Labor, NAP tighten work registration requirements

Members of the CNMI State Workforce Development Board. Seated, from left, Wayne Sanchez, Josephine Mesta, Vicky Benavente, and Annie Hayes. Back, from left, Dr. Carmen Hernandez, Polly Masga, Lorraine Maui, Nicole Babauta, David Attao, Bertha DL Guerrero, and Velma Palacios. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI Department of Labor Division of Employment Services and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs’ Nutrition Assistance Program recently inked an agreement to improve the process of administration and implementation of the Work Registration Program.

According to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, the collaboration between the two agencies has become increasingly important as the CNMI continues to face labor shortages.  

The memorandum of agreement lays out more efficient and stronger standards to help people get into good paying jobs while steadily becoming self-sufficient, Torres said.

He credited Labor Secretary Diego Benavente, DCCA Secretary Robert Hunter, Employment Services director Eugene Tebuteb, and NAP director Walter Macaranas for being at the forefront of ensuring that NAP recipients continue to get their benefits while also having the opportunity to be employed.

“We look forward to making this program empower and assist our recipients,” Torres said.

Earlier this year, the MOA was amended to allow Labor staff to commute to the NAP facility in As Lito to assist with the work registration of NAP recipients.  

Benavente said that since the implementation of the MOA amendment, 71 NAP recipients have been work registered by DOL at NAP facilities during NAP’s issuance of benefits days.  

“We continue to see the difficulties with commuting, especially toward [Capital] Hill, but we are seeing our numbers improve because of this collaborative effort. Ultimately, our two agencies are working in tandem to develop and strengthen the labor force and encourage NAP recipients to seek a career path with the assistance of DOL. The ultimate goal is to help our community with attaining financial independence,” Benavente said.

Macaranas shared that 29 NAP recipients have been referred to various companies and are currently employed. 

Of the 29 now-working individuals, 20 have filled CW positions that were up for renewal in various industries such as food services, installation and repair, legal services, car rentals, and gas companies. 

These newly hired applicants have been hired as food servers, cashiers, supervisors, housekeepers, cooks, warehousemen, maintenance technicians, legal secretaries, childcare workers, and managers.

Macaranas reiterated that the ongoing collaboration has been improving work participation.

“With the insight of the Division of Employment Services, the number of work registrants have dropped to 345 for April 2018 compared to 416 in April 2017. Based on information received from the employers who participated at the NAP/DOL job fair at the Nutrition Assistance Program office in January 2018, five work registrants were confirmed to be hired and are currently maintaining those jobs. We are certain that more have been hired through the job fair; however, we respect the hiring process of the participating employers and that we are giving them ample time to confirm those numbers to us. Aside from the 29 that were hired under the NAP/DOL work registration process, NAP has recorded 23 other NAP recipients have found employment from their own cognizance or endeavor,” Macaranas said.

From January 2018 to May 2018, 53 individuals were disqualified from NAP participation due to non-compliance with work registration requirements. 

Benavente said the reasons for non-compliance were failure on the individuals’ part to re-register with the employment services office, or that the individuals failed to show up for a job interview, or have declined an offer for employment without good cause.

Tebuteb noted that DES sees that obtaining a job is only the first of many steps to sustaining a career and professional growth.
“Understanding the intricacies of the actual workplace is the best first step to identify potential barriers, and to alleviate or eliminate potential barriers. To truly understand what happens at work sites for our registrants, we have taken a step further and have been conducting regular visitations,” he said.
 
Ongoing initiatives

Benavente said that DES conducted follow ups with recently hired individuals on a case-by-case basis.

“We recognized how critical a follow-through is for those entering the workforce for the first time or after a long period of unemployment. With the increased demand for a local workforce and because of the complexity of today’s labor issues, DES has made it a goal to play a more proactive role in servicing the needs of recently hired workers and to address turnover before it’s too late,” she said.

The DES reports that it conducted its first follow-up at Saipan World Resort, performing an hourlong on-site visit to a recently hired U.S. status qualified job applicant.  

During this visit, the recent hire was interviewed and asked to complete surveys and questionnaires. 

Tebuteb stated that in addition to assisting the work registrants and the public in offering employment and training services, DOL remains committed to ensuring that newly hired applicants are thriving in their new roles.

DES plans to conduct semi-monthly visits and are targeting 24 clients this year. To date, they have successfully completed five follow-up visits and plan to increase their target number to 48 in the next calendar year.

For more information on the Division of Employment Services, log on to www.marianaslabor.net or call (670) 664-3190, (670) 322-0996 or (670) 322-9934/9935. (PR)