THE American Rescue Plan Act created over 500 new government jobs in the executive branch alone, according to the Office of Personnel Management in its citizen-centric report for fiscal year 2022.
These employees work in various departments and agencies.
According to the FY 2023 budget law, $156,930 in ARPA funds was allotted for OPM’s 20 personnel on Saipan; $6,536 for two OPM personnel on Tinian; and $12,554 for two OPM personnel on Rota.
For the entire CNMI government including independent programs and the municipalities of Saipan, Tinian and Rota, $67 million in ARPA funds was allotted for 4,219 government employees in FY 2022.
In FY 2023, $30.9 million in ARPA funds was allotted for 2,103 employees of the CNMI government. For the executive branch alone, $11.8 million in ARPA monies was allotted for 1,285 employees.
ARPA funds are temporary, and so are the jobs that they have created.
Prior to receiving ARPA funds, the CNMI government had to furlough some of its employees and implement other austerity measures.
