Meetings held to improve new labor law

Department of Labor officials started yesterday one of a series of meetings to obtain input from the community on what amendments they can propose to the controversial Public Law 15-108, or the new reform labor law.

Labor Deputy Secretary Cinta Kaipat, Labor director Barry Hirshbein, and volunteer consultant and Labor administrative hearing officer Deanne Siemer met with officials and representatives of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands at Labor’s conference room yesterday morning.

Kaipat, Hirshbein and Siemer were also set to meet with lawyers who represent foreign national workers yesterday afternoon. They will also meet with Bar Association members and representatives of various non-profit organizations of alien workers.

The main concerns raised by Chamber and HANMI participants yesterday were the employers’ liability for workers who do not transfer and how Immigration is going to deal with those workers. Others also wanted to know, among other things, how to replace, transfer, or bring in workers.

Kaipat, the author of P.L. 15-108, told Saipan Tribune that the meeting with the Chamber and HANMI went “great.”

Kaipat said the meeting was intended to get comments from the business community and other segments of the community about the implementation of P.L. 15-108.

The former lawmaker said that, before she left the Legislature, she had urged her colleagues not to amend the law just yet until Labor has had a chance to implement it and see what works and what doesn’t.

She promised lawmakers that, after the law’s implementation, Labor would then go up to the Legislature and make a full report on which changes they would like to see.

“That’s why we invited the community to come in and give us their input, what [changes] they would like to see that we would like to consider,” Kaipat said.

She said those who attended the meeting asked good questions. “It is important that we hear from everyone as to what they feel is working, what they would like to see proposed, get some ideas. That’s the whole point—to improve upon Public Law 15-108, make it a better law.”

She said she wants to make sure that proposed amendments are coordinated so that other different pieces work.

“We are trying to do it in an efficient, organized fashion,” Kaipat stressed.

Hirshbein said the meetings will generate feedback from both the employer community and the worker community on how effective the labor law and current regulations are.

Hirshbein said the inputs are needed so they can propose to the Legislature amendments to the law and regulations over the next several months.

“We are inviting different groups to meet with us and tell us what changes they think we might be able to make to improve our operation, what things they like, what things we can improve, maybe expand some of our programs,” he said.

“Anyone in the public is welcome to make comments about changes that they’d like to see made, or anything that they like about the way we are currently operating. And we will consider anyone’s comments when we are working on amendments to the regulations,” the Labor director said.

Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Jim Arenovski said it is good that government agencies, especially Labor, is taking time to get input from businesses on labor laws.

Arenovski said the implementation of P.L. 15-108 has raised some concerns, so these meetings will allow employers a chance to raise these concerns with Labor.

The Chamber president said the group is happy that Labor has called upon businesses to get their input on certain concerns. “And that’s what a professional group does. And we are really happy the Department of Labor is a professional group,” Arenovski said.