Forty-nine (49) years ago, the Labor Code of the Philippines was signed. Do you know your rights? Leaders, do you know your responsibilities?
There have been amendments throughout the years, such as Republic Act 10151: AN ACT ALLOWING THE EMPLOYMENT OF NIGHT WORKERS in 2011 and Republic Act 11210: AN ACT INCREASING MATERNITY LEAVE PERIOD TO ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE (105) in 2019.
Here is the link to the Labor Code of the Philippines, as Amended (2022) (dole.gov.ph). Stay updated!
Now, this is a 123-page document. But for corporate employees, here are chapters that are most relevant for you.
- Book Three: Conditions of Employment
- Book Six: Post-Employment
These are rules set forth by the government. However, if your Company offers something more beneficial for the employees, this is, of course, allowed. For example, Book Three Chapter III mandates, “Every employee who has rendered at least one year of service shall be entitled to a yearly service incentive leave of five days with pay.” But as we know, most companies have better leave policies, some even have as many as 30 days of paid time off, others, even more. There are even a few that offer unlimited paid leaves, depending on employee tenure or nature of work.
Read through these books to know your rights and let these guide your actions. Although, while simple, admittedly, they are not always as straight forward. So, remember to always get in touch with your Human Resources or Employee Relations (or Company Lawyer) Partner for guidance and support.
Happy Labor Day!