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CPA employees remain furloughed
The Commonwealth Ports Authority said its employees who are on reduced work hours will continue to have shortened hours as a result of the steep revenue decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to CPA board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds, CPA employees will remain furloughed—the term CPA uses to refer to reduced hours—which mean all employees are working on a reduced hour work schedule indefinitely because of the drastic decline following the halt of the tourism industry.
“While some agencies are back to a full 80 hours, our employees have been on 64 hours in anticipation of the drastic decline in revenue as a result of the halt of the tourism industry,” she said.
All employees, except for critical employees, remain furloughed in order to avoid a reduction-in-force, King-Hinds said.
“The austerity measures adopted by the board remains in effect for all employees so we are still operating on reduced hours but for those critical employees that are required to support essential operational functions on an as-needed basis,” she said.
Aside from austerity measures, King-Hinds said federal funding has aided in CPA averting a reduction-in-force, or the outright termination of employees.
“We have been able to avoid a reduction-in-force because of our quick action to implement austerity measures and the funds received under the CARES Act,” she said.
CPA received about $22.8 million from the CARES Act. CPA expects to receive another allocation from the recently passed second COVID-19 relief package that was signed by President Donald Trump earlier this month.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, all CPA employees were reduced to a 64-hour work schedule effective March 29, 2020.
Back on Feb. 14, 2020, the board approved a 72-hour work schedule for all employees, reducing by eight hours the work-hours of employees per pay period.
CPA estimated a total revenue loss at $6,478,735 in 2020 due to flights suspensions.
