News

Staffler: Congress unlikely to scrap ‘touchback’ provision

CNMI Labor Secretary Leila Staffler on Tuesday said the U.S. Congress is unlikely to remove the “touchback” provision of the NMI U.S. Workforce Act of 2018, which means that local businesses should prepare for the loss of their foreign workers holding CW-1 visas. The provision requires employers to send CW-1 visa holders back to their

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USDOL approves CNMI 2023 Prevailing Wage Report

(Office of the Governor) — The U.S. Department of Labor has approved the CNMI’s 2023 Prevailing Wage Study Report for the CW-1 visa program. Effective from July 1, 2023, until June 30, 2024, the new wages will be implemented for CW-1 determinations. “The recent approval of the prevailing wage study report ensures fair and competitive wages

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DOL: Settle PUA overpayments

The CNMI Department of Labor is reminding individuals who have received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits in the CNMI and were found to have been overpaid to contact DOL to settle the overpayment. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PUA and FPUC programs were established to provide financial support to

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Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program overpayments

(CNMI DOL) — The CNMI Department of Labor would like to remind individuals who have received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits in the CNMI and were found to have been overpaid to contact CNMI DOL to settle the overpayment. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the PUA and FPUC programs were established

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CNMI Labor conducts survey on CW ‘touchback’ policy

THE CNMI Department of Labor in the Commonwealth is conducting a survey to understand how the CW visa “touchback” policy is affecting businesses in the islands. This is a requirement outlined in U.S Public Law 115-218 or the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act of 2018.  This federal law was passed to “incentivize the hiring

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DOL Secretary Asks Employers to ‘Change the Culture’

AT a presentation for the Saipan Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, CNMI Department of Labor Secretary Leila Staffler made an impassioned plea to island businesses to “change the culture” of employees and employment in the Commonwealth. Staffler was the guest speaker at Wednesday’s general membership meeting for the SCC at Kensington Hotel. She was invited

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DOL secretary asks employers to ‘change the culture’

AT a presentation for the Saipan Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, CNMI Department of Labor Secretary Leila Staffler made an impassioned plea to island businesses to “change the culture” of employees and employment in the Commonwealth. Staffler was the guest speaker at Wednesday’s general membership meeting for the SCC at Kensington Hotel. She was invited

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CNMI Labor provides latest job trends and data

(CNMI DOL) — The CNMI Department of Labor-Division of Employment Services is providing updates  regarding job vacancy announcement or JVA data trends. The division plans to issue ensuing reports on a quarterly and annual basis. For  the  first  quarter  of  2023  (Jan. 1    to  March  31),  a  total  of  435  job  vacancy announcements were posted on

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Senate confirms 5 cabinet nominees

THE Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointments of five cabinet members. All of the eight senators present voted to adopt the report of the Senate Committee on Executive Appointment and Government Investigations recommending the confirmation of Mary Margaret Sablan as Department of Community and Cultural Affairs secretary; Sylvan O. Igisomar, Department of Lands and Natural

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OVR clients to be included in employer work plans

REPRESENTATIVES from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, otherwise known as OVR, met with Department of Labor’s Job Placement Officer Manny Iguel, to discuss opportunities for people with disabilities to be included in employer work plans for hiring more U.S. citizen workers. Iguel asked for the meeting and explained that he would be asking employers to

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