LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Tuesday, October 19, 2021, that the reported “no vaccine, no salary” policy being implemented in a company in Metro Manila is “illegal.”

Bello said not getting coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination is not a legal basis for companies not to release the salary of their employees.

“Bawal yan. Labag sa batas nga 'yan (That’s illegal). You cannot withhold the salary of the employee, of the worker without legal basis,” he said.

Bello urged workers who experienced the policy to report it to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for proper action.

He said companies implementing such a policy may be sanctioned.

On Monday, October 18, Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said a group of employees in the National Capital Region (NCR) informed them about the said policy.

Tanjusay said the policy is unacceptable considering the still low vaccine supply in the country.

Lawmakers and the Department of Health also slammed the said policy. (SunStar Philippines)