The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Monday, July 24, that employees in the private sector in Metro Manila are exempt from any penalties if they decide not to report to work due to torrential rains brought on by Severe Tropical Storm Egay.
This is according to a DOLE Labor Advisory cited by Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, which states that no administrative sanction should be imposed on employees who fail or refuse to report to work due to imminent danger resulting from weather disturbances and similar occurrences.
"Thus they can be excused," Laguesma said following PAGASA's latest bulletin that Typhoon Egay may intensify into a supertyphoon in the next few days.
"The labor advisory is still in effect, so there is no need to issue another. We can just cite the advisory for the guidance of workers and employers," the labor secretary added.
Based on Labor Advisory 17-22 which was first issued on Aug. 23, 2022, employees who do not report for work because of weather disturbances and similar occurrences are not entitled to receive pay, except when there is a favorable company policy or collective bargaining agreement.
On the other hand, employees who arrive at work are entitled to full regular pay if they have worked for at least six hours, proportionate compensation if they have worked for less than six hours, and full regular pay if they have worked more than six hours unless there is an existing corporate policy that is more beneficial to the employee.
