The CNMI Department of Labor is expected to release today up to $20 million worth of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, according to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres.<\/p>\n
At the radio press briefing yesterday, the governor also said that the administration is getting more people to help the department process the applications. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe got some good news that around $19 million to $20 million will be disbursed today and tomorrow for nearly additional 3,000 PUA applicants. So, we\u2019re almost there, but not quite. But we\u2019ve been getting more folks into helping do the manual inputs [for PUA],\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to the governor, the delays in some of the applications are due to the documents being incomplete or needing to be verified. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen a lot of applications that have been held back for [being] incomplete and need[ing] verification on some of the information that\u2019s been provided. I know that some\u2026feel that we\u2019re taking too long, but at the same time, we want to make sure that the information that are being processed are processed right once,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
As for ongoing concerns about CNMI contract workers not being eligible for PUA, and when asked about Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan\u2019s (Ind-MP) statement that the local government could have pushed back and argued with the federal agencies regarding the CARES Act\u2019s intent, the governor raised that changes needed to be made in the U.S. Congress regarding the CARES Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at it, we can\u2026argue every argument out there. The simple question is, is CW included in the Cares Act? If the answer\u2019s yes, they will process it. If the answer is no, then please make those changes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Last week, Labor Secretary Vicky Benavente stated that they are working on processing as many PUA applications, \u201cworking on a daily basis anywhere between 300 and 500 applications,\u201d but the vetting takes time, given the errors and inaccuracies in the documents.<\/p>\n
Labor also earlier announced that they will be scheduling outreach sessions with different organizations, to assist people with filling out the applications.<\/p>\n
To ask about the status of your PUA application, as well as for other questions, email the Department of Labor at info@puamarianas.com. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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