(Office of the Governor) — The CNMI Department of Labor paid out over $4 million in unemployment benefits last week, in benefits to claimants for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation programs.
This recent disbursement included payments for PUA 2 and PUA 3 to more than 500 PUA applicants in the CNMI.
In addition to resolving claimant issues, all unpaid claims, and working with claimants to provide necessary qualifying documents, the CNMI DOL has also been working with employers to accurately certify employment verifications, timesheets and check stubs for their employees.
“The CNMI Department of Labor continues to do its part in mitigating the economic effects of the pandemic by processing PUA payments as quickly as possible while simultaneously keeping the integrity of the programs it administers intact,” said Secretary of Labor Vicky I. Benavente.
CNMI DOL is still accepting initial applications and weekly claims certification submissions online via Hiremarianas.com or in-person at the DOL building #1334 on Capital Hill.
The PUA applications and weekly claims certifications will be accepted only up to Oct. 4, 2021, which is when the program will officially end in the CNMI.
The department is reminding PUA applicants that as a condition for receiving PUA benefits, all continuing recipients must conduct three or more work search contacts or activities every week and keep a log or record of the work search contacts.
All individuals with PUA claims inquiries are encouraged to email info@puamarianas.com or call the following numbers for inquiries on their claims (hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except on local or federal holidays):
322-8870
322-8871
322-8872
322-8873
322-8874
322-8876
Additional Department of Labor telephones:
• Administrative Services
664-3196/322-994
• Division of Employment Services
664-3190/322-9934/664-3298
• Enforcement
322-4365/ 323-9940
• Benefits Payments Control Unit
322-9943/9944
• PUA Fraud Hotline 989-9095
• Administrative Hearing Office
664-3290/3291
• OSHA
664-3156/3157
• WIOA
664-1708/1757
For more information, contact the PUA COM Center at the numbers listed or email info@puamarianas.com
