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Undoubtedly, payroll is a critical aspect of any organization. The Pay cycle is a notable feature that provides a sense of accountability for an employee to be paid consistently for their work.

Payroll frequency in Guam can vary depending on the nature of the employment and the preferences of the employer and employee. Common payroll frequencies include weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly.

13th-month pay is not mandatory.

Effective January 1 , 2024, the minimum wage in Guam is $9.24/hr.

Working Hours in Guam:

Guam generally has a 40 hours work week.

Overtime 

Employees must be paid one and half times their regular wage of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours  in a workweek.

Retention Periods for Specific Records:

• ERISA(EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT) Records: Must be retained for 6 years (29 U.S.C. §1027) 
• ADEA (AGE DISCRIMINATION ACT)Records: Must be retained for one year from the date of personnel action (29 U.S.C. § 626; 29 C.F.R. § 1627.3(b)) 
• FMLA(Family and Medical Leave) Records: Must be retained for 3 years (29 U.S.C. § 2616(b); 29 C.F.R. § 825.500)

In Guam, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission outlines the employee rights and obligations.

Employers are prohibited from discriminating against job applicants or employees on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, disability ,sex or any other ground.

The specific onboarding documents required for employees in Belize may vary depending on the employer and the industry. However, some of the most common onboarding documents include:

• Name 
• Address 
• Contact information
• Emergency contact information
• Proof of Identity
• Educational Documents:
• Job offer and acceptance
• I-9 form- which requires driver’s license, passport, social security no.
• Visa Verification

Guam has a 90-day probation period.

The statutory public holidays in Guam for the year 2024 are as follows:

• January 1 - New Year’s Day
• January 15 - Martin Luther King Jr. DAay (Observed)
• March 4 - Guam History & Chamorro Heritage Day
• May 27 - Memorial Day
• July 4 - Independence Day
• July 22 - Liberation Day (Observed)
• September 2 - Labor Day
• November 1 - All Souls Day (Observed)
• November 11 - Veterans Day
• November 28 - Thanksgiving Day
• December 9 - Santa Marian Kamalen Day (Observed)
• December 25 - Christmas Day

Under the FML, eligible employees who work for a covered employer can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for the following reasons:

To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a qualifying serious health condition, For the employee’s own qualifying serious health condition, For qualifying exigencies related to the foreign deployment of a military member who is the employee’s spouse, child, or parent.

Employees have the right to 13 days of paid sick leave, which can be used for various reasons such as physical or mental illness, injury, medical appointments, pregnancy, childbirth, or quarantine. Unused sick leave can be saved and carry over in future years without any restrictions, or one can also use leaves under FML for 12 weeks.

Under the FMLA, employees have the right to take leave for the birth of a child, or for adopting or fostering a child. Female employees in permanent positions are granted 20 days of maternity leave for childbirth or adoption of a child under five years old. Additional leave beyond this period can be taken as unpaid leave, with a maximum total leave duration of six months.

Under the FMLA ,twenty (20) days of paternity leave is granted to a male employee occupying a permanent position who is absent from work because of childbirth or adoption of a child(ren) five (5) years old or younger. Employees can take any additional leave for childbirth or adoption purposes as unpaid leave. Total leave, sick or unpaid leave shall not exceed six (6) months without supervisory approval.

Employees are entitled to a total of fourteen (14) calendar days of family leave upon the death of each family member. Eligible employees should have worked for the employer for more than 12 months and have a minimum of 1,000 hours of service in the 12 months before taking leave.

An employer cannot terminate an employee based on discriminatory reasons like race, religion, gender, age, or disability (protected classes). This is illegal under federal law.

There's no specific legal mandate for an offboarding process in Guam, but best practices recommend the following:

Notice: Employers generally aren't required to provide notice before termination (unless a contract dictates otherwise). However, it's good practice to provide a reasonable notice period, especially for salaried employees.

Final Paycheck: All earned wages, accrued vacation time, and other compensation must be paid to the employee by the next regular payday or sooner.

Guam law doesn't prescribe a mandatory notice period.

Guam law does not mandate severance pay for private employees. This means employers are not legally required to provide financial compensation to a terminated employee unless there's a specific agreement in place.

For work purposes, you would likely need to apply for a U.S. visa that allows you to work, such as an H-1B visa for specialty occupations, an L-1 visa for intra-company transferees, or an O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement.

The specific documents required for these visas would depend on the type of visa you are applying for and the specific requirements of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). For applicants holding non-US passports, a copy of a valid residence permit in the United States is required.

Some of the common documents they must provide include:

• A passport-style photo
• A scanned copy of the passport
• A copy of their flight itinerary
• Proof of yellow fever vaccination
• A business letter from your company
• A completed visa application form

In Guam, the Fair Chances Hiring Process Act (FCHPA) governs the background check process for private sector employees. According to the FCHPA, employers are not allowed to request police clearance or court clearance as part of the application for employment. However, upon making a conditional job offer, an employer may request evidence of any pending criminal cases or criminal history from the employee. This law applies to all employers with more than 15 employees, including private-sector employers, and the local government.

The following are types of background checks frequently encountered:

• Employment Verification
• Identity Verification
• Education Verification
• Medical Examinations
• Education and Employment Verification
• Professional License Verification
• Financial Checks