SENATE President Edith Deleon Guerrero has voiced her strong support for the CNMI Department of Labor’s application for a technical assistance grant to explore the feasibility of implementing an unemployment insurance program in the Commonwealth.
In a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor, Deleon Guerrero emphasized the importance of such a program, especially in light of the islands’ high unemployment rate.
The Senate president highlighted the significant benefits of establishing an unemployment insurance program in the CNMI. She noted that such a program would provide vital temporary income support to workers who are laid off or must leave their jobs through no fault of their own.
Senate Support (Credits: Britannica)
This support would help families meet their basic needs, such as food and housing, while they search for new employment. Additionally, Deleon Guerrero emphasized that an unemployment insurance program would benefit the local economy by ensuring cash flow circulation.
Deleon Guerrero pointed out that the CNMI is currently one of several territories that do not have a regular unemployment compensation program.
She highlighted the fact that the CNMI has one of the highest unemployment rates among all U.S. territories, making the need for such a program even more urgent. The Senate president stressed that unemployment is a key factor contributing to social and domestic instability in the CNMI.
If approved, the CNMI DOL’s technical assistance grant proposal would allow the Commonwealth to determine the viability of implementing an unemployment insurance program. Deleon Guerrero expressed optimism that such a program could help alleviate some of the challenges posed by unemployment in the CNMI.
