NYC Mayor Signs Heat Safety Order for Outdoor Workers

A New Order to Protect Workers From Deadly Heat

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order this week to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat. The order is the first of its kind in New York City history. It matters most to the 1.4 million people in New York City who work outdoors for long periods — many of them immigrants of color.

Extreme heat kills about 500 New Yorkers every year. In 2024 alone, at least four construction workers in New York state died from heat-related causes. One of those workers, John Mosquera, a 26-year-old Dominican cargo worker at LaGuardia Airport, fainted during a 10-hour shift on a 98-degree day. His employer, Alliance Ground International (AGI), sent him on break but did not file a required report. Workers at LaGuardia have been organizing with the union 32BJ SEIU, and at least one worker says he was punished for simply asking for water during a heat wave.

The executive order directs several city agencies to act. The Department of Buildings must review and strengthen heat safety rules for construction sites, with recommendations due to the mayor by March 1, 2027. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection must strictly enforce existing labor protections — including bathroom access — during extreme heat. Multilingual heat safety materials for outdoor workers must be ready by the end of 2026. Materials for indoor workers are due by March 1, 2027. Every city agency must also create a heat illness prevention plan for city employees and contractors.

This city-level action comes as protections at other levels have weakened. In April 2026, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reversed a directive that let the agency inspect high-risk worksites for heat dangers. At the state level, the TEMP Act — a bill that would require employers across New York state to provide workers with water, shade, and air conditioning — has stalled due to opposition from the agricultural industry.

What to Do

• If you work outdoors in New York City and your employer is not providing water, shade, or rest breaks during extreme heat, you can report this to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. You do not need to be a citizen or have a work permit (Form I-765, the Employment Authorization Document) to file a labor complaint.
• If your employer punishes you for asking for basic safety protections — like water — lawyers recommend documenting every incident with dates, times, and names of witnesses. Keep copies of any written communication.
• If you are an immigrant worker and fear that reporting a violation could affect your immigration case, immigration lawyers say you still have labor rights. In these situations, people usually consult both a labor attorney and an immigration lawyer before filing a complaint.
• Watch for multilingual heat safety materials from the city, which must be distributed to workers by the end of 2026. These materials will be available in multiple languages.