Rep. Joseph C. Reyes, R-Saipan and former Retirement Fund board chairman, said he sponsored House Bill 16-81 because the CNMI Vocational Rehabilitation Office doesn’t have a counselor who can certify persons with disabilities seeking benefits from the Fund.
“First of all, the Vocational Rehabilitation Office doesn’t have a counselor on board,” Reyes told Variety.
Under Public Law 13-60, any government employee seeking disability retirement benefits must be certified by two physicians and one vocational rehabilitation counselor before he or she is declared permanently disabled.
One of these physicians must also have a specialty on the area of disability being evaluated.
Reyes’ legislation does not require the vocational rehabilitation’s counselor’s certification for one to be declared permanently disabled.
The governor said while the lawmakers’ intent is commendable, they should be mindful of possible abuse on the system.
He said the removal of the counselor on the process is tantamount to removing an important safeguard.
“It removed an important safeguard in certifying a claimant as totally and permanently disabled. A vocational rehabilitation counselor’s certification is important because considering the nature of his/her profession, to rehabilitate persons, if he/she certifies a person as totally and permanently disabled, it is credible evidence of a true disability,” he said in his veto message to the Legislature.
But Reyes said government workers with disabilities should not be punished for a loophole in the law.
“You don’t make these guys suffer because of errors in the law. There are 25 people seeking to be declared disabled whose retirements are put on hold,” he said.
“I am very disappointed with the veto. It’s just a poor excuse. He could have at least made calls why we proposed that,” he added.
The lawmaker said he will talk with Retirement Fund officials to address the issue.
