Chamber to host Survey of Wages, Salaries’ and Benefits forum

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce will host an hour-long presentation for SCC’s 2011 Survey of Wages, Salaries, and Benefits for purposes of establishing prevailing wage rate determinations in the CNMI, on July 6, 2011 at 1:30pm at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe, Saipan.

The free presentation will immediately follow the monthly SCC general membership luncheon meeting at the Saipan Grand Hotel which begins at 11:30am. The SCC luncheon price is a paid event, while the 1:30pm event is free of charge.

SCC will introduce Andy Andrus, the executive director of the Guam Employers Council to conduct the presentation. The Guam Employers Council has been contracted by SCC to conduct a comprehensive survey of wages, salaries and benefits in the CNMI. The afternoon presentation will include a power point presentation to address aspects of the survey.

The Guam Employers Council and its current executive director have been conducting such studies in the Western Pacific for approximately 25 years.

The purpose of the survey is to measure current base rates of pay and benefits currently in effect among private and public employers in the CNMI for a very broad range of jobs. The Standard Occupation Classification published by the U.S. Department of Labor is being used as the standard for the job codes, titles, and descriptions, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Labor.

All organizations and companies that fully participate in the survey will receive copies of the results. There is no charge for participation and the data gathered is 100 percent confidential as per contractual agreement. The survey will be copyrighted.

A detailed, graphic explanation of the instructions, data entry forms and procedures for submitting data will be provided in the presentation.

In the effort to make the results appropriate for prevailing wage determinations, and more specifically for temporary immigrant labor applications with USCIS, standards prescribed by the US DOL for such procedures are being addressed. Accordingly, the rates of pay and benefits data for persons holding H-1, H-1B, and H-2B visas are to be excluded.

The SCC will continue to receive those interested parties, and their contact information for the survey itself, at its offices in Garapan. Information can be received by telephone at 233-7150/7152 and at coordinator@saipanchamber.com. [B][I](SSC)[/I][/B]