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Human Resources speaks out on unauthorized placements

Chief Election Officer Tuaolo Manaia Fruean confirmed that in the past, there was an election employee who was working for the Election Office, who was getting paid from the Property Management budget for at least six months, which according to a Department of Human Resources official is unethical, not right — “it’s an unauthorized placement and it’s illegal.”

 

The employee was hired on a contract with the Property Management Department, however due to a disagreement, the employee then moved over to the Election office, doing election work while he was getting paid from the Property Management’s budget.

 

According to Tuaolo, the employee was not happy with the Property Management Office “so he came here” and worked at the Election Office. During the interview Samoa News asked Tuaolo if this was right —that whenever an employees does not like someone, including the director, he or she can just go to another department to work.

 

Tuaolo declined to comment, except to say, “He was mad and he came here and has been working here.” The Chief Election Officer also confirmed with Samoa News that after the employee’s contract was renewed, this particular employee has been getting paid from the Election Office budget. 

 

According to an official at the Human Resources Office, this should have not been done — an employee working for one department and getting paid from the budget of another department.

 

 “It’s unethical, it’s not right, it’s unauthorized placement and it’s illegal,” said the HR official. The official further stated that this matter should have gone through the proper channels prior to having the employee work for the Election office.

 

This issue of unauthorized placement continues to be one that the Lolo and Lemanu administration is keen on. In one of their memorandums on unauthorized placement in April 2014, then Acting Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga pointed out that HR has issued notice to prohibit the placement of employees who have not been cleared for duty by HR.

 

Lemanu to cabinet members in a memo requested that all directors and agency heads  refrain from this practice without due process by the HR. He said at the time that to continue is a blatant disregard of these procedures; is in violation of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and further exposes ASG to employment liability.