A SENATE joint resolution is requesting Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Secretary of Finance David DLG Atalig to provide premium pay for lawmakers’ employees through the American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Senate Joint Resolution 22-7, authored by Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero, notes that a $1,000 premium pay was provided to each of the 1,955 CNMI government employees who have worked at least 40 hours to directly mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as CNMI government employees who have worked to provide public services since the pandemic began.
For their part, each of the 458 CNMI government employees who have worked on the front lines of the pandemic for at least 40 hours on jobs to directly mitigate Covid-19, such as providing prevention, response, preparedness, and recovery services, received $5,000 in premium pay.
“The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic brought extraordinary challenges for the Commonwealth, government and private employees, and the residents in our communities,” the joint resolution reads.
It notes that Finance Secretary Atalig has shared publicly that the CNMI has expended about $3.6 million for premium pay in this first batch, and that the premium pay is not just for the executive branch or just the front liners.
Moreover, the joint resolution says that Commonwealth Ports Authority employees each received a bonus of $5,000; the judiciary branch employees, $2,500; and the Legislative Bureau employees, $2,500.
“The employees of the legislative members are equally affected by the pandemic and they, too, deserve to receive premium pay just like other government employees,” the joint resolution reads.
Without objection, SJR 22-7 was placed on the Senate resolution calendar and adopted during the Senate session on Thursday.
