CGW Days are Numbered

Now that the CNMI's Labor and Immigration system will be under the Federal management, the buzz around the island is that the Labor Department has been very busy looking at the contract workers or foreign national workers' documents submitted to their office when they were hired to work in the CNMI from the beginning.

I've heard at least three cases where the Labor has deported recently one contract worker due to false documents submitted to the department when he was hired to work here years ago. One has a pending labor hearing case due to a fraudulent employment certificate submitted to the employer. The contract worker submitted his employment certificate from his/her country of origin that was actually non-existent. However, the employer went to the hearing and backed the contract worker for his/her competence at work, despite the major "glitch."

The Labor is deemed serious into verifying the documents submitted to them.

Now the question to the employers, if you found out that your best employee falsified documents, would you retain him/her?

Did Anyone Notice the Temporary Exit Notice?

Saipan Tribune has run two stories about this latest directive (well, not latest according to the Labor Department) about aliens with work permit would have to fill out a form available online from the DOL that would notify the department that they are temporary leaving the island. While the form does not ask for the destination, according to sources, DOL staff had told them that even if the aliens are going to Guam for a business visit or pleasure visit would still have to file for the notice.

Tribune has repeatedly told readers that it had asked about the date of implementation of this rule and the paper said that DOL had referred them to the PL 15-108 enactment. When was the PL 15-108 implemented? How come some people that had vacation last month that were not aware of the requirement thus failed to file the document were allowed back in the CNMI?

Some workers left for Guam today and called their offices that they had heard about the news just yesterday and got so worried about the news. Now the paper again is saying that one nurse was refused entry to the CNMI due to non-compliance.

However, the news is also right about how easy it would be to file the document.

What do you think?

Upgrade One Step at a Time

Finally, there's a news about an update and upgrade of the CNMI Labor computer systems. On the paper today, this photo shows how happy the local officials to inform the public about this upgrade on its ID system. I know this may be pushing it, but the department indeed needs more upgrade more than its ID system.

A source said the department has no way of looking up records of workers electronically that officials would ask them to go from window to window just to verify one document that can be done in one window.

I know that they are doing their best to serve the people better.

The Reveler

Relight Our Fire

Well, the title is just to get your attention once again. I must admit that I was truly insensitive about the previous post especially when I learned that the Nepalese national who burned himself almost to death inside the Labor Office this week, was there to really catch the Labor Officials' attention because he's been coming back and forth to the Labor Office to follow up on his claims from his previous case he won. He has been waiting for his claims worth $5K that his previous employer that filed for bankruptcy owes him. However, the Labor Office was about to deport him back to Nepal.

The poor guy is a member of the Dekada Group, a group that fights for citizenship here in the CNMI. His group asked me to spread the word to help the poor guy. I know, when karma hits me, it's big time. Again, pardon my French before. Those who want to help, let me know and I will give you the contact number.

The Reveler