DOL resumes work registration for NAP participants

CNMI Department of Labor Employment Services staff Vivian Fleming assists a client with the NAP Work Registration Program. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI Department of Labor announced Friday the resumption of the Work Registration Program for Nutrition Assistance Program participants effective April 1, 2022.

Through a memorandum of agreement between the CNMI Department of Labor and the Department of Community Cultural Affairs, the Work Registration Program was developed to assist unemployed adult NAP participants seek and gain employment.

CNMI DOL supervisor James Ulloa recently met with NAP administrator Walter Macaranas to formalize the resumption of the program. Under this arrangement, the Nutrition Assistance Program will refer all adult NAP participants, who are not exempt from the work registration requirement, to the CNMI DOL’s Division of Employment Services to engage in job referrals and job search activities such as résumé writing, email assistance, and training for job interviews. 

Per the NAP requirements, all NAP participants between the ages of 18 and 54 years old who are physically and mentally fit to work are required to register in the CNMI DOL’s Work Registration Program. NAP participants who remain active in the NAP program are required to update their work registration every three months. 

The Department of Labor further announces that NAP participants now have the option of engaging in the following activities in order to meet work registration and job referrals requirements:

• REQUIRED—Participants who have not registered must register with the Department of Labor’s website: marianaslabor.net

• NAP recipients already registered with marianaslabor.net may update their job search status by referring themselves to positions they might qualify for in the Job Vacancy Announcement section of the DOL website. 

The NAP participant will be considered by DES as compliant if this is performed during the time frame they are required by NAP to update their status which is every three months. (The JVA site automatically records the date and time the participant responds to the JVA.)

• NAP participants seeking assistance may visit the DES office on Capitol Hill, Ascencion Drive, Building No. 1334.

NAP Participants may also contact the following DES staff for further assistance:

• Alice Agulto (670) 664-3190; albagulto.dol@gmail.com

• Manny Iguel (670) 664-3298; manasesiguel@gmail.com

• Vivian Fleming (670) 322-3293; dolvfleming@gmail.com 

• Olinka Cabrera (670) 322-0996; otcabrera.dol@gmail.com (PR)