More government employees in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas have been exempted from the austerity holiday law.
The law, which came into effect last month, mandates the shutdown of government offices on Fridays.
The CNMI's acting governor Timothy Villagomez has exempted a further 21 employees from the 10-percent salary cut.
Over 600 public sector employees including 369 from the Department of Public Health had previously been exempted from the austerity holiday law.
The Finance secretary Eloy Inos says the government is already expecting a shortfall from savings, because too many employees have been granted exemptions.
The Saipan Tribune reports that those government employees who have not been exempted get paid for only 72 hours of work each two-week period.
The austerity holiday is now scheduled for every Friday until September 21st next year.
