The mayor of Agat stands to receive years of back pay and possible reinstatement to his past job as a Port Authority of Guam accountant – even after the Civil Service Commission ruled he didn't meet the qualifications for the job. He didn't have an accounting degree and completed only an associate's degree in marketing.

Kevin Susuico applied and was hired for "an accountant II" position at the Port Authority of Guam in October 2011, but a post-employment audit several months later led to a discovery that he wasn't qualified based on the requirements for the job. The commission found that Susuico "did not meet the requisite criteria of college credit hours in accounting or auditing subjects to qualify for the accountant II position," court documents state. He was fired in January 2013.

He won the vice mayoral seat of Agat in a 2015 special election, and subsequently became mayor – an elected job that pays $75,000 a year in base salary.

After he was fired from the Port Authority, Susuico appealed his termination, fighting all the way to the Supreme Court of Guam. The Superior Court of Guam decided he should be reinstated, and on Tuesday the high court agreed.

The Port Authority's accountant II position offers a salary range from $54,871 to $67,275 a year in base pay. With benefits, the job could be worth close to six figures anually. The award for back pay also includes interest for the unpaid paychecks and attorney's fees.

The high court's decision is based on a technicality. It decided Susuico deserves reinstatement and back pay because the Port Authority had violated the 60-day rule under Guam law that required his employer to notify him within that period of the adverse action against him. The notification clock started from the time management knew, or should have known, of the issue. Guam law was later changed to a 90-day window to notify an employee of an adverse action, but the high court stated that cannot be applied retroactively to Susuico's case.

"Port management knew or should have known that Susuico lacked the requisite educational qualifications for the accountant II position," the court stated, but added its action should have taken place no later than Oct.16, 2012. On that date, a post-audit hearing was held and "the Port did not contest the CSC's factual findings that Susuico's resume and employment application did not meet the required experience and qualifications for the accountant II position."