By Haidee V. Eugenio
Variety Assistant Editor

THE Department of Labor has disqualified an employer from hiring nonresident workers for two years for employing a salesperson without authorization from Labor, for failing to keep payroll or time records for the employee, and for the submission of fraudulent tax documents.
Labor Hearing Officer Jerry Cody, in an April 17 administrative order, said portions of employer Henry A. Taga’s testimony during an April 4 hearing were troubling, including the display of “almost a total lack of knowledge of CNMI laws and regulations related to employing nonresident workers” in the commonwealth.
On June 27, 2006, Taga filed a timely permit to employ Zhang, Qi Sen as a salesperson to sell farm produce from Taga’s farm.
On Feb. 21, Labor denied the application based on its finding that the employer lacked the financial capability to ensure the employee’s payroll and welfare.
At the April 4 hearing, Taga attempted to prove his financial capability to hire Zhang by establishing that he had compensated the worker for the past several months of employment.
The labor hearing officer said the employer admitted that he does not keep time records or payroll records for this employee, “yet he produced tax records that purported to show exact payments to this employee down to the penny.”
Taga also admitted that he had employed Zhang for the past three months even though he never submitted a conditional grant of transfer to the director of Labor for approval.