‘CNMI Labor’s issuance of PUA/PFUC is below 30%’

Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero

Sen. Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) said yesterday that the federal government gave the CNMI a total of $706,429,600 for both Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, yet the CNMI Department of Labor’s issuance of these funds is below 30%.

Separately, the Office of the Governor issued a statement last night saying the CNMI Department of Labor paid out close to $11 million last Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in benefits to claimants for PUA, FPUC, and Lost Wages Assistance.

DeLeon Guerrero, who chairs the Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation, said the PUA/PFUC program is already nearing its end, so a less-than-30% issuance of these funds is “worrisome.” Both programs will end on Sept. 4, 2021.

Prompted by this, DeLeon Guerrero called for an oversight meeting on PUA/PFUC tomorrow, Friday, at the House of Representatives chamber at 1pm and has invited Labor Secretary Vicky I. Benavente to testify.

“To date, my office alone has received about 245 unique PUA consent forms [that] were all submitted to the CNMI Department of Labor Secretary’s Office and we continue to receive on a daily basis,” DeLeon Guerrero told Saipan Tribune.

Vicky I. Benavente

She said there are concerns on data, systematic, administration, and funds allocations that merit in-depth questioning of the program’s administration.

The Office of the Governor statement last night said the most recent disbursement included payments for PUA 2 and PUA 3 to more than 1,800 PUA applicants in the CNMI and that CNMI DOL continues to resolve claimant issues, all unpaid claims, and working with claimants to provide necessary qualifying documents.

The statement quoted Benavente as saying that PUA claimants have been cooperative and understanding of the stringent documentation requirements.

“Once all the PUA program requirements have been met, the benefits are processed for payment to the claimants. As always, we appreciate the claimants’ patience and understanding as CNMI DOL continues to implement the program under strict federal guidelines. We will continue to run a federally compliant operation that prevents fraud and abuse. Ultimately, we are in the business of helping every eligible claimant who has submitted all required documents,” said Benavente.

Last June, DeLeon Guerrero submitted an Open Government Act request to Benavente for the production of documents related to PUA/PFUC issuance. Among other records that she asked for are all internal allotment advices related to PUA and PFUC funding.

DeLeon Guerrero earlier stated that she made the OGA request because she has been receiving a lot of messages from applicants that are still waiting for their application/benefit status.

Last weekend, citing U.S. Department of Labor’s reports, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) disclosed that, as of July 24, 2021, a total of 2,563 PUA and PFUC applications in the Commonwealth remain unprocessed. Sablan said the CNMI has $273,895,997 that’s available to pay out remaining PUA claims and a balance of $223,137,461 to cover PFUC claims.

He said a total of $103,559,003 in PUA claims have been paid out along with $105,837,130 for PFUCA since last summer.