The past few days have been a whirlwind, as an unexpected snowstorm swept through New York and neighboring states, leaving massive piles of snow in its wake. Fortunately for New York City residents, Mayor Zohran Mamdani launched a program offering $30 per hour for snow removal services, drawing long lines of eager participants.
One New Yorker decided to bring her viewers along for her 12-hour shift to detail what really goes on behind the scenes. Honestly, it seems like a great way to earn a ton of extra cash while also helping out your local community.
The video was shared to TikTok by user @emily_freestn, a New York woman named Emily who uses her account to share her experiences within the city. In this particular video, she talks about how she decided to sign up to be a snow shoveler after this past weekend’s insane snowstorm blanketed the city.
The initiative was spearheaded by Mayor Zohran Mamdani to ensure that the roads are cleared out quickly. People who successfully onboard are paid $30 per hour, with the option to work overtime at $45 per hour. Here, Emily talks about her 12-hour shift and what it really means to sign up for something so laborious. The video shows how the workers are taken to areas with the densest snow and given shovels to remove ice and snow for hours. Because her shift was from 8 am to 8 pm, she even got to see the sun rise.
She details that, even though it was hard work, it was well worth it, with other TikTok users corroborating her story. User @wazup.pontiac even posted about the pros and cons of the job for those really curious. Honestly, it does seem like a pretty good gig for those with the physical capabilities.
New York Woman Gives the Scoop on Snow Shoveling
Tons of people jumped into the comments to try to ask a few questions of their own about the program, with one person even saying, “Omg thank u for documenting I was wondering.” Others were shocked to discover how the program worked behind the scenes, even thinking it was a pretty good idea, saying, “a 12 hour shift for 30/hour is well worth missing a day of work at my regular job.”
The incentive clearly worked, as much of the city appears to have been cleared of snow and made ready for a busy week of traffic. Emily even takes a moment to appreciate the hardworking Hispanic and Latino residents, knowing many of them will return the next day to continue helping. It raises the question of what other incentives might encourage locals and residents to support the city in different ways.
