Boston City Council Committee on Labor and Economic Development Hearing on the Boston Resident Jobs Policy – October 15, 2026

On October 15, 2026, beginning at 2:05 p.m., the Boston City Council Committee on Labor and Economic Development, chaired by District 4 Councilor Brian Warrell, held a hearing on Docket #0218 to review the effectiveness of the Boston Resident Jobs Policy and improving equity and employment standards on projects throughout Boston. Councilor Flynn joined the committee; Councilor Mejia and Council President Braden were absent. Administration officials Jody and senior manager Chris Will Brown presented an overview, compliance data, and workforce pipeline updates. The hearing was informational; no formal votes were taken, and no public testimony was offered.

Opening Remarks and Tribute

• Councilor Flynn expressed strong support for the Boston Resident Jobs Policy and its goal of giving Boston residents, women, and people of color equal access to construction jobs. He renewed his request for wage-dollar totals in addition to reported hours so the committee can understand financial impacts and compare outcomes across demographic groups.
• The panel observed a moment of silence for Brooke Woodson and Janet Jones. Chris read tributes: Woodson, a former director of the Boston Resident Jobs Policy Office for 20 years, died September 26 at age 62; Jones, a longtime community organizer, died June 21 and regularly attended Boston Employment Commission meetings.

Boston Resident Jobs Policy Overview

• The policy was established in 1983 and amended in 2017. It covers city projects and private developments over 50,000 square feet. Current goals are 51% of total work hours of journey people and apprentices by Boston residents, 40% by people of color, and 12% by women.
• Compliance is based on administrative requirements, such as attending pre-construction meetings, submitting documentation, and filing payroll records, rather than solely on whether contractors meet the hiring goals.
• The Office of Labor Compliance and Worker Protections, under the Worker Empowerment Cabinet, enforces the Boston Resident Jobs Policy along with the Boston Jobs, Living Wage and Prevailing Wage Ordinance, the Wage Theft Executive Order, and the Heat Illness and Injury Prevention Ordinance. The office also provides free OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 training and, after the September 24 Jamaica Plain tragedy, free fall prevention training.

Six-Month Compliance Data

• For April 1 through September 30, 2026, the office monitored 150 construction projects: 44 private projects and 106 public projects, including 30 from the Public Facilities Department, 15 from Parks, 28 from Public Works, and 33 from the Mayor's Office of Housing.
• Private projects: 3,100,000 work hours; 18% Boston residents, 41% people of color, 8% women.
• Public projects: 660,000 work hours; 22% Boston residents, 58% people of color, 5% women.
• The administration stated a combined total of 3,762,000 work hours; the stated subcategory figures sum to 3,760,000.
• Neighborhood locations included 21 projects in Boston proper/downtown/seaport, 23 in Dorchester, 4 in Jamaica Plain, and some in various locations.
• Public department breakdown: Mayor's Office of Housing had 454,000 hours with 21% Boston residents, 67% people of color, and 4% women; Public Works had 90,000 hours with 28%, 44%, and 4%; Parks had about 20,000 hours with 15%, 28%, and less than 1% women.
• Overall, people of color reached 44% of hours against the 40% goal, women reached 7% against the 12% goal, and Boston residents remained below the 51% goal. Administration officials described Boston resident percentages as historically low over the last decade, even though people of color and women shares have increased.

White Stadium Data

• White Stadium is monitored as two projects. Percentages below are listed as Boston resident / people of color / women.
• East Grandstand: about 60,000 hours; 39% / 49% / 14%. By trade: laborers 26,000 hours with 47% / 58% / 17%; carpenters 35% / 47% / 17%; iron workers 61% / 59% / 15%; operators 1% / 4% / 0%; electricians 38% / 60% / 16%.
• West Grandstand: about 48,000 hours; 36% / 45% / 10%. By trade: iron workers nearly 9,000 hours with 36% / 63% / 9%; carpenters 40% / 44% / 6%; operators 1% / 5% / 0%; electricians 50% / 24% / 0%.
• Jody said the comparatively strong White Stadium numbers, especially for women, were encouraging and warranted a deeper look so successful strategies could be replicated.

Compliance, Payroll, and Enforcement

• Seven construction monitors cover roughly 150 projects per year. Smaller projects receive scaled procedures, but compliance is required regardless of size.
• Payrolls are submitted through a Salesforce database. Late submission triggers warnings, corrective action meetings, and possible recommendations for sanctions. Officials said there is not 100% timely submission, but most contractors correct the issue after warnings. One fine of $11,000 has been issued during Jody's tenure.
• Wage data is currently collected only for public projects, beginning in November 2024, because it is tied to prevailing wage certified payroll records. Councilor Warrell asked whether a wage-reporting field could be added for private projects; Jody said the ordinance does not require that data and she would investigate whether the city can require it.
• In response to Councilor Fischel's question, officials said the city's BRJP office is responsible for workforce outcomes, not business contracting decisions. The city sets hiring goals, but contractors choose how to meet them, and the office has no direct authority over minority- or women-owned business participation. Construction monitors advise contractors on strategies to improve outreach.
• Councilor Flynn raised the 1985 executive order referencing Inspectional Services and building permits. Jody said she was not familiar with that permitting provision and noted state building code limits, but she agreed to provide a side-by-side comparison of the earlier and 2017 policy versions and to review how contractor compliance history is used in procurement and permitting.
• On the Living Wage Advisory Committee, Jody said it is being merged into a new advisory committee covering all wage-and-hour laws, and the work is part of the current fiscal year work plan.

Jobs Bank and Workforce Pipeline

• Jobs bank usage is minimal: requests and follow-through are under 20, and contractors rarely draw from it. The database is described as mostly unskilled younger workers, while contractors often seek skilled workers, so matches are often poor.
• The Boston Skilled Trades Initiative, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is expanding pathways from Madison Park into registered apprenticeships. Under the project labor agreement signed by Mayor Wu with the building trades, the trades agreed to accept up to 50 young people per year, with the goal of expanding from 50 to 100 by the end of the grant period. The first cohort graduated in 2026; Vocation by Madison held its orientation the previous night; and two apprenticeship navigators are now embedded at Madison Park.
• Officials said workforce development efforts are intended to expose young people to all 17 trades in the project labor agreement, including high-paying trades such as operators.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments or testimony were offered at this hearing. Chair Warrell said advocates remain engaged, noting a three-hour community meeting the previous evening.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational and adjourned.
• Jody agreed to provide Councilor Flynn with a side-by-side comparison of the 1985/1986 and 2017 versions of the Boston Resident Jobs Policy language and to investigate whether wage data can be added for private projects and reported from public projects since November 2024.
• The administration said its next annual wage-loss report will be presented in April at a future hearing; the 2024 and 2025 reports are available on the city website.
• The committee honored the memory of Brooke Woodson and Janet Jones and acknowledged the continued work of community advocates.