Del. Kimberlyn King‑Hinds said the Commonwealth’s delayed rollout of Disaster Unemployment Assistance is largely due to the CNMI having to build an entirely new administrative system to manage the federally funded program.
Speaking at the Society for Human Resource Management NMI Chapter meeting Wednesday at Pacific Islands Club Saipan, King‑Hinds said the CNMI cannot copy existing unemployment systems used in states because the islands’ economic conditions and workforce structure differ. She said her office is working closely with the Department of Labor to understand the costs, compliance requirements, and long‑term support needed for a CNMI‑specific program.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $10.1 million in DUA for workers who lost jobs or income after Super Typhoon Sinlaku. But without an unemployment insurance platform, the Commonwealth must create new processes for eligibility, payments, and oversight.
King‑Hinds added that federal concerns about fraud — stemming from pandemic‑era unemployment programs — have also slowed implementation. She said the CNMI must design a system that can withstand future disasters and economic downturns, noting that the islands will continue to face typhoons and other shocks.
“This is something we’re building from scratch,” she said.
