Proposed bill passes medical costs to guest workers

Employees in the private sector would have to shoulder 50 percent of the cost of their medical treatment if they get sick for 60 days or more should a proposed legislation amending the Nonresident Workers Act becomes a law.

According to David A. Wiseman, director of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, the proposal will implement substantial changes in the CNMI’s policies with respect to employer’s responsibilities in paying medical expenses. House Bill 12-275 has been approved in the House of Representatives and is now pending in the Senate.

Medical expenses of the employers will not cover psychiatric treatment unless it is included in the medical coverage package. All medical care of any kind must be certified by a licensed doctor in the CNMI as medically necessary for the preservation or rehabilitation of the worker’s physical health.

Among the major changes which will take effect once the bill is approved are the elimination of functions of the Division of Labor which include the process of contract review on the part of the Division of Labor, and allowing freedom of contract in so far as job categories, job titles and job descriptions are concerned.

The proposed measure will also scrap the following requirements: labor certificate or work permit; labor agreement between an employer and the Division of Labor, proof of no prior criminal record on the part of the workers; proof of occupational qualification, and statement of marital status.

All workers shall be entitled to one day off from work once it is passed. Existing legal restrictions on employing aliens as taxi drivers, secretaries, bookkeepers, accounting clerks, messengers, receptionists, surface tour boat operators, bus drivers, tour bus drivers and telephone switchboard operators will be scrapped.

In addition, Mr. Wiseman said the equivalency employment requirement between locals and nonresident workers will be eliminated. Also, the restrictions on the number of guest workers employed as waitresses will be removed.

At the end of the contract period, the employer shall repatriate the worker to the country of origin at the employer’s expense within five days after the termination of the contract.

While the proposed measure curbs the bureaucracy in handling employees’ permit by the Division of Labor, the bill eliminates certain privileges currently enjoyed by the workers. (Lindablue F. Romero)