DOLE probes firms with ‘no vaccine, no work’ policy

MANILA, Philippines — Some companies allegedly preventing their unvaccinated workers from reporting to the workplace are now under investigation by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

“We had our own investigation, apart from inspections, to find out which companies these are and where they are located so we could pay them a visit,” Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benaviez said in Filipino at yesterday’s Laging Handa public briefing.

However, Benavidez said the DOLE has not yet received formal complaints concerning the “no vaccine, no work” policy being adopted by certain companies.

“What has reached us are reports, but without the companies being named,” he said.

To ensure compliance to safety and health regulations as well as other labor standards, the DOLE is continuously conducting inspections of commercial establishments nationwide.

Benavidez said their target this year is to inspect 84,000 firms throughout the country.

Earlier, the DOLE advised against a “no vaccine, no work” policy, but did not impose any penalty to violators.

But Benavides stressed that employers who prohibit their unvaccinated employees from reporting to work bear the responsibility of continuing the payment of their wages.

Also, a worker who is suspended or terminated for refusing to get vaccinated retains the right to file an illegal suspension or illegal dismissal case against the employer.

DOLE’s unused fund

Yesterday, the country’s biggest coalition of labor groups demanded that the DOLE’s unutilized funds from the Bayanihan Law be distributed as cash aid to workers displaced during this month’s lockdown period.

“First, there is accountability issue on why DOLE kept this amount unutilized when months into the pandemic workers continue to face a scarcity of ayuda. The second issue is how the agency will make use of this huge amount given the obvious negligence and poor performance,” said Sonny Matula, chairman of Nagkaisa.

Matula said the DOLE requested P2 billion in additional funds for workers to be affected by the new lockdown, but the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) advised the department to use its unutilized budget first.

Reacting to the DBM’s response, Matula expressed disappointment over funds freezing in cold vaults while displaced workers are short of cash assistance.

Nagkaisa has been calling for an income guarantee of P10,000 per month for displaced workers, including OFWs, and an employment guarantee of 100 days per year for the unemployed.

At yesterday’s public briefing, Benavidez mentioned that the DOLE’s request for additional funds for cash aid to workers is being studied by the DBM.

He said the DOLE is implementing other programs to provide assistance for workers who lost income.

Meanwhile, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) welcomed the statement of Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla urging workers in the province to file a petition for a wage hike.

KMU has been pushing for a P100 daily wage subsidy as a wage adjustment allowance to be given by the national government to all wage earners to help them cope with the impact of inflation.