By Bryan Manabat
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
CNMI Department of Labor Secretary Leila Staffler said Wednesday her office is prepared to assist National Office Supply employees after the company announced it will close its Saipan store on July 30.
“It’s unfortunate to hear of another legacy business closing its doors,” Staffler said, referring to NOS’s public notice that it will shut down operations due to anticipated workforce reductions.
Staffler told Variety that her department has not yet received any official communication from the company regarding its closure plans. “As soon as we receive official notice, we will do our part to assist the transition and support all their U.S.-eligible workers,” she said.
The Labor secretary also noted that NOS has not posted any Job Vacancy Announcements in 2025, indicating the company has no pending CW-1 applications.
Variety has requested a copy of NOS’s Census of Employment from the CNMI DOL under the Open Government Act — a quarterly report employers submit tracking U.S. and non-U.S. hires.
Earlier, NOS President Irene Uy said the primary reason for the closure is workforce-related. Between May and September, nine employees must leave the island to comply with the federal CNMI-Only Transitional Worker “touchback” requirement. Additional workers with long-term residency have pending Employment Authorization Document renewals, while some permanent residents are leaving the island permanently.
Over nine months this year, NOS will lose 14 employees, or 56% of its workforce. The company currently employs 25 people. Uy said the departing workers include key staff, including the entire accounting team.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
