Chamber urges businesses to take part in 2011 Survey of Wages, Salaries & Benefits

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is currently performing its 2011 Survey of Wages, Salaries & Benefits, where most businesses and government offices have received copies of the survey with instructions from SCC’s contractor, The Guam Employers Council’s Andy Andrus.

The survey and instructions were originally prepared for distribution at the end of July with a closing date of Sept. 9, 2011 for the return of all completed survey responses. SCC will begin supplying those organizations that participated in the 2011 Survey of Wages, Salaries & Benefits with the survey and benefits report by the end of September. Only those submitting completed survey responses to The Guam Employers Council will receive immediate access to the survey’s final report at the end of September.

Although the 2011 Survey of Wages, Salaries & Benefits can be utilized as a valuable tool for businesses in their companies future plans for employee salary and benefit packages, SCC accepted and is performing the project primarily for assistance in determining prevailing wage rates for foreign workers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), while protecting local employees and their rightful jobs.

SCC is utilizing a methodology that has been formulated after careful communication with the United States Department of Labor and its Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Those that will petition the United States Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for employment visas under H-1 and H-1B categories will be able to utilize the material provided in SCC’s achieved survey report as a part of that process.

The 2011 Survey of Wages, Salaries & Benefits is not only vital to that process, but serves all business and government as well. SCC sees this undertaking as an opportunity to initiate prevailing wage determinations reflective of the current real, economic climate in the CNMI, as opposed to that found in Los Angeles, Honolulu or Guam, and as an extremely valuable tool in keeping the cost of business affordable in these challenging economic times.

This message is aimed at all businesses and the CNMI government. Whether you are a member of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marianas Visitors Authority, the Society of Human Resources Management, the Rotary Club, the bar association, a realtor, medical clinic, engineering firm, insurance firm, airline, newspaper, golf course, school, tour agent, oil company, telecommunication firm or a government department or agency, this applies to you whether you will petition USCIS, or not.

Everyone needs to participate in this survey to assure the report is as valid, accurate and representative of current job classifications and wages and salaries in the CNMI as possible. Please complete your surveys and return them as soon as possible so we can meet our projected completion date.

For those that have not received their survey forms, those that would like to participate but were not on the original distribution list, or more importantly to those mistakenly believing this will not affect them, please contact the Saipan Chamber of Commerce at 233-7150/52, or at coordinator@saipanchamber.com, to participate in the SCC wage survey. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]