CSC clarifies guidelines on job order, contractual workers in gov’t

ABS-CBN News, Jul 27 2017

MANILA- Services of job order and contractual workers in government should only be availed for temporary projects or activities.

This was clarified by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) following the release of Joint Circular No. 1, s. 2017, which specifies rules governing job order and contract of service workers.

The circular was jointly issued by the CSC, the Commission on Audit (COA), and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

It aims to prompt government agencies to review their existing projects to determine which are temporary and which can be considered as part of their regular function.

The policy, according to the CSC, defines “contract of service” as “the engagement of the services of an individual, private firm, other government agency, non-governmental agency or international organization as consultant, learning service provider or technical expert to undertake special project or job within a specific period.”

The CSC explained that availing the services of contract of service workers is allowed, given that the implementation of certain projects require personnel with skills that are not available in the agency and when hiring permanent employees for temporary jobs becomes “impractical and more expensive.”

Job order meanwhile is defined by the policy as a “piece work (pakyaw) or intermittent or emergency jobs such as clearing of debris on the roads, canals, waterways, etc. after natural/man-made disasters/occurrences and other manual/trades and crafts services such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical and the like. These jobs are of short duration and for a specific piece of work.”

“Both JO and COS workers should not be made to perform functions which are part of the job description of existing regular employees. They also cannot be designated to positions tasked to control or supervise regular or career employees,” the CSC said.

The CSC added that job order workers shall be paid an amount equivalent to the daily wage or salary of comparable positions in government, plus a premium of up to 20 percent, while contract of service workers should be paid the prevailing market rates.

Government agencies have until Dec. 31, 2018 to comply with the joint circular and until then, they could continue or renew the contracts of existing job order and contract of service workers.

Responsible officials found violating the joint circular upon its implementation may be administratively charged under the existing civil service law.

Read the full joint circular here.