Previous Story
Labor fines firm for late filings
|
Posted on Sep 12 2005
The Department of Labor has sanctioned a garment company that failed to pay processing fees and missed deadlines for filing employment applications.
In an administrative order, hearing officer Jerry Cody instructed Handsome Textile Ltd. to pay $2,025 for the 2003-2004 labor permits of nine of its employees. He also ordered Handsome Textile to pay a fine of $450 for its late filing of renewal applications for two other workers.
The garment manufacturer was given 10 days to comply with the order.
The order stemmed from Handsome Textile’s appeal of the Division of Labor’s earlier decision denying the company’s applications for 13 nonresident workers.
Of the 13 workers, six are currently working at the factory. The seven others have departed the Commonwealth.
Cody said that nine of the 13 applications were denied because Handsome Textile never paid application fees for the workers for the 2003-2004 employment period.
The employer said that its former assistant personnel officer, who was responsible for the workers’ employment papers, had somehow neglected to pay the fees.
“This excuse is accepted; however, the employer should be faulted for its negligent supervision of its agent…,” Cody said.
Handsome Textile was ordered to pay the delinquent fees, amounting to $225 per worker.
Two other applications were denied because they were filed in an untimely manner. One was submitted 50 days late, while the other 40 days late.
Cody imposed the standard late fee of $5 per day against the employer, who acknowledged its mistake and offered no objection to the sanction.
The order did not state the reason for the denial of the two remaining applications. These two workers were among those who have already returned to their country of origin.
Cody affirmed the denial of renewal applications for the seven workers who have left the CNMI. As for the six who are still on-island, Cody said the denial of their applications should be reversed. He instructed the Division of Labor to resume processing these applications as soon as possible.
