By Pacific Island Times News Staff
When the clock strikes five, most employees go home. But not those who work at the Guam legislature.
Sen. Thomas Fisher is not pleased with the legislature’s practice of dragging out its daily operations beyond regular work hours.
“The 37the Guam Legislature has demonstrated an unfortunate and increasing proclivity to remain in sessions and convene hearings, which regularly continue, or indeed commence after the five o'clock hour,” Fisher said in a letter to Speaker Therese Terlaje.
“This demonstrated inability to martial resources and time in such a way as to efficiently accomplish duties of the office reflects poorly on the body,” the senator said.
And worse, he added, protracted proceedings take a toll on the legislative employees, who “are required to work unknown and unanticipated hours resulting from our indifference or inefficiency.”
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Fisher is seeking assurance that the employees, who are required to work overtime "at extraordinary times are fairly compensated."
“I ask that you confirm all such employees required to work overtime are compensated in cash at a rate of 1.5 hours for each one hour worked,” Fisher stated in his letter to Terlaje.
He also sought assurance that abuse of time is not tolerated.
“I ask that you confirm no employee is compensated in ‘compensatory time off,' ‘flex time’ or any other such device," Fisher told the speaker. “As you know, these are normally used by the unscrupulous to extract labor from others without actual pay."
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