THIS Friday, Sept. 9, is payday for the remaining employees of Imperial Pacific International.
An IPI employee told Variety on Monday that IPI management promised that the workers will receive two paychecks on Friday.
After receiving their salaries for five pay periods earlier in August, the employees did not get paid on Aug. 26.
As of Monday, IPI had 14 employees. These included the seven security guards manning the IPI casino and the unfinished hotel in Garapan, and the administrative employees who hold office in Sadog Tasi.
In May, the other employees received furlough notices that stated, “The temporary, unpaid leave of absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic continues indefinitely. IPI will announce changes related to this notice period when applicable.”
Currently, IPI’s warehouses in San Antonio, Lower Base and Tanapag are manned by security guards of IPWAN Security Agency, the company contracted by IPI to secure unused construction materials, construction equipment and generators.
Variety also learned that the IH Group continues to “take care” of the employees tasked to watch over IPI assets by providing them food and drinks every day.
The Korean company signed an agreement with IPI in May. As part of the agreement, IH Group will provide IPI funding for the reopening of the casino and the villas, and pay some of its obligations including payroll.
In July, however, IH Group Chairman Kyunam Kim said they were still “carefully reviewing” the agreement.
