AN alien worker originally hired as a construction helper was granted permission to seek another employer more than a year after his first employer filed for bankruptcy case and fled the CNMI, documents showed.
In his administrative decision, Hearing Officer Vicente C. Seman said Abdur Razzak filed on Nov. 28, 2000 a complaint against E.T. Enterprises, Inc. for non-payment of wages, illegal deduction of wages, closed business, among other things.
Four months after Razzak filed his labor complaint, his employer filed for bankruptcy.
During investigation, it was found that E.T. had four foreign workers. Last year, the director of labor brought an agency case against E.T. to address the transfer of its non-resident workers.
Seman said between March 27, 2001 and June 6, 2001, all non-resident employees of E.T. were consensually transferred to another employer except for Razzak and Romeo Munoz, who is now in Palau.
Razzak waived his claims for unpaid wages and sought for a transfer relief.
Seman granted Razzak’s request saying the worker was not at fault in the case.
“It appears that the complainant was not equally in the wrong concerning the matters which gave rise to the filing of the instant case and as a result, he is eligible for a transfer relief,” the hearing officer said.
Seman ordered Razzak and his prospective employer to submit all the necessary documents to legalize his employment in the CNMI within 45 days.
However, he warned Razzak that his failure to comply with the given deadline would compel the Department of Labor and Immigration to force him to leave the CNMI.
