Promote ‘standing break’ among employers, DOLE urged

Department of Labor and Employment / Wikipedia Photo

MANILA — A labor group urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to effectively disseminate information on its new “standing break” order for workers.

Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) spokesperson Alan Tanjusay noted the importance of Department Order No. 184, that will help reduce job-related stresses on employees.

“We are looking at the primary objective of the new DO as to minimize job-related stresses, diseases, sicknesses and deaths caused on workers due to stationary or sedentary nature of their work,” he said in a statement.

“We expect the DOLE to roll out and inform all employers about the new workplace rule for the wellness of their employee in today’s very stressful times,” Tanjusay added.

The ALU-TUCP official also urged the agency to come up with initiatives to teach workers on simple exercises that are applicable in workplaces.

“Dapat maglabas ang DOLE ng mga promotional, sample videos teaching employees and employers ng mga simpleng exercises na applicable sa iba’t ibang uri ng workplace (The DOLE must release promotional sample videos teaching employees and employers simple exercises which can be applicable in various kinds of workplaces),” he said.

At the same time, Tanjusay is hoping that companies will not charge to the employees any expenses they may incur in complying with the order.

“We also hope there would be no additional cost to employees once the DO is complied in the workplace,” he said.

“Sana tingnan ito ng mga employers bilang isang polisiya upang maging malusog at produktibo ang kanilang mga manggagawa at hindi bilang karagdagang gastos (I hope employers will look at this as a policy which seeks to make their employees healthier and more productive instead of looking at it as a source of additional expenses),” the labor group official added.

Last week, DOLE issued the order requiring employers to provide standing breaks for their workers whose jobs require sitting for long period of time.

Under the DO, employers are required to provide workers with regular five-minute breaks every two hours from sitting time.

It covers workers involved in computer, administrative, and clerical works; those working in highly mechanized establishments; those working in the field of transportation, toll booths, information technology and business process management; and all other processes and industries where sedentary work is observed.

The order which was issued on Oct 18, 2017, shall be effective 15 days after its publication in newspapers.