Over 1,000 apply for temp jobs

Roughly over 1,000 applicants have sought assistance through the National Emergency Grant temporary employment program.

As of press time, about 781 individuals from Saipan, 145 from Tinian, and 150 from Rota have already applied for the program.

NEG officer-in-charge for the monitoring section Nicholas Leon Guerrero said, however, that the number Is not final as more applicants were still in the process of submitting required documents as of 3:30pm yesterday, the final day of the NEG application process.

After all applications are submitted, Leon Guerrero said the NEG team would screen all applications and verify eligibility under the federal guidelines for the program.

“We’re going to break it down to priorities,” he said. “Our first priority are eligible applicants whose employment were affected by the typhoon, second are eligible applicants who are currently under short-term unemployment or dislocated, and third will be eligible applicants who have been unemployed for more than four months.”

Leon Guerrero said that, while applications are being screened, his monitoring team would begin working with primary government agencies that would serve as employment workplaces for applicants who are approved.

The agencies include the Mayor’s Office, Department of Public Works, Department of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. About five applicants may also be assisting the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs’ Nutrition Assistance Program.

Further, Leon Guerrero said the first batch of individuals, about 50, would possibly begin employment by Nov. 16.

Meanwhile NEG project director Jesse P. Stein reiterated that NEG funds, about $2 million, is not sufficient to provide essential services requested by the government agencies.

Since the $2 million is not intended for employment payroll alone—it would also cover operations cost, equipment for granted employees, and rental of NEG office space, among others—the current fund would only accommodate roughly about 150 participants.

“Once we get the total number of applicants, and we complete the screening process and determine the number of applicants who are eligible, we would submit that number to the federal government and request for additional funds,” he said yesterday.

Stein said the request may range from between $5 million to $10 million in additional funds, provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Further, Stein said the number of jobs available is not 2,000, but that the number of unemployed individuals who would possibly seek assistance through the program was estimated to be about 1,957.

Stein and Leon Guerrero also commended the staff involved in the application process for their effort. “They’re here about nine hours a day and…did a really good job,” Stein said.

The NEG program is intended to provide temporary jobs to assist with the cleanup of typhoon debris, assist in flood-prevention, mitigation, recovery efforts, debris removal and repair work due to the effects of Supertyphoon Chaba.

Approved applicants would be paid $8 per hour for a labor-intensive 40-hour workweek. Employment through the grant will last each employee six months or 1,040 hours.

The program would be available only for citizens of the United States, Federated States of Micronesia or those with Immediate Relative status or green cards. Individuals who arrived on island after the typhoon would not be eligible. All applicants must be 18 years old or older and must provide proof of qualifications, including a valid passport, proof of valid Immediate Relative status, proof of valid green card, and proof of residency in the Commonwealth.

The NEG are discretionary funds under the Dislocated Worker Program of WIA and the U.S. Department of Labor. It is awarded to states and territories to assist with major economic dislocations.