Committee hears clerical fix to Pregnant Workers Fairness Act; Department of Labor backs clarification

Senator Ello Tidigui, chair of the legislative committee, opened the hearing on Bill 292-38 COR at 9:09 a.m., describing it as a clerical amendment to several sections of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act aimed at correcting technical and spelling errors so workers and employers better understand their rights and obligations. The chair said the amendment would not substantially change existing law but would ‘‘strengthen existing law by providing further clarification’’ to the Department of Labor and the public.

Chair Tidigui read into the record written support from the Guam Department of Labor, which said it ‘‘is in full support’’ of the clerical corrections and emphasized that clear statutory language helps workers and employers understand enforceable obligations. The chair told the committee a fiscal note requested from the Bureau of Budget and Management Research (BBMR) had been received and a waiver granted under Public Law 12-229; the committee said it still awaited any additional cost detail in writing.

Senator Gumatau questioned why Department of Labor representatives were not present in person to explain whether administrative rules could be corrected outside a legislative session and raised a concern about timing because some provisions were subject to a 90-day compliance window. Chair Tidigui responded that the typographical errors originated in the legislature’s drafting and that the enacted rule materials and public information materials were otherwise available; she declared Bill 292-38 duly heard.

Next steps: the committee expects to receive any outstanding fiscal documentation from BBMR and will consider the measure at markup if further technical adjustments are needed.