Foreign firms seek flexible holiday pay

Published by rudy Date posted on February 8, 2009

Foreign companies in the country are seeking a flexible holiday arrangement to help them cope with the economic slump as well as preserve jobs.

Ernie Cecilia, American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) committee chairman for industrial relations, said the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry alone spends P82 million per day during holidays.

“We are therefore proposing a way to enhance the capacity of the industry to absorb more employees, especially those that will be displaced in other industries, by giving more flexibility for companies and employees to fix and reset their holidays,” Cecilia said in a statement.

He said the high cost of holiday pay has put a heavy financial burden on companies, which are already reeling from the effects of the global crisis.

Malacañang has already announced nine holidays for this year.

Cecilia stressed that Amcham’s proposal is not intended to exempt foreign employers from giving holiday pay to local workers.

“The purpose is not to avoid paying holiday pay, but to have the flexibility for both employers and employees to set the holidays on days when customer requirements allow for some slack in the workplace,” Cecilia said.

Cecilia said the proposed scheme, if allowed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), would not compromise the productivity of workers or impose extra burden on employers.

He said companies serving clients abroad are beginning to feel the impact of the global financial crisis and are exerting efforts to save on operational costs.

“Instead of resorting to layoffs, we are looking at more flexible work arrangements,” Cecilia said.

Earlier, the labor department issued guidelines on implementing a compressed workweek to keep companies from having to retrench workers.

The DOLE said 40,000 workers have already been displaced as a result of the crisis.–Mayen Jaymalin, Philippine Star

Sept 5 – Oct 5
National Teachers Month

“Pay teachers decent wages,
Pay attention to teachers!”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.

Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar.  Reject Military!

#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors. Time to spark a global conversation. Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!

September


Monthly Observances:

Health, Safety, and Sanitation Month
Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month

National Peace Consciousness Month

Social Security Month

Rule of Law Month

National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 5)

 

Weekly Observances:

Sept 17 – 23:

World Clean and Green Week

Week 2: Education Week

Week 4: Medicine Week

Last Week: Family Week


Daily Observances:

Third Saturday: International Coastal Clean-up Day

Third Monday: World Health Day

Last Friday: National Maritime Day

Sept 8: National Literacy Day

Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day

Categories

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.