According to the NYC Sanitation Department:
Get paid to help keep New Yorkers safe after winter storms.
Emergency Snow Shovelers are called on after heavy snowfalls to remove snow and ice citywide from public areas like bus stops, crosswalks, fire hydrants, and step streets.
We recruit temporary, per diem (by day) shovelers as needed.
Pay starts at $30.00 per hour and increases to $45.00 per hour after the first 40 hours worked in a week.
**REGISTRATION PERK** If your registration is completed before November 30, 2026, you will be eligible for a PAID 4-hour orientation in December, as well as fast-tracked processing to receive a paycheck within 2 weeks of working.
To become an Emergency Snow Shoveler, attend an upcoming Community Registration Event or visit the Jobs NYC Center in Manhattan.
Learn more about Snow Shoveler Registration Events.
Eligibility
To be eligible for hire, you must meet the following criteria:
- Age: At least 18 years old
- Work Status: Legal authorization to work in the United States
- Physical Ability: Able to perform heavy, physically demanding labor in adverse, winter weather conditions.
Registration
You have two convenient ways to register as an Emergency Snow Shoveler: you can either attend a community registration event or visit the dedicated Jobs NYC Center.
Here is how the two options break down:
Click here for more information.
According to Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Assistant Vice President Communications & Governement Affairs Bryant Daniels:
During last year’s blizzards, RIOC reached out to the NYC Sanitation Department for additional help shoveling snow and Roosevelt Island was sent a snow removal crew that helped dig out bus stops and other public areas.