Sen. Leila De Lima has called on Congress to pass a law that mandates paid leave of five days for workers who contract COVID-19.
The proposed bill will penalise employers who intrude on workers' "rest hours" and to prevent tasks and meetings from encroaching on personal time.
Employers are encouraged to grant paid leave for workers who have contracted COVID-19 and need to be quarantined.
Some 200,000 formal sector workers affected by pandemic-led restrictions in Metro Manila and other regions are set to receive P5,000 in cash aid.
The government is focusing on sector development, identifying skills that are in demand and needed by industries as they adapt to pandemic-driven changes.
Government agencies also urged companies to provide sufficient assistance for individuals who are undergoing quarantine and isolation.
The Department of Trade and Industry has partnered with the National Development Co to set up a P250-million (US$4.9-million) fund for local startups.
Altogether, the government has disbursed PHP26.1 billion worth of social protection assistance under various programmes.
More than 80% of employers have given their workers their 13th-month pay as required by labour laws, or will do so in January.
These workers were more likely to lose their jobs because they dominated sectors that were hard-hit, like hotels and restaurants, wholesale, and retail.
The employment outlook index is 24.5% for the first quarter of next year compared to the previous quarter’s 6.2%.
This is defined by the Department of Labour and Employment as workers in part-time roles looking for longer working hours or higher-paying jobs.
To help people displaced by the pandemic, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has launched a job-creation programme.
The jobless rate fell from 8.9% in September to 7.4% in October as more relaxed pandemic measures allowed people to find work.
Displaced or disadvantaged workers receive an average of 10 to 90 days of work compensation based on the minimum wage.
A “no work, no pay” scheme should only serve as a last resort for employers when dealing with their unvaccinated workers.
Micro and small businesses are provided with the option to apply for a government loan to pay employees their 13th month salary.
The new measures will take effect on December 1, and those who choose to be unvaccinated will have to shoulder the cost of COVID-19 tests.
A proposed new policy will grant employers the discretion to hire application based on their vaccination status.
President Rodrigo Duterte has said there is a legal basis for employers to refuse to hire potential staff who are still unvaccinated against COVID-19.
The government is planning to lower Metro Manila’s pandemic restrictions to Alert Level 2 from November 15 until the end of the year.
The Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) has issued guidelines on the release of the 13th month pay for this year.
The labour department will be studying a proposal that mandates COVID-19 vaccination for frontline workers.
Businesses offering dine-in and in-person services cannot fire staff or withhold the salaries of those who are not vaccinated.
Due to tighter pandemic-led restrictions, many businesses were forced to temporarily retrench or cut the work days of their staff.
Some workers have said that they were not paid their salaries as they were required to first present proof of vaccination.
About 13 business groups have asked the government to restrict the mobility of unvaccinated individuals and to step up mass inoculations.
Pre-pandemic, the public employment service office was facilitating over 2 million workers into jobs, said the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE).
Business groups and unions have said they wish to contribute to the formation of the government’s employment recovery plan.
The government is currently looking to ramp up its vaccination of priority groups, which include workers in essential industries.
