A category of alien workers in the CNMI are seeking clarification from the CNMI Department of Labor regarding their eligibility for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. <\/p>\n
According to workers advocate Boni Sagana, parents of U.S. citizens who were given humanitarian paroles back in 2012 were given an Employment Authorization Document under the C11 category, making them lawfully authorized to work in the United States. <\/p>\n
Citing the Disaster Unemployment Assistance handbook, Sagana said it is clear that C11 category EADs qualify for unemployment assistance. <\/p>\n
\u201cBased on the DUA handbook I read, to be eligible, you must be a holder of EAD for more than one year. That\u2019s why C09, or EAD holders with pending green cards, were not eligible because their EADs are less than one year,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
CNMI DOL has yet to issue an official list of EAD eligible categories despite Saipan Tribune\u2019s numerous attempts to obtain clarification on EAD eligibility.<\/p>\n
Sagana said that when the PUA program was launched back in June, a number of C11 holders received PUA. Now, however, C11 holders have been receiving denial letters and they are now confused why. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe just want to know if there are guidelines because there are already C11s who received and now they\u2019re denying others. They weren\u2019t asked to return the money. There\u2019s still a whole other issue with DUA. This is like an extension of that because just like DUA, PUA is denying EAD holders who are clearly qualified. That\u2019s what we don\u2019t understand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sagana said he just wants clarification for these long-term alien workers who are technically no longer temporary workers and should be considered part of the community. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey have tried to appeal [their denials] and they struggled with that because most of these individuals are not technologically literate, but they try. Then there are still complications because when they receive the denial, it says they need to appeal in Guam and they did, but Guam answered them that they have to appeal to the CNMI Department of Labor, it\u2019s so complicated, especially for those who aren\u2019t computer literate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sagana is also seeking help from politicians who can step in and help the alien workers that they now also represent. He noted that they have already spoken with Rep. Tina Sablan (D-Saipan) about the issue because many C11s reside in her village. <\/p>\n
\u201cI hope other politicians can help us because they also represent us; we\u2019re members of the community already. I hope [DOL] gives a clarification on this so that people are aware of what\u2019s going on because they need help, especially during this pandemic,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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