Sotto wants private employers protected from COVID-related lawsuits, claims
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday pushed for the passage of a bill seeking to protect private employers from potential lawsuits or claims from their employees who might contract COVID-19 in the workplace or while in the line of duty.
In filing Senate Bill No. 1515, Sotto proposed that private establishments authorized by the government to operate during the pandemic would not be held liable to “any claims made by its employees by reason of the latter being infected with the COVID-19 virus while working.”
Once enacted into law, the bill would “greatly” benefit small and mid-size enterprises as it would prevent the “further depletion of their already exhausted resources in defending themselves against labor lawsuits in relation to COVID-19 infection of their workers,” according to the senator.
He added that the bill would be in line with the government’s policy to encourage private enterprises and support businesses, especially during the pandemic.
However, Sotto emphasized that the bill would not serve as “an absolute blanket shield” from any liability of the employer.
He stressed that “for the measure to be applicable to them,” employers must strictly observe health protocols enforced by the government to prevent and manage the spread of the coronavirus.
“Employers must observe the mandated work and community safety protocols issued by the government for this law to be applicable,” he said.
To date, the Philippines has recorded 72,269 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Of the number, 23,623 have so far recovered while 1,843 have died from the disease. [ac]
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