AMID continuous rains and massive flooding, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reminded private firms to prioritize the safety and health of their workers amid the bad weather in recent weeks by considering the suspension of work.
“Employers in the private sector may, in the exercise of management prerogative and in coordination with the safety and health committee or safety officer, suspend work to ensure the safety and health of their employees during weather disturbances and similar occurrences,” said Labor Advisory No. 14-2026.
In cases where work is not suspended during bad weather, DOLE said employees who report for work are entitled to full regular pay, provided that they have rendered at least six hours of work.
“To alleviate the plight of employees during weather disturbances and similar occurrences, employers may provide extra incentives or benefits to employees who report to work on the said days,” said the Department.
On the other hand, employees who do not report for work on such days shall not be entitled to regular pay, except when there is a favorable company policy, practice, or collective bargaining agreement granting payment of wages for the said day.
“Employees who fail or refuse to work by reason of imminent danger resulting from weather disturbances and similar occurrences shall not be subject to any administrative sanction,” said DOLE.
Emergency employment
In a related development, the labor department said it is preparing to deploy emergency workers to assist communities affected by calamities.
In a statement, DOLE reported the forthcoming deployment of 171,000 Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) program beneficiaries to more than 9,300 public schools affected by calamities.
“DOLE is prepared to further deploy Tupad workers for cleanup and clearing operations, including at schools serving as evacuation centers,” said DOLE.
“The effort will provide immediate income to workers while addressing urgent needs in communities hit by calamities,” it added.
DOLE said the deployment is part of the Tupad Brigada Eskwela program, which has a P2-billion budget allocation, of which around P1.09 billion has already been utilized.
Tupad is DOLE’s emergency employment program, which provides short-term work to displaced workers in exchange for the prevailing minimum wage rate in the concerned region. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
