DOLE, attached agencies to go on 4-day work week

FILE: Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III during a press conference on Thursday (Sept. 27, 2018), which is held at the DOLE main office in Intramuros, Manila.(PNA photo by Gil Calinga)

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and its attached agencies will implement a four-day work week as a precaution against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) threat.

In Administrative Order (AO) No. 99, series of 2020, dated March 11 released on Thursday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the new work schedule covers all employees at the central office in Intramuros, Manila as well as its regional offices, bureaus and field offices.

Under the AO, the work schedule for all DOLE employees, as well as its attached agencies, will only be from Monday to Thursday starting on March 16.

“All offices/agencies shall observe a four-day workweek which shall be from Monday to Thursday instead of working for five days a week and work schedule from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” the order said.

Also covered by the AO are the Philippine Overseas Welfare Administration (POEA), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

Included in the order are the following guidelines:

-Friday shall be the day-off of all employees;

-Employees must render not less than 10 hours of work a day, exclusive of meal periods;

-They may report for work anytime from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and end work anytime between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m..;

-Employees who will report for work beyond 8 a.m. shall be considered tardy;

-Those who do not complete 10 hours in one workday shall be considered undertime;

-Off-setting of tardiness or undertime shall not be allowed;

-The official lunch break shall be maintained at 12 noon to 1 p.m. regardless of the time the employee reports for work.

It added that one-day absence shall be considered as a 10-hour absence and shall be deducted proportionately from the employee’s leave credits and employees who are required to report for work on their scheduled day-off shall be entitled to 1.5 days compensatory time-off.

The order came a day after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) urged all government agencies and offices to implement changes in their work schedule due to the threat of Covid-19.

In a memorandum, the CSC asked all public agencies and offices to adopt alternative work arrangements for employees.

They may opt to implement either or both of the following arrangements: a four-day work week and a shifting schedule.

Under the arrangement, employees are required to render 10 hours of work per day for four days.