Phila. City Council passes hire-in-Philly rule
For "first-time entry-level workers" at firms that work for the city, rent city property or accept city financing.
Phila. City Council passes hire-in-Philly rule
Joseph N. DiStefano
Private firms and contractors that do at least $25,000 in City of Philadelphia-funded business or receive city financial assistance will have to agree to try to hire "first-time entry-level workers" from a list of city residents, to do city-funded work, instead of using out-of-town or suburban employees, under legislation passed unanimously in City Council today.
Firms are free to hire off the city list if they can't find city workers within 10 days of starting their search. The bill also requires contractors to list "job requirements" so the city can collect data on the kind of jobs employers want to fill.
The bill looks like a compromise between an early Bill Green (D-At Large)-backed bill that would require at least half of tradespeople and non-professional workers hired by city contractors to be city residents, and objections by critics, including Jim Kenney (D-At Large), who said it was unfair to apply such a blanket law to blue-collar workers but not to college-educated professional employees.
Green was lead sponsor of the revised bill, which awaits action by Mayor Nutter.
This is how we will continue to lose a valuable, efficient, and qualified work force within the city.— amd804- But thy weren't from the city to start with — jonline
- Yet another effort by City Council to make Philadelphia unfriendly to businesses.— Joschmo
- This doesn't sound Legal or constitutional.— realtime
Politicians with feel good laws, with no enforcement. Hey why not raise the minimum wage to $20.00/hr next?- Dumb and Dumber, lending their Big Gubmint expertise to private business. What could possibly go wrong?— bill a,tkins
- Just in time for Xmas- more business will leave the city behind.— Taxpaying Voter
- So who creates the list, and who's on it? Politically connected Democrats?— LouDiamondPhillipsheadScrewdriver
- So, while these City Council numbskulls are patting themselves on the back, how many white collar businesses are already looking at thier options to get out of the City and back to the suburbs where this clueless City government can't tell them who they have to hire? What a sad city! These guys have no idea of the mess thier stupid laws are making. You can't make chicken salad out of a chicken s**t workforce.— martycon
- Hmm, so they no longer require their own employees to maintain city residency, but they want private employers to effectively do the same? Unless there is some resources put into compliance assurance, this will become a fraud-filled escapade, just like their minority-and female-owned contracting programs.— bobcitydoc
- And which employees would that be, pray tell? Besides the almighty teachers and (some of) the police? — Genghis
- I do not see anything wrong with this. There is nothing unconstitutional about it!
If you are going to do business with the municipality or take financial assistance, that means take Philly taxpayers (our money) money then you should have some employees from Philly or at least try to hire people from Philly!
If you do not like the rule, then don't do business or take financial assistance from Philly!— EIK - "If you do not like the rule, then don't do business [in] Philly!"
Really? So that is how you grow an economy, by shunning potential business? Absolutely insane. Why should I live in a city that has a poor school system and a corrupt police force just to have a job? Explain that one. If you want to make government workers do it, fine, but don't force the private sector into your archaic view of 'fairness'. - Spoken like a true democrat. I don't want to take "our money" so long as you don't take any of "my money" — jerryk2b
- If only there cared as much about educating current Philadelphia school children.........— Earl J
