Hire NOLA

What is Hire NOLA?

In October 2015, the New Orleans City Council unanimously passed the Hire NOLA Ordinance, successfully creating the City's first local worker participation program. Hire NOLA is a standardized mechanism to link employment opportunities created by City construction contracts and economic development projects to a qualified local workforce. Beginning in 2016, the new policy requires Prime contractors and their Subcontractors to demonstrate good faith efforts to cause the following:

  • At least forty percent (50%) of all work hours completed Louisiana workers to be performed by Local Workers;
  • At least twenty percent (30%) of all work hours completed by Local Workers to be performed by Disadvantaged Local Workers and;
  • At least twenty percent (30%) of all designated apprentice work hours performed by Louisiana apprentices to be completed by Disadvantaged Local Workers.  

Prime contractors and their Subcontractors are also required to use the Office of Workforce Development as its First Source for recruitment, referral and placement of all new hires for employment opportunities created by the applicable contract.

What are "Covered Projects"?

Any contract to which the City is a party for construction, alteration or demolition of public buildings or public works of the City of New Orleans in excess of $150,000; and any Cooperative Endeavor Agreement to which the City is a party and through which the City provides tax incentives for economic development projects in excess of $150,000.

Hire NOLA Rules and Regulations