THE Department of Finance will release $5,000 in premium pay for each CNMI government employee who has worked at least 40 hours to directly mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres announced Wednesday.
This includes those who have worked on the front lines of the pandemic for such jobs as providing prevention, response, preparedness, and recovery services.
CNMI government employees who have worked to provide essential public services since the pandemic began will receive $1,000 in premium pay.
“The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for our Commonwealth, and has required a proactive response to safeguard our community. We owe great thanks to our CNMI government [front liners], first responders, and employees. Their hard work and [the] sacrifices [they have] made to ensure the safety and [well-being] of our community during such challenging times [are] something to be grateful for,” the governor said.
“They deserve more, and I wish that we were able to give them more, but I hope that this token of appreciation and gratitude will help end this year on a positive note. As we go into this new year and continue to navigate ‘new normals’ of this pandemic in our Commonwealth, let us recognize and thank our hardworking CNMI government employees, who have provided and maintained critical services for our public despite the challenges of these past two years.”
The governor expressed his deep appreciation for CNMI government front liners, first responders, and employees.
“Happy New Year, and let us all continue to work together to fight this pandemic,” he said.
Secretary of Finance David DLG Atalig, for his part, said, “When we worked on the [American Rescue Plan Act] Spending Plan, Governor Torres was adamant that we compensate our hardworking front liners with this premium pay allocation. Thank you to those that are dedicated to protecting our borders and doing their best to keep our islands safe. This is a great way to end the year, and I hope all have a great New Year!”
Ralph DLG Torres
