One of the important outcomes of SBE's 19-month project to improve the morale, ethics, and efficiency of the Department of Labor and Immigration (DLI) of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in 1996 and 1997 was the Comprehensive Labor Reform Act of 1997 (CRLA).

Nancy Gottfried, who was the CNMI Assistant Attorney General in the DLI, described the CRLA as "neither pro-business nor pro-employee.  The bill balances the interests of business, resident workers and guest workers."  An article in the September 24, 1997 edition of the Saipan Tribune noted that the bill was "drafted by a South African-based consulting firm retained by the local government."

The CRLA instituted significant increases in the minimum wage for workers in the CNMI, a U.S. territory, and guaranteed other protections, including overtime pay, fair housing, and limits on the use of foreign guest workers as a way to undercut local residents.  The legislation was passed over the objections of some in the business community who criticized it for being too pro-labor.

A team of specialists headed by David Lapin, SBE's CEO, drafted this act. In addition to SBE consultants, Lapin's team comprised specialists in Federal and Commonwealth Labor Law as well as professionals from the Civil Service.  Included in the team were Ms. Gottfried (who was primarily responsible for drafting the legislation); Douglas Muir, the Governor's Legislative Counsel; and Richard Coutns and Maya Kara, both Legislative Counsels for the House of Representatives.

The team that drafted the Comprehensive Labor Reform Act based its work on a series of workshops that SBE held with the DLI.  The bill also drew on existing CNMI Labor Legislation, U.S. Federal Labor Law, Guam's Labor Law, and House Bill 10-85.  SBE led numerous workshops and discussion groups with the private sector and a four-day workshop presentation with the House sub-committee responsible for labor issues.  Their input was included in the bill's final version that was subsequently enacted by the Legislature as a substitute for HB 10-85.