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‘Labor done with all old cases by next week’
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Posted on Sep 05 2008
The Department of Labor’s Administrative Hearing Office will be done with all old cases by next week, according to volunteer consultant and Labor administrative hearing officer Deanne Siemer.
“Next week the hearing office will finish all 2007 and prior year cases. Everyone of them,” said Siemer during Thursday’s meeting with officials and representatives of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands at Labor’s conference room.
Siemer said there are only three exceptions—two 2007 cases that are already on the hearing office’s calendar and one agency case.
“Every single other case will be done and they all will be published as dismissed,” she said.
Siemer said their goal is to move all labor cases that are relatively straightforward within 90 days.
She said the complicated cases take them a little bit longer so they are separating them from simples ones.
“I think you’re going to see a good performance out of the hearing office. I am hopeful of that,” Siemer said.
Meanwhile, with an automation system in place, there is no longer any delay at the Labor Processing Section, according to Labor Director Barry Hirshbein.
He conceded that when they started the automation system in February, the process got off to a very slow start. This time, “if you really need someone and you’re eligible to hire from off island, you can have them in a week or less,” he said.
In about two weeks, the director said, they should be “close to the real time.” “In other words, what came in this week will be scanned next week. Everything,” Hirshbein said.
Siemer, Hirshbein, and Labor Deputy Secretary Cinta Kaipat initiated the meeting, which is one of a series, 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.
