DOLE inspects businesses for labor compliance

Dagupan City (21 July) — The Department of Labor and Employment-Regional Office 1 is set to implement an intensive inspection strategy program called Project Labor Enforcement and Action Program (Project LEAP) starting August this year.

Regional Director Henry John Jalbuena said the LEAP covers all inspectionable establishments, or those employing 10-199 workers, in specified target areas with concentration of such establishments. Priority establishments for inspection are security agencies, manpower agencies, subcontractors, cooperatives, manufacturing establishments and restaurants/fastfood enterprises.

Jalbuena said the project initially consists of two phases: Phase 1 (August 2, 2010-November 30, 2010) and Phase 2 (February 2011-November 2011).

“The project will ensure compliance with core labor standards such as minimum wage, ECOLA, 13th month pay, holiday pay, service incentive leave, overtime pay, night-shift differential pay and SSS, Pag-ibig and Philhealth,” Jalbuena said.

“Inspectionable establishments which will be found violating these core labor standards will be ordered to effect restitution or correction. On one hand, inspectionable establishments which have been consistently compliant with labor standards for the past three years will be given due recognition by the Department,” he added.

Set against the DOLE Labor Standards Enforcement Framework (LSEF), the LEAP hopes to achieve a culture of compliance through partnerships with other stakeholders. (DOLE/PIA Pangasinan)