Workers entitled to holiday pay — DOLE

Workers who will be reporting for duty today (Oct. 31) until Friday, All Souls’ Day, will be receiving additional pay, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced yesterday.

Forter Puguon, director of the department’s Bureau of Working Conditions, said the afternoon of Oct. 31 and the whole of Thursday and Friday are special non-working days and therefore all those who report for work are entitled to additional pay.

Puguon, however, noted that the principle of "no work, no pay" applies to the workers unless there is an existing company policy or agreement granting employees payment even if no services are rendered.

Puguon also stressed that Saturday, Nov. 3, is an ordinary working day. An employee who is required to report for work on that day shall be paid his regular rate.

According to Puguon, an employee who is required to work on special days shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his regular daily wage or a total of 130 percent.

Those who will render services in excess of eight hours on special days are entitled to an additional compensation or overtime pay of at least 30 percent on top of the 130 percent wage rate.

When the regular holiday is the employee’s rest day and yet he was required to work, he shall be paid an additional 50 percent premium pay on top of his regular salary.

Since only the afternoon of Oct. 31 has been declared a nationwide special day, 30 percent or 50 percent premium pay, as the case may be, shall be added to the basic pay for work rendered during the period.

If work within the special half-day is overtime work or in excess of eight hours, overtime pay shall be at least 30 percent on top of the 130 percent or 150 percent.

President Arroyo has declared the afternoon of Oct. 31 and the whole day of Nov. 2 as non-working holidays. They sandwich Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day, a nationwide special day. Filipino traditionally troop to cemeteries on Nov. 1 to visit their dead.