2 May 2017

American Samoa hospital workers go without pay

6:20 am on 2 May 2017

There's disappointment, anger and frustration among employees of American Samoa's LBJ Hospital after they discovered their pay was not in their bank accounts.

LBJ employees normally receive their pay-cheques by direct deposit on the Friday preceding payday .

But last week employees who went to withdraw money found their pay wasn't available.

They were told their direct deposit would will be in their accounts today.

LBJ hospital, American Samoa

LBJ hospital, American Samoa Photo: RNZI

A senior nurse says it's not the first time this has happened.

She told KHJ News they were looking forward to getting money because they hadn't been paid in three weeks because of the Flag Day holiday so everyone was broke.

Another employee said bill paying and family obligations had been put on hold and she felt like quitting,

LBJ Finance reportedly waited until the end of the day to inform the nursing supervisor about the pay delay.

The Acting Chief Financial Officer for LBJ, the reverend Emau Amosa, would not comment on the issue.