Former employees of the Samoa Tuna Processors cannery have been temporarily hired under a grant being administered by American Samoa's Department of Human Resources.
The 143 workers employees lost their jobs when the cannery closed its canning operations last month.
Our correspondent says this is a temporary employment program using federal funds that were already available while the Government compiles a grant application to be sent to the US Department of Labor specifically to help the displaced cannery workers.
The Department of Human Resources acting Director Eseneiaso Liu said the temporary work program can only hire 200 people.
She said this is specifically for workers who are displaced because of a shutdown of their workplaces.
The workers are paid $US5 an hour, working 5 hours a day, six days a week.