A SENATE joint resolution calls for the collaboration of the Office of Personnel Management, the Civil Service Commission, and Secretary of Finance David DLG Atalig in assessing and processing within-grade increases or merit increases for civil service employees who were furloughed and later returned to work.
Without opposition, S.J.R. 22-6 was placed on the resolution calendar and adopted during Thursday’s Senate session.
“The civil service employees that were furloughed as a result of the negative economic impact of the Covid-19 [pandemic] and the reduction of the FY 2020 budget did not receive their WGIs or merit increases,” states the joint resolution, which was introduced by Democrat Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero.
On Jan. 29, 2020, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres issued Directive 2020-1, suspending inbound flights from mainland China due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and instructed Secretary Atalig and the Office of Management and Budget to undertake a cost-impact analysis and recommend adjustments to the fiscal year 2020 budget.
Beginning March 15, 2020, the governor implemented a 64-hour biweekly work schedule and cost containment measures based on Secretary Atalig’s advice to revise the annual revenue estimate for FY 2020 by a reduction of 20.7% and budgetary resources by 28.3% for the remainder of the fiscal year.
In April 2020, the governor said due to the steep drop in government revenue caused by the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the CNMI government had to cut personnel costs by 50%.
After the CNMI FY 2020 budget was reduced by 48% as a result of the shutdown of local tourism markets, the government implemented furloughs of civil service employees and termination for excepted civil service employees.
A total of 516 government employees were laid off, with roughly 269 of this number consisting of furloughed civil service employees.
Through the infusion of federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act and other federal grants pursued by the administration, 89 civil service employees from the furlough list were transferred to federally funded positions and other positions important to the Covid-19 response operation.
With the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the CNMI received much-needed relief, most notably through stimulus check payments, funding for government operations, and additional funding for unemployment assistance.
The CNMI was able to secure funding to cancel the reduction in force, recall furloughed employees, and return employees to a full 40-hour workweek beginning March 28, 2021.
