By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

DISPLACED L&T and Concorde Garment Manufacturing Corp. workers were given 45 days to seek new employment on Saipan, the Department of Labor announced during a hearing yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
The 600 remaining Concorde workers on island were given until Feb. 19 to find new employers.
For L&T workers, Labor set the deadline for March 23.
Concorde, which began its operations here in 1983 and was the biggest garment manufacturer on island, announced its closure in December.
It employed 1,400 workers, mostly recruited from China.
Concorde and L&T are under the Tan Holdings group of companies which include the Saipan Tribune.
“Within the 45-day transfer of employment that was granted to you, you have to submit the transfer application on time,” Labor administrative hearing officer Jerry Cody told the workers yesterday.
The department has scheduled its next hearing on the case for Feb. 1 at 9 a.m.
Workers who do not find employers should report the day after the 45-day period at Labor.
“The purpose is for the government to track down your status and so that they can help obtain repatriation tickets,” according to Dorothy Hill, counsel for the workers.
She said Concorde will have its representatives at Labor on the day after the 45-day period to assist and accommodate the workers.
“Any claim against Concorde or L&T relating to the closure will be waived or forfeited if these workers do not appear on time on Jan. 9 at 10 a.m., and Jan. 10 at 10 a.m.,” Hill said.
She said those who have claims are those hired or transferred from China on or after June , 2006.
According to Labor, formal notice of the orders will be posted in the workers’ barracks to make sure that everybody is informed.
During the hearing, visiting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Affairs David B. Cohen was seen observing from the sidelines.