New York City has found a new way to make snow a little less annoying: get paid to shovel it.
The city is raising pay for its Emergency Snow Shoveler program to $30 an hour, with workers able to earn $45 an hour after the first 40 hours worked in a week. The revamped program is designed to get more New Yorkers ready before the next big snowstorm hits.
That means your winter wardrobe could soon include a very important accessory: a shovel—and potentially a paycheck.
Emergency Snow Shovelers are temporary, per-diem workers who help clear crosswalks, bus stops, fire hydrants and step streets after major snowfalls. The work is coordinated by the New York City Department of Sanitation, so this isn’t exactly an excuse to grab a shovel and start charging your neighbors $45 an hour.
The new $30 starting rate represents a significant increase from the previous standard rate of $19.14 per hour. The city says the higher rate will be part of the program for the upcoming winter season, with overtime bringing the hourly rate to $45 after 40 hours in a week.
And apparently, New Yorkers are willing to work for it. More than 7,800 people signed up during last winter’s brutal snow season, helping city workers clear approximately 135,000 crosswalks, 34,000 bus stops and 29,000 fire hydrants.
Registration for the 2026-27 NYC snow shoveling program is moving earlier, with a paid four-hour orientation planned for December. Applicants must be at least 18, eligible to work in the U.S. and capable of performing heavy physical labor.
So, if you’re looking for a NYC winter side hustle, this one comes with fresh air, sore muscles and a surprisingly respectable hourly rate.
Snow day? More like pay day.
