The Department of Human Resources has put a stop to the conversion of short-term contract employees to career service employees which occurs without fulfilling procedural requirements outlined under the American Samoa Administrative Code. In a letter to ASG departments and agencies, HR Director Sonny L. Thompson said this order is effective immediately.

“However, agencies are granted liberty and discretion to request contract extension within the limits prescribed by ASAC 4.1009 (b) which states, the contract specialist must address a request in writing to the Director of HR not less than 90-days prior to the expiration date, and the renewable for a one-year contract will be limited to one renewal unless prior approval is obtained in writing from the Director of HR.”

Thompson stated that this is notwithstanding the governor’s Cost-Containment Policy (002-2013) concerning contracts, which stipulates “…. existing contracts will continue until expiration, at which time they will not be renewed.”

In the Director’s letter he pointed out that DHR will withhold all conversion requests until the financial health of the government improves or until the cost containment policy is superseded by an amendment declaration.

When asked by Samoa News as to what prompted this correspondence, Thompson said that this move “is just great management, and the vision to make sure there is a balance in the workforce; and it is based on funding issues.”

He said ASG always fronts the payroll for all employees regardless of whether they are paid through grants or local funds. “It only makes sense to have those on contract paid by grants to continue so long there is a grant available to pay them. 

”Conversion into career service places a lot of burden on ASG; when in some cases, continuing on contract is the best decision at the time,” he said.

Samoa News understands that the Department of Health recently hired 65 employees under short term contracts of 6 to 12 months, and some of these people are trying to convert their contracts to career service.