Bronx Daycare Workers Fight for Backpay After Childcare Network Shuts Down

Bronx daycare providers and union leaders rallied outside City Hall on Wednesday, October 2nd, demanding that the city intervene after over 40 daycare workers were left unpaid following the abrupt shutdown of Highbridge Advisory Council Family Services, a childcare network funded by the city. The providers have been without pay since May, with many owed over $12,000 each for services they continued to provide to families, even after Highbridge stopped paying them.

Highbridge Advisory Council, which was responsible for disbursing city-funded payments to the daycare providers, ceased operations earlier this year. While the New York City Department of Education (DOE) had paid Highbridge for the daycare services, the network failed to pass on these funds to the workers. Despite the network’s collapse, many providers kept their daycare centers open, unwilling to abandon the families who depended on their services. One of the affected providers, Juana Reanos, shared her struggles, stating, “I have rent to pay, bills to pay. Highbridge left us hanging.”

Union leaders, including Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, called on the city to take responsibility and directly compensate the workers. “These people are owed over half a million dollars. Pay them, just pay them. What is the problem?” Mulgrew said, emphasizing that the city failed to ensure Highbridge’s financial stability, even though the network had previously struggled to make timely payments.

Despite ongoing discussions with the DOE, the city has not agreed to pay the workers directly. Instead, the DOE recently advised the workers to pursue legal action against Highbridge, a suggestion that union leaders fear will leave the daycare providers without timely compensation. Mulgrew said, expressing frustration over the city’s handling of the situation, “They did the work. They supplied the child care for so many families. The folks in here, in City Hall, the folks in the Department of [Education], the folks in Office Management and Business, didn’t do their work. But I’m sure they get paid.”

Many of the affected daycare providers have since transitioned to new networks or begun receiving direct city vouchers, but they have yet to receive the backpay they are owed. The DOE, in a statement, acknowledged that Highbridge had violated its contract by not paying the workers and promised to continue pursuing legal remedies.

As the financial pressure mounts, many daycare providers are struggling to keep their doors open. Providers like Lilibeth Asencio, who is owed around $30,000, expressed concerns that without payment, they will soon be forced to close their daycare centers. “I have to go into my savings to continue operation,” Asencio said, highlighting the financial strain the situation has caused.

A spokesperson for the education department said, “New York City Public Schools expects every contracted Network to pay its affiliated providers, and it is wholly unacceptable that Highbridge Advisory Council Family Services did not disburse its payments from NYCPS as required. They did not respond to our show cause order, and we are moving forward in that process accordingly.  We anticipate having a final resolution shortly.”