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Retroactive salary bill OK’d
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Posted on Jun 29 2004
The money is not in the bag yet but a bill that Gov. Juan N. Babauta recently signed brings past and present government employees much closer to getting the retroactive salary adjustments promised them under Public Law 7-31.
In a letter to House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial and Senate President Joaquin Adriano, Babauta informed the Legislature that he has signed into law House Bill 14-169 that waives any statute of limitation defense against current and former employees who are entitled to the payment of the retroactive salary increase provided by law.
Babauta said the measure also relieves the Department of Finance of liability for unpaid overtime compensation, in situations where documentation of overtime hours worked were not kept or maintained.
“The measure will help to ensure that the dedicated government employees who are qualified to receive retroactive salary adjustment compensation pursuant to PL 7-31 receive such payments that are long overdue,” said the governor.
He explained that the measure, now Public Law 14-7, also removes any legal impediment that may have blocked the release of the retroactive salary increases.
“The Legislature and its respective Legislative delegations must still enact relevant appropriation measures, in the spirit of and in addition to Saipan Local Law 13-11 and similar measure, to ensure that this largely unfunded liability receives the resources necessary to pay our deserving government employees,” Babauta pointed out.
The measure passed the House of Representatives on April 22 and the Senate on May 13.
Besides the waiver on any statute of limitation defense, the bill also makes DoF immune from any liability for any claim based on denial of or failure to make a determination of unpaid overtime compensation, where documentation of overtime hours worked was not been kept or maintained by the employee or his respective appointing authority.
