DOLE to employers: Allow ‘flexible work schedule’ due to COVID-19 threat

Facade of the Department of Labor and Employment. (FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday advised establishments and businesses in the country to adopt flexible working arrangements in view of the COVID-19 threat.

Under the Department Advisory No. 1 series 2020, workers are advised to implement flexible working arrangements. DOLE said it is a better “alternative than outright termination of services of employees or closure of establishments.”

Under the advisory, the Flexible Work Arrangements are:

• Reduction of work hours and / or work days where normal work hours or work days per week are reduced
• Rotation of workers where workers are rotated or alternately provided work within the week
• Forced leave where employees are mandated to go on leave for several days or weeks utilizing leave credits, if there are any

Employers should notify the labor department “through the regional/provincial/field office which has jurisdiction over the workplace of the adoption of any above flexible work arrangements.”

The DOLE office, which has jurisdiction over the workplace, must monitor and verify the proper implementation of the flexible work hours.

In an ambush interview at the DOLE main office, Undersecretary Ana Dione said 35 establishments are already adopting flexible work policies.

These establishments from the tourism sector, which are mostly hotels, have 3,255 employees, Dione also noted.

Edited by JPV