A number of healthcare staffers of the Commonwealth Health Center, particularly those who have been hired five years ago, will to lose their housing allowances this month because they will no longer be eligible for such benefits, according to acting Public Health Secretary Pete Untalan.
The OPM administrative code allows government employees recruited outside the CNMI to receive $600 in monthly housing allowance for those who are single, and $800 for those with dependents.
However, this benefit, cannot exceed five consecutive years from the date of the initial employment.
In an interview yesterday, Untalan said there is a group of nonresident CHC workers who have already been employed for five years.
This, he said, is a concern on the part of the hospital which has been trying hard to maintain hard-to-fill positions in light of the coming federalization of the local immigration system, which will restrict the CNMI’s ability to hire guest workers.
Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez met with hospital staffers earlier this month and told them that the hospital administration was working to retain their housing allowances.
Taking away their housing benefits will make it very difficult for these employees to continue working at CHC, Untalan said.
He said he discussed this concern with OPM Director Mathilda A. Rosario.
In a separate interview, Rosario said she has yet to officially approve Public Health’s request.
“It is being looked at and I’m fast tracking the issue,” she added.
