THE Guam-CNMI state committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee on Monday informed Gov. Ralph DLG Torres about some of the servicemembers’ concerns regarding their employment rights.
These include the applicability of the governor’s Directive No. 2018-001 to the servicemembers employed by the CNMI government, and their difficulties in getting the Office of Personnel Management’s approval of their administrative leave applications.
Guam-CNMI area chair Rita A. Sablan, Ed.D., ombudsman Joann T. Aquino and chair emeritus and employer outreach coordinator Rose Igitol mentioned these issues to Governor Torres during the proclamation signing on Monday for ESGR Week, Aug. 15 to 20.
Staff Sgt. Kelby Royal, who read the proclamation with the governor, discussed their experience when applying for administrative leave whenever they are called for military duty.
The governor’s Directive No. 2018-001 allows government employees concurrently serving in the U.S. armed forces to apply for up to 15 additional days of administrative leave following the provided 15 days leave of absence for military leave authorized by OPM.
The directive, however, applies only to servicemembers who are on “civil service and excepted” government positions.
But there are servicemembers who work in autonomous or independent government agencies under a “contractual” employment status. Because it is not clear whether the governor’s directive applies to them, some servicemembers working on a contractual basis were not granted an additional 15 days of administrative leave.
There were also servicemembers whose leave requests were disapproved because OPM required them to submit an order from their military commanding officer.
Usually, servicemembers can only submit a schedule of their military duty which OPM considers inadequate for approval of administrative leave applications.
The governor promised to address these issues as he also asked the lawmakers present at the proclamation signing ceremony to look into legislation that can help the CNMI servicemembers.
The House members who attended the proclamation signing were Reps. Angel Demapan, Joseph Leepan Guerrero and Joel Camacho.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, center seated, and other officials pose for a photo with the Guam-CNMI Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve State Committee and volunteers led by area chair Rita A. Sablan, second left seated, during a proclamation signing for ESGR Week in the governor’s conference room. Also in the photo are Rep. Angel Demapan, third right, Rep. Joseph Leepan Guerrero, fourth right, Rep. Joel Camacho, center second row, Department of Public Lands Secretary Sixto Igisomar, right seated, and Staff Sgt. Kelby Royal, second right standing.
