Pandemic payroll problems: nurses not fairly compensated for work during crisis

On the frontline, but feeling at the end of the line when it comes to being justly compensated. Roses were distributed for island nurses for Nurses Week, but things aren't rosy when it comes to compensation.

"The nurses are so frustrated, some of them are on the verge of tears," noted Robert Koss, representative for the Guam Federation of Teachers. Koss says the union has signed up nurses from all over GovGuam to join a lawsuit they will file against the Governor for failing to pay front liners what they deserve.

"They received base pay they got there differential pay yesterday I saw a couple of those check, $160. That's the difference between staying at home with your kids or working eight weeks - $160," he said.

Apparently it's not just nurses, either. Public Health medical director Dr. Janna Manglona confirms she didn't get paid. Although she wouldn't provide specifics about her situation, she has heard of the payroll plight of her co-workers.

"One of the nurses was saying she had worked midnight at the airport, etc., and what she was given apparently there's no overtime authorized or paid to this particular nurse. And I don't know how many, I have no idea. They said it was all of them. I'm not sure and…I think she received $100 for hazardous duty pay after countless hours and frontline work and threatened exposure to her family," Dr. Manglona said.

 

Over the last several days the Department of Administration has been paying out differential pay under the governor's COVID Response Pay Program, where essential employees would receive an additional 10-25% extra pay based on their level of exposure. What they won't get paid is double-pay authorized in DOA's rules and regulations when an emergency is declared.

According to Koss, though double pay isn't the only pay missing in paychecks.

"This administration they only paid a portion of what the rules require. So where do these public employees fall under the governor's priority," he said.

As of Monday, at least 60 GovGuam front liners have signed up to join the GFT's lawsuit.  They will continue to take the names of essential employees willing to join the litigation for another two weeks.

For more information, call the union at 735-4390.  

The governor's spokesperson, Krystal Paco San Agustin, says about $1.1 million was paid in differential pay last Friday. Those still due pay were caused by late submission of timesheets or incomplete information.