Contract employees, those on standard two year contracts and short term contracts, are now exempt from the 7 hour work day.
When the reduction in hours was first announced, the only exempted employees were doctors, nurses and teachers.
A few days after Governor Lolo announced the 7 hour work day at a cabinet meeting on April 5, an anonymous contract employee notified the Governor’s Office that if the American Samoa Government goes ahead with its plan to reduce work hours for contract employees, it will be named as a defendant in a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief.
An April 7 memo from the governor includes two year and short term contract employees in the list of exempted employees.
The others are medical doctors and nurses and Department of Education employees specifically those that are physically located at the school sites and are responsible for the in class instruction of students.
The memo said, ” in light of the American Samoa Government’s legal obligations and employees engaged in services affecting the health of our people and education of our children, the following classes of employees are exempt from this cost reduction measure.”
It also said that because of the unique nature of their professions, DPS and first responders shall meet the 10 hour reduction per pay period in the most efficient manner possible.
The memo spelled out that all AGS employees besides those exempted shall reduce their work day by one hour per day equaling a 10 hour reduction per pay period.
Government hours of operation shall remain from 7:30 am to 4 pm.
Directors and agency heads shall be responsible for adjusting schedules to meet the reduction in hours while maintaining a sufficient staff for normal hours of operation.
The governor also said the situation will be monitored and after 90 days, further actions will be instituted as necessary.
Lolo had said at his April 5 cabinet meeting that a shortfall in collections and uncertainty in federal grants under the Trump administration necessitates this cost containment measure.
He told directors at the time that Department of Interior funding for ASG which should have been received by now, remains uncertain and if it doesn’t come in after Flag Day they’re looking at June for the funds to be released.
Added to this specter, is the possibility of a federal government shutdown at the end of the month if congressional leaders cannot come to an agreement on funding for the government for the rest of this fiscal year.
