‘No vax, no pay policy is illegal’
Published on: Thursday, October 21, 2021
By: GMA News
.jpg "‘No vax, no pay policy is illegal’")
MANILA: Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Tuesday branded as “illegal” the policy of withholding the salary of employees who have not yet been vaccinated against Covid-19.Bello made the statement in a radio interview after the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) said a company in the National Capital Region has been implementing a “no vaccine, no salary” policy.
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“That’s prohibited under the law. You cannot withhold the salary of the employee, of the worker without legal basis,” he said.
“Not getting vaccinated is not a legal basis. That is strictly prohibited,” Bello added.
So far, Bello said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has not received any report, complaint, or call regarding the illegal policy, not even from the ALU-TUCP.
He said they only learned about it through media interviews and reports.
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Bello encouraged employees who
experienced such policy to formally
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report their concern to DOLE by visiting the department’s office or calling its hotline.
And, the League of Provinces of the Philippines urged the government to defer the implementation of the pilot alert level system in several areas outside of Metro Manila until next month.
“We, governors, have reservations on the immediate implementation of this alert level system. We need to study the rules on the alert level system, “Marinduque Gov. Presbitero Velasco Jr. said
Velasco said the postponement would give local chief executives more time to study the new alert system and cascade the same to their constituents and to those tasked to enforce it.
Malacañang on Tuesday said the COVID-19 alert system first tested in Metro Manila has been expanded to several areas starting Oct. 20 until Oct. 31.
Velasco said they also recommend that resolutions by the Inter-Agency Task Force be published on newspapers to further disseminate the information.
Unlike in the capital region, disseminating such regulations is a challenge for the provinces given the weak internet connectivity and locations.
The governor said he was not informed about the new alert level system and was surprised to learn that it was supposed to be immediately implemented.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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