Kaipat defends proposed benchmark on hiring locals
Monday, March 22 2010 00:00 By Gemma Q. Casas - Reporter
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DEPUTY Labor Secretary Jacinta M. Kaipat says the administration’s proposed floating benchmark on hiring locals will not harm the business sector.

Kaipat said the change from the fixed 20 to 30 percent local hire requirement to a floating percentage was purposely done for legal and practical reasons.

“[T]he change…will not work any hardship on our businesses. We at the Labor Department are very sensitive to the difficult economic circumstances in which businesses must operate. We recommended the flexible benchmark rather than the fixed percentage for both legal and practical reasons,” Kaipat said in her written statement submitted to the Legislature last Friday.

Both houses of the Legislature passed House Bill 17-25 or the Omnibus Immigration Conformity Act of 2010 on Friday, and the governor is expected to sign it into law.

“The department already has flexibility under existing law to move the mark from 20 to 30 percent so the flexible provision would not really be a big jump from where we are now,” Kaipat said.

“We will publish regulations with respect to the flexible benchmark as soon as the bill is enacted, and those regulations will sit before the Legislature for review before they can become effective,” she added.

Comments

+2 #1 Keys 2010-03-22 10:44 Cinta what is it you don't understand? You have no more authority. Let it go and move on!