By Emmanuel T. Erediano
SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Feb. 7, 2008) – The federal labor ombudsman is ready to share with the U.S. Congress and the Office of Interior Affairs the data that include the $6.1 million owed to guest workers by companies in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
Federal Labor Ombudsman Jim Benedetto in a statement yesterday said a total of 712 administrative orders and judgments awarded unpaid wages and other compensation to guest workers.
The exact total amount of the wages, he said, is $6,130,802.96. Partial payments of $61,928.16 or about one percent were already subtracted from this figure.
The smallest amount of back wages, Benedetto said, is $50, and the largest is $48,771.86.
There are 64 unpaid awards that amount to over $20,000; 222 unpaid awards of $10,000 or more; and 462 over $5,000.
He said the oldest unpaid award dates back to Feb. 1994.
Many of these Benedetto said are...