14 Jan 2016

American Samoa police call for overtime pay

8:07 am on 14 January 2016

Some government employees in American Samoa are asking why overtime pay hasn't been paid if the government is recording a surplus for the Fiscal Year 2015.

Police officers who did not want to be named, say they worked 12 hour shifts for most of last year but up until now they have not been paid overtime.

American Samoa police headquarters

American Samoa police headquarters Photo: Supplied

This week Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga told the Fono there was a 4.9 million US dollars surplus for 2015.

But the officers say the Commissioner had told them the administration is looking for funds to pay them.

The police say the Commissioner is now moving to halt all overtime work but they don't know how the correctional facility can be covered with existing manpower without overtime hours.

One officer said he will be filing a complaint with the Department of Labor shortly.