DOLE reminds private sector employers to observe holiday pay rules

By Susan G. De Leon

Tuesday 3rd of April 2012

QUEZON CITY, April 3 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor & Employment reiterated its call to public sector employers to observe appropriate pay rules during the holidays.

In a news release, Labor & Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz urged all private sector employers in the country to bear in mind the welfare of their workers by observing the applicable pay rules and other core labor standards during the nationwide holidays.

A long vacation awaits Filiupino workers beginning next weekend due to three regular holidays: Maundy Thursday (April 5), Good Friday (April 6), and Araw ng Kagitingan (April 9).

The dates are specified in President Benigno Aquino III’s Proclamation No. 295, declaring the regular holidays, special (non-working days), and special holiday (for all schools) for the year 2012 issued on November 24, 2011, as among the ten regular nationwide holidays in the Philippines.

Earlier, President Aquino also issued Proclamation 360 declaring April 7, 2012 (Black Saturday) as a special non-working day throughout the country.

Under this scheme, employees who decided to work on Saturday are set to receive 30-percent increase in their daily rate. (DOLE/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)