Release 13th-month pay early, private sector employers urged

The DOLE Regional/Field/Provincial Office having jurisdiction over the workplace shall monitor compliance with this general labor standard. (File Photo By Judgefloro – Own work, CC0)

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reminded all private-sector employers to release the mandated 13th-month pay of their workers no later than Dec. 24.

In Labor Advisory 25, series of 2023, issued on Nov. 8, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma also reiterated the department’s yearly guide on the proper computation of the mandatory benefit for all employees in private companies.

Also entitled to the benefit are rank-and-file employees who are paid on a piece-rate basis, fixed, or guaranteed wage plus commission; with multiple employers; resigned; terminated from employment; or those who were on maternity leave and received salary differential.

The minimum 13th-month pay shall not be less than 1/12 of the total basic salary earned by an employee within the calendar year computed as follows: total basic salary / 12 months = proportionate 13th-month pay.

The 13th-month pay is mandatory under the Labor Code of the Philippines and Presidential Decree 851.

The department also said it would not allow requests for exemption or deferment of its payment, and that they are expecting all employers to submit their respective compliance report on or before Jan. 15, 2024.

The report shall contain the name of the establishment, address, principal product or business, total employment, the total number of workers who benefitted, the amount granted per employee, and the total amount of benefits granted.

The DOLE Regional/Field/Provincial Office having jurisdiction over the workplace shall monitor compliance with this general labor standard.

For further queries on the 13th-month pay, the public is advised to call DOLE Hotline 1349, which is available 24/7. They can also call or text 0931-066-2573 from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Inquiries may also be sent via electronic mail to hotline1349@dole.gov.ph or via direct message to DOLE’s Facebook Page.

Meanwhile, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board – National Capital Region will conduct a public hearing on minimum wage adjustment for domestic workers at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City on Nov.

22.

The public may witness the hearing while parties who intend to participate may send emails and position papers to wage_ncr@yahoo.

com.ph until Nov. 17.

The last wage increase for Metro Manila domestic workers amounting to PHP1,000 took effect on July 13, 2022.