Ads by Google Ads by Google

Senator schedules hearing in latest overtime dispute

With a new claim that Customs Officers have questioned the status of their overtime pay, Sen. Laolagi F.S. Vaeao, chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee have scheduled a hearing this week to get answers from two ASG cabinet directors.

 

As reported by Samoa News last Friday, close to 30 Customs officers signed off on a petition to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officer Sam Tinae about Customs overtime and compensatory time.  

 

The Customs officers claim they have no idea how the hours are being calculated and what is being done with their overtime hours and they want a straightforward answer given as to the status of their overtime hours.

 

The petition to EEO prompted concerns by Laolagi during last Friday’s Senate session, saying that the Senate has a responsibility to find answers to this latest issue, which was reported by the local media. 

 

Laolagi told Samoa News over the weekend that he wants to see this issue resolved before USDOL would again focus on ASG for failure to comply with federal labor law, dealing with the paying of hours worked as well as overtime.

 

He said he scheduled a hearing for Wednesday after the 10a.m. Senate session, to which ASG Treasurer Dr. Falema’o ‘Phil’ M. Pili and Human Resources Department director Sonny Thompson have been called to provide testimony and answer questions from senators.

 

More details in tomorrow’s edition including what the USDOL has to say about the last overtime fiasco