When the federalization law was enforced, Labor lost its jurisdiction over nonresident workers, he said.
“They don’t have the authority to implement their rules based on what we learned from Interior Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta,” Syed added.
Labor said the new rules, which took effect on June 1, require guest workers to register with departmentannually and impose fees ranging from $5 to $300.
Syed said he discussed the issue with some businessmen.
“They’re confused and they are hoping that the federal government will announce its position so we will be guided accordingly,” he added.
The United Workers Movement will hold a forum on June 26 at American Memorial Park and will invite lawyers, businessmen and federal officials to discuss the new labor rules.
Human rights advocate Wendy Doromal, in her recent blog entry, stated that P.L. 17-1 appears to be the CNMI government’s “blatant attempt to maintain its broken local system and control over the disenfranchised underclass.”
She added, “The provision for national IDs is both outrageous and demeaning. It shows a great disrespect for the foreign nationals. The punishment of jail time and a costly fine of $500 for not having the ID in their personal possession of control at all times is unconscionable.”
