A career service employee of the Dept. of Human Resources (DHR) whose employment was terminated by Director of Human Resources Lynn Pulou Alaimalo has appealed the action and won.
The employee Irene Ulale Annipale, a 17-year employee of the American Samoa Government (ASG), was Chief of Personnel Services when she was served a termination letter dated March 11th.
Her termination was to be effective April 11th. However, Annipale disputed DHR’s decision to terminate her employment. On March 22nd, she filed a letter with the Administrative Law Judge petitioning for a hearing.
The hearing was held April 5th with Annipale representing herself and DHR represented by Assistant Attorney General Julia Furlong.
In a ruling dated April 12th, Administrative Law Judge Marie Ala’ilima said the Dept. of Human Resources’ decision to terminate the petitioner’s career service employment is reversed and Irene Ulale Annipale will be restored to her previous position from which she had been terminated.
“The respondent shall restore unto the petitioner any and all back pay and leave to which she would have been entitled had the March 11th, 2021 letter terminating her employment not been issued.”
