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USDOL still mum on PWS
The U.S. Department of Labor remains mum on which prevailing wage survey should be used for the hiring of CW-1 workers in the CNMI.
With new regulations implemented for fiscal year 2020 CW-1 petitions, the USDOL remains silent after Saipan Tribune reached out to their media contact last Thursday afternoon on the issue.
Employers remain confused on whether the first round of the prevailing wage survey should be used or the second when it comes to determining the prevailing wage of a CW-1 worker, which is the first step of a CW-1 petition.
There were 84 job categories prioritized in the first round of the PWS. The final round of the PWS was finalized late June 2019 and consists of 291 occupations.
The CNMI Department of Labor, according to employers Saipan Tribune interviewed previously, have had essential documents withheld after a discrepancy between the second round of the prevailing wage survey and the first round of the prevailing wage survey was discovered.
The second round of the prevailing wage survey indicated unique salary rates for occupations already noted during the first prevailing wage survey, causing the CNMI DOL to deny local documents required to continue the CW-1 petition.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ office has yet to comment on the matter after Saipan Tribune reached out to his office yesterday to solicit comments.
Current U.S. law allows employers to file their CW-1 petitions as early as six months before the start of every fiscal year.
Come Oct. 1, 2019, fiscal year 2020 starts. Former CW-1 holders would be considered out of status if their employer fails to submit their application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services prior to Sept. 30, 2019.
