ABOUT 50 employers in Bacolod City are facing complaints for violation of Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.
Lawyer Eduard Doresey Caratao of Social Security System (SSS) Operations Legal Department Visayas West 1 Division told SunStar Bacolod Friday, August 5, 2022, that some of the complaints are now under litigation.
Caratao said that this is part of the 177 cases they have filed against the erring employers under their division.
“Although under litigation, we are still accepting proposals and compromises coming from them (employers) because we understand that it should not hamper or delay the contribution of the employees,” he said.
Caratao that there is also a need to reconcile the employers with that of the SSS to determine the exact amount of the delinquency.
Many delinquent employers claimed that they have been badly affected by the ongoing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) but Caratao said they need to prove it.
SSS is urging the employers to present barangay certification proving that they had stopped operation during the onset of the pandemic, he said.
Caratao also stressed that there is a need to classify the establishments to ascertain whether they are essential or non-essential since there were a limited number of employees on duty for each classification during the onset of the lockdowns.
Meanwhile, six more establishments in Bacolod City were issued show cause orders by the Run After Contribution Evaders team of SSS yesterday for being remiss in paying their workers’ contribution.
The establishments that had received the show cause order included a construction firm, a trucking service, a printing shop, a water refilling station, construction supply, manufacturing firm and a wholesaler firm.
Dr. Lilani Benedian, who is the Vice President of Visayas West Division of SSS, clarified that they do not single out business establishments in the issuance of the show cause orders.
“We choose those with the highest amount of delinquency (and) it’s good that we conducted this (activity) because we were able to hear their sides especially their situations during the pandemic,” she said.
Some of the establishments that received the show cause order have pending complaints from their employees, she said.