CSC proposes updates to NMI govt’s compensation program

The Civil Service Commission announced yesterday its intent to submit a draft bill to the Legislature to update the current salary schedule for Commonwealth government civil service employees. The current schedule was established by Public Law 7-31 in 1991.

Herman “HR” Deleon Guerrero, chairman of the Civil Service Commission, stated: “Since its reorganization in December 2012, the Civil Service Commission has been active in its representation of the Commonwealth’s civil service employees. Through its support of the Office of Personnel Management, its efforts to resolve a backlog of personnel grievances and appeals, the initiation of bulletins from the commission to inform and educate employees, and the recent ending of the suspension of promotional and other salary increases, the commission has been seeking to improve the employment conditions for the civil service staff of the government.”

“The commission is concerned with the current compensation stagnation of the government’s civil service employees. There has been no recognition of either employee performance or seniority since annual and merit increases were frozen in 2001 due to lack of funding. Additionally, the current schedule is outdated, with the first 10 out of 35 pay levels unusable because they fall almost entirely below the current minimum wage. For reasons related to both employee welfare and the technical viability of the current statutory pay schedule, action needs to be taken to correct this situation.”

“The commission and [OPM] have worked together to prepare a draft bill, with a revised salary schedule included, that will revise the compensation program for the Commonwealth’s civil service employees to be more economically realistic and will introduce a new salary schedule that complies with the current and future federal minimum wage program. The commission will submit its proposed bill to the Legislature for its review and, hopefully, approval. At the same time, the commission will work with the governor to attempt to restart the annual and merit increase programs as amended in the proposed bill.”

Deleon Guerrero said the draft bill would be submitted to the Legislature within the next two weeks. He indicated that conversations with some members of the Legislature had already taken place and was optimistic that the bill would be approved. (CSC)