Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte on Wednesday urged private employers to use an alternative work scheme for their employees living in high-risk areas.
“Puwede work-from-home or puwede dili kada-adlaw musulod, mag-shifting (They can be allowed to work from home or use a shifting work arrangement),” Mayor Sara said.
The mayor reiterated her call to employers to use an alternative works scheme following reports that some employees living in high-risk areas feared to risk their employment security because they are not allowed to work.
Mayor Sara cited Legal Opinion No. 355, Series of 2020, issued on May 22, 2020 by the City Legal Office stating among others that company policy should be adopted by employers to include a work arrangement without effect on their salary given that Davao City is under quarantine.
“Accordingly, employers that prohibit employees who live in high-risk areas to report for work are bound by law, either to: 1. Adopt an alternative work scheme for the affected employees without diminution of wages or benefits; 2. With no adoptable viable work scheme, to enter into an agreement with the concerned employees for necessary adjustments, and continue paying the adjusted just wages/salaries of the affected employees[2],” the legal opinion states.
Mayor Sara added that employers must read the return-to-work guideline as well, from the Department of Health (DOH), that assesses whether a worker must or must not report to work.
“Supposedly dapat, ang inyohang employer, nagbasa sila atong return-to-work na guideline sa Department of Health. Nakabutang didto paunsa nimo i-check ang imohang employee kung dapat ba siyang musulod sa work or dapat ba siya dili musulod sa work (Supposedly, your employer must read the return-to-work guideline from the Department of Health. It is cited there how to check whether your employee is advised to report to work or not),” she noted. CIO