Dole encourages flexi work as businesses suffer from COVID-19
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment has encouraged businesses to implement flexible work schedules, rather than to lay off employees, as they battle the economic effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threat.
In Labor Advisory no. 9 issued Wednesday, March 4, 2020, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said adjusting the work schedules of employees is more desirable and practical “taking into account the adverse consequences of the situation on the financial viability of the company.”
Under the flexible work schedule that the labor department is suggesting, the employers can consider a reduction of work hours or workdays, rotation of workers, and forced leave where the employees are required to go on leave, utilizing their leave credits.
The Hotel, Resort, Restaurants Association of Cebu (HRRAC), Inc., in earlier reports said laying off of employees is not a remote possibility if the local and international tourism industry continue to drop due to the COVID-19 scare.
Read: Employment lay off possible as tourism industry in Cebu suffers due to coronavirus scare
HRRAC earlier claimed that their occupancy rate has already dropped to as low as 30 percent, a situation that causes most hotels to already “bleed.”
Philippine Airlines (PAL), in an Inquirer.net report, also announced the laying off of 300 workers and blamed their decision on the COVID-19 scare.
Read: Philippine Airlines cuts 300 jobs as losses mount
“The employers and employees are encouraged to explore other alternative work arrangements in order to cushion and mitigate the effect of the loss of income of the employees,”Labor Advisory no. 9 said.
The labor advisory also sets the guidelines for employers who would want to implement flexible work schedules.
“The effectivity and implementation of any of the flexible work arrangements shall be temporary in nature, subject to the prevailing conditions of the company,” the advisory reads.
Companies that will implement a flexible work schedule shall also notify the labor department through the field office that has jurisdiction over the workplace. The DOLE field office, in turn, shall conduct monitoring to ensure that proper implementation of the flexible work schedule is observed. /rcg
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