Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said the Fitial administration wants to fulfill its financial obligations but the government’s expenditures right now are based on immediate priorities and programs.
“We’re short of funds for pay increases,” he added. “We’re going in an economic slump right now.”
Although, the governor’s office has not received complaints from government employees, Reyes said they “understand their feelings and concerns but what can we do if we don’t have available funds?”
Taotao Tano president Gregorio S. Cruz Jr., in a letter, reminded Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and the Legislature to find the funds for the within grade and merit increase benefits as provided by law.
“How much is now owed to all those hard working and deserving government employees? How long is this going to remain unpaid?” Cruz said.
Reyes said the administration will try to find a funding source for these pay increases, but “everything will be based on available funding.”
He added, “We are dealing with a very difficult situation.”
According to Cruz, a government employee is given a one-step, within grade pay increase when he or she completes 52 consecutive calendar weeks of “sustained satisfactory work performance.”
This pay increase is mandatory, he said, and in the past, if a request for increase was made, it had to be approved or disapproved within 90 days.
However, Cruz said, Public Law 13-1 eliminated this 90-day requirement so now the pay increases are dependent on the availability of funds.
“But the absence of an appropriation or available funds does not eliminate the government’s obligation to pay the increase,” Cruz said.
Such increases are mandatory and if the government fails to pay them it becomes part of the budget deficit, he added.
The government is the main employer of local residents.
