Unpaid Claims

Kaipat: Guest workers can’t get all of unpaid claims

Wednesday, 11 June 2008 00:00 By Junhan B. Todeno - Variety News Staff
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LABOR Deputy Secretary Cinta Kaipat says the surety bonds company cannot pay the total claims of guest workers whose wages were not paid by their employers.

Under the bond agreement, the company can only pay the workers three months of their wages, she said.

But for those employers who have already left the CNMI, Labor can do nothing for these workers because “their employers are already outside our jurisdiction,” she said.

This is why Labor urges guest workers to file their cases without delay so that the department can take immediate action, she added.

But Kaipat said they are going after employers who are still in the CNMI but have not honored their responsibility to their workers.

“They don’t deserve to employ any foreign workers,” she said.

Coalition of United Workers (NMI) president Irene Tantiado has asked Labor to clarify the time frame in waiting for payments from employers or bonding companies.

She said guest workers are also complaining about the $30 filing fee they have to pay Labor for assisting them to file with the small claims court.

If guest workers are awarded their claims, she said, they can only get $3,000 as maximum payment. “Employers will intentionally not pay the workers because they believe the workers will file small claims,” Tantiado added.

During the recent meeting of the Coalition of United Workers (NMI), representatives of the Bangladesh community said they are willing to compromise even if some of them have over $3,000 in unpaid wages.

“More than 100 Bangladeshi workers want to go home if they are paid the maximum claim of $3,000,” she added.