Tech:NYC Digest: September 20

Tech:NYC Digest: September 20

September 20, 2022 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

In today’s digest, the workplace vax mandate gets an end date, why the MTA is putting security cameras in 6,400 train cars, and the tech workers sniffing out your work-life balance policies before they even apply.

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  • NYC is lifting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private sector workers on Nov. 1. (NBC New York)

    • However, employers will be free to continue requiring their workers to be vaccinated, and the mandate remains in effect for municipal workers. (NBC News)

    • The vaccine mandate on students participating in sports and other higher-risk extracurricular activities will also be lifted, effective immediately.

  • The MTA will install security cameras in every train car in an effort to reassure riders concerned about subway crime in the city, said Gov. Kathy Hochul. (New York Times)

  • Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation to expand public servants’ access to student loan forgiveness programs, as well as increase outreach efforts to help eligible New Yorkers take advantage of federal time-limited public service loan forgiveness waivers. (CBS News)

  • As Hurricane Fiona continues to hit Puerto Rico, New York is sending 500 Spanish-speaking police officers, medical supplies, and more to help overcome the worst storm it has seen since Hurricane Maria decimated the island almost five years ago to the day. (NY1)

In other reading:

  • For New Yorkers, 6 p.m. Is the New 8 p.m. (New York Times)

  • In Times Square, a 12-foot-tall Syrian immigrant named Little Amal receives a warm welcome (Gothamist)

  • 60 Wall Street’s Lobby Is Weird and Ridiculous and Deserves to Be Saves (Curbed)

Forget “quiet quitting” — job seekers are more closely scrutinizing roles before they even apply. (Wall Street Journal)

  • More candidates are searching job postings for common phrases they perceive as red flags that may lead to overwork. 

  • Companies that call their teams “like a family,” for example, are one of those flags, and listings that highlight benefits like free meals and on-site entertainment can signal managers expect workers to work well into the night.

The most valuable perk bosses can now offer: boundaries. (Wall Street Journal) Hiring managers are bringing up work-life balance much earlier in the hiring process, and employers are more explicitly calling out respect for work-life limits in their jobs ads.

  • There’s a long list of studies maintaining a balance between personal and professional obligations can have a number of important positive effects, including boosts in employee morale, improved job output, and even better health. (Fast Company)

But putting boundaries into practice is a challenge: It’s hard for a worker to know the dynamics of a particular job scenario before they actually begin.

  • According to a Glassdoor analysis of hundreds of employee reviews, mentions of boundaries have climbed by over 30 percent from 2019 to this year.

  • Three out of four comments on how employers handle boundaries were unfavorable, according to the report.

If you’re looking for some common-sense tips on set those boundaries, here’s a few tips — and the software that can help.

In other reading:

  • Why your bad boss will probably lose the remote-work wars (NPR)

  • What I learned about the future from listening to 223 YC startup pitches (Protocol)

  • From Boom to Gloom: Tech Recruiters Struggle to Find Work (New York Times)

  • Fondue, a New York and Tel Aviv-based e-commerce incentive platform, raised $10.5 million in seed funding. Quiet Capital and Hanaco Ventures co-led the round and were joined by Infinity Ventures, Ground Up Ventures, Sugar Capital, Starting Line, R Squared Ventures, Gaingels, Verismo Ventures, Samsung Next, and JAM Fund. (FinSMEs)

  • Lerer Hippeau, a NYC-based VC firm, raised a combined $230 million for its Fund VIII, focusing on pre-seed and seed deals, and its fourth select fund, focusing on Series A to C deals. (TechCrunch)

  • Opto Investments, a NYC-based private capital platform, raised $145 million in Series A funding. Tiger Global led the round and was joined by 8VC, FinVC, and HOF Capital. (Bloomberg)

  • Ply, a NYC-based provider of financing and payment tools for HVAC businesses, raised $1.7 million. Cleo Capital led, and was joined by Secocha Ventures, Pidilite Ventures and Think+ Ventures. 

  • Tuned, a NYC-based audiology and hearing health startup, raised $2.5 million in seed funding. Idealab NY and Elements Health Ventures co-led the round. (Axios)

  • September 21 – 24: In-person and virtual: Unfinished Live 2022, with Circle chief strategy officer Dante Disparte, Future\Perfect Ventures managing partner Jalak Jobanputra, Protocol Labs general counsel Marta Belcher, and others. Use code ASSOC50 for 50% off tickets by registering here.

  • September 22: Virtual: Local Resilience 10 Years After Hurricane Sandy, with LES Ready! co-chair Ayo Harrington, WE ACT for Environmental Justice director of policy Sonal Jessel, and UPROSE policy planner Lovinia Reynolds. Hosted by Regional Plan Association and others. Register here. 

  • October 4: Virtual: The Future of How and Where We Work, with NYC Deputy Mayor for Economic & Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer, Daybase CEO Joel Steinhaus, and others. Hosted by Savills. Register here.

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