shovelers Now Earn $30 an Hour: October Sign-Ups in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island

Published: September 26, 2026 | By LocalJobPage Team

NEW YORK, NY — New York City is signing up its winter snow crew early, and the job pays a lot more than it did last year. Emergency snow shovelers now start at $30 an hour, and the Department of Sanitation is holding in-person registration days on three October Saturdays: Brooklyn on October 3, Queens on October 10 and Staten Island on October 17.

Three Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one borough each. Show up 18 or older, legally authorized to work, and carrying the right original documents.

Need work now? Skip straight to the seasonal job links and start searching →

📍 At a Glance

Program	DSNY Emergency Snow Shovelers
Brooklyn	Saturday, October 3, 2026, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, PS 289 George V. Brower, 900 St. Marks Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213
Queens	Saturday, October 10, 2026, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, PS 040 Samuel Huntington, 109-20 Union Hall St., Queens, NY 11433
Staten Island	Saturday, October 17, 2026, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Susan E. Wagner High School, 1200 Manor Road, Staten Island
Pay	$30 an hour; $45 an hour after 40 hours in a week
Eligibility	18 or older, legally authorized to work in the U.S., able to do heavy labor in winter weather
Format	In person
Organizer	NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY)

💵 A Raise From $19.14 to $30 an Hour

The pay bump is the news. Last winter, emergency shovelers started at $19.14 an hour and earned $28.71 after 40 hours in a week. Under the change announced by the Mayor's Office on September 15, the base rate is now $30 and the overtime rate is $45.

Shovelers are called in after heavy snowfalls to clear what plows can't reach: bus stops, crosswalks, fire hydrants and the city's step streets. Last winter more than 7,800 people took part, clearing about 135,000 crosswalks, 34,000 bus stops and 29,000 hydrants, according to the city.

"When the snow comes, our city needs to be ready," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in announcing the raise.

✅ What to Bring on Registration Day

Come prepared. DSNY asks for original, unexpired documents, not photocopies:

Your Social Security card
A completed federal W-4 and New York State IT-2104 withholding form
A completed I-9 form, plus the identification documents the I-9 requires
A working phone number and email address

Photos are taken on site. Fill out the forms at home to save time in line.

⚠️ Read This Before You Go

This is on-call work, not a steady paycheck. Hours depend entirely on how much snow falls, and a mild winter can mean few or no shifts. Treat it as solid extra income, not your only job.

The work is hard, heavy labor in bad weather. Dress for it.

Timing matters too. People who register before November 30 get a paid four-hour orientation in December and faster payment, with checks processed within two weeks of working. Expect a confirmation email about three weeks after registering, then a garage assignment based on borough needs and your top three choices. Status questions after October 31 go to ShovelSnow@dsny.nyc.gov. Earlier sessions ran in the Bronx on September 19 and in Manhattan on September 26. Any more dates will be posted at DSNY's snow shoveler page.

🔎 Line Up Steady Winter Work Too

Snow shifts come and go with the forecast. Pair them with a steadier seasonal job: warehouses, delivery routes and building crews all staff up for the holidays across the five boroughs.

Start here:

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do NYC emergency snow shovelers make?

Pay starts at $30 an hour and rises to $45 an hour after the first 40 hours worked in a week.

When and where are the October registration events?

All three run 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays: October 3 at PS 289 George V. Brower, 900 St. Marks Ave., Brooklyn; October 10 at PS 040 Samuel Huntington, 109-20 Union Hall St., Queens; and October 17 at Susan E. Wagner High School, 1200 Manor Road, Staten Island.

Who can sign up?

Anyone 18 or older who is legally authorized to work in the U.S. and can handle heavy physical labor in winter conditions. No prior experience requirement is listed.

Do I have to register before November 30?

November 30 is the date that matters for perks: registering before it gets you a paid orientation in December and faster pay once you start working.

Get Ahead of Winter Hiring in New York

Snow work is one piece of a winter paycheck. Create your free job seeker account to get seen by employers across the city, and explore the LocalJobPage Career Center for field-by-field guides.

Employers: staffing up for the holidays or the winter season? Post your openings here and reach New York job seekers directly.