16 Aug 2010

Shorter weeks for CNMI state workers but not until October

1:52 pm on 16 August 2010

Government employees in the Northern Marianas will retain an 80-hour salary per pay period for the rest of this fiscal year, but face cut backs from October.

In the new financial year, their working hours will be cut by 16-hours a fortnight and holidays will be unpaid, under the revised version of the budget bill up for discussion.

Representative Ramon Basa, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said lawmakers had agreed to hold any cut in work hours until the end of September.

The acting governor Eloy Inos says implementing the cuts is the only way to balance the budget.