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SCC opposes proposed hike in labor fees
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Posted on Jun 04 2004
The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is opposing a legislative measure that seeks to increase employment application fees for nonresident workers to raise funds for the establishment of a technical school.
House Bill 14-161 proposes to increase initial fees for employment and renewal applications by $10, which would raise the current fee to $235.
The Chamber’s Government Relations and Economic Development Committee opposed the bill, saying that businesses should not be made to pay for an additional expense.
“We also question the basis of the $10 fee and whether $380,000 a year is sufficient to fund a technical school,” the Chamber said, noting that there are some 38,000 nonresident workers in the CNMI.
The Chamber said the current rate of $225 is sufficient to process nonresident workers’ employment and renewal applications. “The Department of Labor should only charge the actual cost it takes to process the nonresident worker documents.”
It suggested that the Legislature and the Public School System apply for educational grants instead.
“We would also like to see that more creative ideas are used to raise funds in an effort to increase vocational training in the CNMI.
