DOLE urged to probe ‘no vax, no pay’ policy

MANILA – A lawmaker called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to investigate employers imposing the “no vaccine, no salary” scheme as it unduly penalizes workers who have no access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Rizal (2nd District) Rep. Fidel Nograles issued the request on Tuesday following reports that some companies allegedly refused to release the salaries of unvaccinated employees until they can show they have been inoculated.

“Lalong magdurusa ang mga arawan ang sahod sa ganitong sistema (Daily-paid workers would further suffer with this kind of system). I urge the Department of Labor and Employment to investigate this matter thoroughly and immediately put a stop to such an insensitive and illegal scheme,” Nograles said in a statement.

Nograles said daily wage workers outside Metro Manila would bear the brunt of such a policy as the government starts distributing vaccines in regions.

He said until supply is distributed more equitably, workers residing outside the National Capital Region have no control over when to get vaccinated unless their employers provide them the jabs.

“Huwag naman po sana natin parusahan ang mga manggagawa para sa mga bagay na wala naman silang kontrol. Ngayon, para sa mga kaso na may bakuna ngunit ayaw magpabakuna, mas mainam po na idaan na lang natin sa maayos na usapan at hikayatin sila kaysa parusahan (Let us not punish workers for things that they have no control over. Now, for cases wherein there are available vaccines but the workers refuse to get vaccinated, it would be better to talk it out with them and encourage them instead of punishing them),” he said.

He said until there is a law on mandatory vaccination, the policy is illegal and discriminatory.

“Covered establishments and employers shall endeavor to encourage their employees to get vaccinated. However, any employee who refuses or fails to be vaccinated shall not be discriminated against in terms of tenure, promotion, training, pay, and other benefits, among others, or terminated from employment. No vaccine, no work policy shall not be allowed,” DOLE Labor Advisory No. 03-21 read.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said last week there is a slim chance that President Rodrigo Duterte would order the mandatory inoculation against Covid-19 as more Filipinos actually want to get vaccinated.

“But right now, because the supply [has] just arrived, let’s see, because I think the level of individuals who want to be vaccinated is already very high so baka hindi pa naman kinakailangan sa ngayon (perhaps, the mandatory vaccination is not yet necessary),” Roque said.

He said the government’s current priority is to administer the vaccines to those who are willing.

San Jose del Monte City Rep. Rida Robes earlier filed House Bill 10249 which mandates the administration of Covid-19 vaccines to all eligible Filipinos and residents of the Philippines.