DOLE suspends labor inspections in December

By: Cathrine Gonzales, INQUIRER.net, 12 Dec 2021

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has suspended all labor inspection activities this December to enable the agency to finish all pending labor standards cases and prepare the inspection program for 2020, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said Sunday.

In Administrative Order No. 269, Bello directed all DOLE regional directors to temporarily cease inspection activities in their respective regions starting December 1.

“However, exempted from the suspension of inspection are Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) COVID-19 Monitoring under Joint Memorandum Circular No. 20-04A of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Trade and Industry; complaint inspections; OSH standards investigations; technical safety inspections, such as inspection of boilers, pressure vessels, and mechanical and electrical wiring installation; and inspection of any establishment or industry as I have directed as DOLE Secretary,” Bello said, but noted that these activities should be conducted in strict observance of minimum public health standards.

Routine inspections shall resume upon the issuance of the 2022 General Authority for Labor Inspectors, according to DOLE.

Data from DOLE showed that as of October 31, a total of 56,332 establishments have so far been inspected by labor inspectors. The initial compliance rate is at 84.18 percent on general labor standards, 57.93 percent on OSHS, and 95.81 percent on minimum wage.

“After the inspected establishments have implemented the necessary corrections, the compliance rate is at 90.47 percent on the general labor standards and 67.01 percent on OSHS,” the agency noted.

DOLE said among the violations against general labor standards are record-keeping, Pag-IBIG coverage, and remittances to Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, and Social Security System.

Meanwhile, common violations on OSH include the absence of a first aider, safety officers, fire safety inspection certificate, registration of establishment, and an annual medical report.