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Former Fire chief repays OT compensation
Former Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services commissioner Claudio Norita has opted to repay the CNMI government for the allegedly illegal Super Typhoon Yutu premium compensation that he received.
The Office of the Attorney General, though Chief Solicitor J. Robert Glass Jr., has voluntarily dismissed with prejudice its lawsuit in Superior Court against Norita for excessive typhoon overtime pay because Norita has repaid the amount in full.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, Manibusan sued Norita for receiving over $45,000 in typhoon premium pay that he should not have been entitled to after Super Typhoon Yutu hits the CNMI in 2018.
As relief, Manibusan asked the court to issue a judgment of $45,042.69 for recovery of the allegedly unlawful typhoon premium payments, overtime payments, or extra payments not authorized by law, without valid appropriation, and in excess of the salary ceiling that Norita allegedly received.
According to the lawsuit, Norita’s total compensation in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 exceeded his statutory salary of $54,000, which is against the law.
In total, Norita received typhoon premium pay in the total gross amount of $45,042.69 with $26,890.14 paid in fiscal year 2019 and $18,152.55 paid in fiscal year 2020.
On Dec. 19, 2018, the defendant allegedly received gross wages in the amount of $5,695.41 as typhoon emergency premium pay. Then, on Dec. 21, 2018, Norita allegedly received gross wages in the amount of $3,556.80 as typhoon emergency premium pay. On Dec. 29, 2018, he allegedly received gross wages in the amount of $8,827.08 as typhoon emergency premium pay. Then, on Dec. 31, 2018, he allegedly received gross wages in the amount of $8,810.85 as typhoon emergency premium pay. Finally, on Nov. 8, 2019, Norita allegedly received gross wages in the amount of $18,152.55 as typhoon emergency premium pay.
Norita was the DFEMS commissioner from Oct. 23, 2018, through Jan. 24, 2019.
