PinoyBusiness.ORG - Home » Employee

Wage Board increased COLA instead of salary

Roy — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:22:26 +0000

Private employees from Metro Manila will receive and additional P22 in their cost-of-living allowance (COLA) per day, in lieu of a wage increase. The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) approved Wage Order No. 16 increasing the COLA of employees. This will take effect 15 days after its publication on the daily newspapers on May 10, 2011.

Raymundo Agravante, chairman of RTWPB-NCR, said their main consideration in the decision was the argument presented by the employers during the deliberation. A wage increase will be an added cost on the part of the employers, while in COLA, overtime and other benefits are not affected.

Because while the additional allowance would bring the daily compensation to P426 per day, the basis for the computation of the overtime, night differentials, 13th-month pay, bonuses, retirement, and other benefits will still be the prevailing wage whose minimum rate still remains at P404 per day.

“In the end, the employers’ position was P20 COLA but we still managed to haggle P22 or a P2 additional allowance in anticipation of projected increase in prices of basic commodities,” Agravante said. He added that they also considered the warning of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on the possible inflationary effect of giving more than P25 increase in daily compensation of workers.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) slammed the decision. The TUCP said it was a measly wage increase in the form of COLA and called on Congress to rectify the decision.

Rafael Mapalo, spokesperson of TUCP, said “The RTWPB just missed this important opportunity to raise workers standard of living in NCR and to help improve equity as mandated by law. It further institutionalizes the primacy of profits over people, a few people over the masses of suffering workers. That was a shameless decision.”

Possibly Related Topics to Read

New reimbursement payment scheme to be adopted by Philhealth

Roy — Mon, 09 May 2011 10:27:19 +0000

A new payment system that will replace the present “fee for service” scheme in reimbursing hospitals will be adopted by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) and hopes to implement it next month.

The Philhealth plans to adopt a new system called the “case payment” system which will have fixed rates for medical services and surgical procedures to reimburse hospitals for treatment of Philhealth members.

Senior manager of benefits and development and research department of Philhealth Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas said the case payment system will cover both medical and surgical procedures. He said the board discussion on the new scheme is almost over.

Pargas presented a draft during the recent annual convention of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), of the proposed amounts that can be reimbursed by hospitals on specified surgical and medical cases.

Among the fixed rates for service and procedures are: hemodialysis, P4,000; radiotherapy, P3,000; caesarian section, P15,000; Medical Care Plan (MCP), P8,000; appendectomy, P26,000; hysterectomy, P30,000; cholecystectomy, P31,000; dilation and curettage, P11,000; mastectomy, P22,000; herniorrhaphy, P21,000; and thyroidectomy, P31,000. For other diseases, reimbursement for essential hypertension case will be P9,000 and typhoid fever is P14,000.

Pargas said, “The new case rates shall be the new reimbursement for all the specified cases. It will apply to all claims by eligible Philhealth members and dependents admitted in accredited facilities.” He noted that the new scheme will moderate the financial risk to Philhealth and will provide high financial protection to beneficiaries and members and would mean less administrative cost for hospitals and Philhealth because it will not need any itemization.

According to Pargas, under the current reimbursement scheme which is the fee-for-service method, there is a high risk to payors, Philhealth and members and is also incentive for fraud. The present system also results in high administrative cost for hospitals.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

No wage increase announcement on Labor Day

Roy — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:37:41 +0000

The much anticipated announcement on Labor Day will not be heard this coming May 1. Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) clarified that there will be no announcement of wage increase on May, despite Malacañang’s pronouncement before that it is coming out with a Labor Day gift to help workers cope with the rising prices.

Baldoz said she has no idea what good news President Aquino was referring to but she was definite there won’t be any increase in salary because the earliest public hearing was set on May 2. She also noted that Aquino had already declared he would leave the decision on salary adjustments to the regional wage boards although he could give instructions to hasten the process.

But she assured workers that the wage boards could grant a salary increase within the month. “I think within the month of May, they should be able to finish the deliberation and come out with their decision,” Baldoz said.

Other officials from the labor department said the president could be referring to a package of non-wage benefits when it made the announcement that good news would be delivered on Labor Day. “The president I think would be announcing non-wage benefits for workers such as discounts and other assistance they would provide to help workers cope with the high cost of commodities,” said a labor official.

The labor department will be having a Jobs and Livelihood Fairs which will take place simultaneously all across the country on Labor Day. There are more than 100,000 jobs available In Metro Manila, which will be held at the Rizal Park, there are 200 companies and recruiters who will be offering 30,000 jobs to new graduates, displaces OFWs and other jobseekers. DOLE is encouraging job applicants to pre-register at the website of PhilJobNet to facilitate processing of application of the Labor Day job fair.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

SSS reports payments of benefits for 2010 up by 7%

Roy — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 08:06:03 +0000

The Social Security System (SSS) reported that its benefit payments for 2010 has increased by 7% to P77.17 billion, with the bulk of the payment going to retirement claims and death benefits. SSS president and chief executive officer (CEO) Emilio de Quiros Jr. said in a statement that the state-run agency paid P38.23 million to more than 800,000 retiring members last year while another P27.65 billion went to death benefits of families of about 740,000 members.

De Quiros said, “SSS entitles workers to many types of benefits. Monthly contributions help members save for retirement and give them a safety net during contingencies that disrupt their capacity to earn.” The pension fund provides retirement, sickness, maternity, disability, death and funeral benefits. Membership to pension fund is mandatory for private sector employees and self-employed workers.

The pension fund chief earlier proposed an increase of 0.6% in the contribution rate to 11% and P5,000 increase in the maximum monthly salary credit. De Quiros said that if his proposal is approved, the adjustment would allow the agency to implement a 10% across-the-board pension increase, give pensioners a P500 one-time grant, as well as hike other benefits.

“The average monthly pension is about P3,500 and we want pensions to be nearer the amount of their last salary. Members are being deprived of proper benefits because of limitations in the SSS structure, which we are now trying to adjust gradually,” he said. “The small steps we are taking are also directed toward a perpetual SSS fund life. The proposed reforms would add 7 years to the SSS fund life, extending in from 3029 to 2046,” he added.

De Quiros also noted that the contribute rate being used the pension fund is much lower than that being used by the Government Services Insurance System (GSIS) which is 21%.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

PALEA filed a new strike notice

Roy — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 02:35:58 +0000

Looks like the worst is yet over from flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) as its ground crew union filed a new notice of strike last Friday before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Citing unfair labor practices, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) through its president Gerry Rivera, accused the PAL managers of talking with employees individually, convincing them to accept the mass layoff which will be implemented because of the planned outsourcing of the airline company. The said outsourcing of some services by PAL has already been approved by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

Rivera said they decided to file the notice of strike because the said attempt by the management to convince union members individually constitutes interference in their right to self-organization. “These are issues separate although related to the question of the mass layoffs recently decided by the labor secretary,” he added.

The new notice of strike is the second by PALEA this year. The first was last January wherein the union, representing more than half of the company’s rank and file employees, threatened a strike when it learned of the airline’s management’s plan to outsource its services.

Services that would be outsourced would include in-flight catering operations, airport services and call center reservations, which is said to affect 2,600 employees. The PAL management, for its part, said the outsourcing of services will help them save on costs and make the company more competitive.

Last October, DOLE ruled that the outsourcing plan was “a legal exercise of management prerogative,” which prevented the PALEA from pushing through with the first strike plan. In their recent notice however, PALEA charged management with bargaining directly with union members which it said “is tantamount to interference with, restraint, and coercion of employees in the exercise of their right to self-organization.”

Rivera said the mass layoff, which will lead to the dismissal of 62 percent of the present union leadership is tantamount to union busting. “The 1,000 union members who will remain then will be the subject of the next round of outsourcing which is already in management’s drawing boards and will be perfectly legal using the Baldoz decision as a precedent,” he said.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

SSS collects from delinquent employers

Roy — Mon, 03 May 2010 00:54:18 +0000

Total collections reaching an amount of P127.74 million have been gathered by the Social Security System (SSS) from overdue contributions from delinquent employers.

The state-owned pension fund for private employees was able to collect the said amount under an amnesty program offered by the agency to delinquent employers, in order to help workers regain access to social security benefits and loans, said SSS spokesman Joel Palacios.

For the amnesty program, Palacios said there were a total of 1,173 employers who have availed, with 46 percent of which have paid their delinquencies in full and the rest availed of the installment payment option.

The employers who fully paid in cash totaled P59.95 million while those who availed of the installment payments, which represent the encashed post-dated checks and five percent down payment, amounted to P67.79 million.

Palacios said, “In the spirit of Labor Day celebrations, we call on employers to uphold their duties to their workers under the Social Security Law.” He added that part of the employer’s responsibility is to ensure that they are updated in remitting their employees’ contributions. The delinquent remittance of employers’ contribution to SSS has been a perennial problem of the agency.

Payment of contributions is a major factor in determining members’ eligibility for SSS benefits, which protect workers and their families during times of disability, maternity, sickness, old age or retirement and death, said Palacios. These are also verified whenever the agency grants loans to members.

The social security agency has implemented a six-month amnesty program to allow employers to settle their delinquencies to the pension fund managers without paying the corresponding penalties. Usually, SSS charges a three percent monthly penalty for late contributions. Palacios said employers still have until the end of July to settle their obligations to the agency.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

May 3 is declared holiday

Roy — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:55:10 +0000

Labor Day, May 1 falls on a Saturday, following the holiday of economics being observed by the government, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared May 3, the nearest Monday to May 1, as a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of the Labor Day.

The declaration is being consistent with the provision under Republic Act 9492 which was enacted on July 24, 2007, indicating that the observance of Labor Day would be on the Monday nearest to May 1. The president followed the provision of the law to allow employees to enjoy a long weekend.

“A longer weekend encourages families to get together and strengthen their relationship towards a more productive environment, as well as promotes domestic tourism and enables employers to plan their work schedules effectively and efficiently, resulting in improved productivity, which is achieved whether the holiday falls on a Friday or Monday,” the Proclamation stated.

The president also instructed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to issue appropriate circular to implement Proclamation 2043 for the private sector. Because the holiday was moved to May 3, the labor department clarified that those who would work on May 1 will not get holiday pay, but those who will be reporting for work on May 3, will do.

The DOLE also issued the holiday pay guidelines, which will be applied for those who will work on Monday, May 3, which are as follows:

•   If the holiday falls on an employee’s regular workday:
-   If worked, the employee is entitled to 200 percent of his basic wage for the first eight (8) hours and, for work in excess of the 8 hours, an additional 30 percent of his or her hourly rate on the said day.
-   If unworked, the employee is entitled to 100 percent of his or her regular daily rate, provided he or she was present, or was on leave with pay, on the work day immediately preceding the holiday.

•   If the day is the employee’s rest day
-   If worked, the employee is entitled, for the first 8 hours, to 200 percent of his or her daily rate plus 30 percent, and for work in excess of 8 hours, plus 30 percent of his or her hourly rate on the said day.
-   If unworked, the employee is entitled to 100 percent of his or her regular daily rate, provided he or she was present, or was on leave with pay, on the workday immediately preceding the holiday.

The labor department said that those who would like to make clarifications regarding the holiday pay rules may call their call center at telephone no. 527-8000.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

World’s largest airline, to open shop in the Philippines

Roy — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:05:37 +0000

The world’s largest airline, Delta Air Lines Inc., will set up an office in the Philippines. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has given a go signal for the company to set up its office in the country.

The new office is part of the company’s preparation to fold into its operations Northwest Airlines Corp, another airline company based in the US. Northwest was acquired by Delta two years ago in a $3-billion deal.

The merger will slowly phase out the Northwest brand and it will be replaced by Delta’s name. The integration process is expected by Delta to be completed by mid-2010.

According to the SEC record, Delta’s local office will take the place of Northwest’s office in Philamlife Tower in Makati City. Delta will have an authorized capital stock of $200 million, or approximately P9.47 million for its Philippines office.

“The purpose of the said corporation which it intends to pursue in the transaction of its business in the Philippines is international air transportation services,” Delta said in its application the SEC.

Delta is the world’s largest airline in terms of passenger traffic, fleet size, and annual revenue, operating an extensive domestic and international network, presently it offers flight to 355 destinations in 64 countries on six continents. The company also has in its roster, more than 70,000 employees worldwide and operates a fleet of nearly 800 aircraft. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Counting its worldwide partners, Delta is offering its customers more than 16,000 flights daily, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

What is the Worst Job Interview Question?

PinoyBusiness — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:38:54 +0000

In a job-seekerâ€™s point of view, to be asked to name oneâ€™s biggest weaknesses is the most awful interview question. Do you wonder why? Itâ€™s because it feels like they are being forced to lie. Others think that is inappropriate to expose that kind of information about oneself especially to a person who will likely be your boss.

Some interviewer sometimes doesnâ€™t see that kind of question as source of useful information. An expert blogger, Tom Musbach asked the same question on Yahoo! HotJobs for the members of the Recruiter Roundtable. He was then able to gather some attention-grabbing perspective on the possible worth in asking about weaknesses.

According to DeLynn Senna, executive director of Robert Half International which is a permanent placement service in North America, she asked questions about weaknesses, especially about oneâ€™s own weakness, to determine in what areas applicants think they need to improve. She said that another reason for asking such question is that she also wanted to find out what the interviewees are doing about their identified weaknesses, and not to just simply criticize them.

Some people think that it would be better to state a weakness that is absolutely not related to the job they are applying for. Most probably you wouldnâ€™t believe, but there are some terrible answers in real life such as: â€œChocolates,â€ â€œMy dog. I just canâ€™t defy it when it looks at me,â€ or “I have a fear of eating in public places, so I prefer to eat under my desk.”

We all have weaknesses! Answering like â€œI donâ€™t have a weaknessâ€ will probably be one of the worst things an interviewee can do. Instead of giving this type of answer, think a lot!

According to experts, answering with all honesty is one of the best things to do, but see to it that the weakness that you have decided to share is not the main function of the job that you are applying for. It will also be better if you can support your answer with ways that you have strived to develop a weakness.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

Employee Retention Tips

PinoyBusiness — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:33:00 +0000

Market is known to be dominated by employers. After 26 years, we are experiencing once more the peak of unemployment. So the questions arise whether filling up a position should be a problem and thinking about retaining an employee should be an issue where in fact there are lines of candidates waiting to be hired.

In an article in BusinessWeek, it was stated that amidst the global recession where there are about 13 million people unemployed, still approximately 3 million jobs that are actively being filled by employers but yet unable to do so. Imagine the number of vacant jobs which is greater than Mississippiâ€™s entire population. So the question is do employers really have control over the steering wheel?

Other people think that the job openings are the type of jobs that most Americans doesnâ€™t want to engaged to because of its lower level of position. But in fact, it is not!

A CEO of a publicly traded company expressed his concern over the VP of Sales and Marketing of his company who is having difficulty to fill some essential sales positions that are vacant for months now. Though we cannot determine the exact reasons why the VP is having difficulty in hiring for the available positions, yet we can infer on some, based on the business type. Since the company is an international company, he doesnâ€™t need an ordinary employee but an employee with a very specific skill in the market. He needs productive employees who have the â€œtalentâ€ in the field. With the qualifications the employer is looking for, there could be a limited pool of candidates where to hire employees that you will consider as valuable.

The world and our life just continue to turn. There might be a time that it will no longer be an employerâ€™s market but an employeeâ€™s market. So, try to understand all the lessons that you can obtain from the above situation and follow these guides on how to retain the talent that you have and be prepared for the turning of the wheel.

Your employees should be considered like fine antiques- treat your employees as how you treat your expensive furniture. Think as if nothing can replace your employees. By doing a great job of hiring, this wouldnâ€™t be difficult to do.

Endorse your talent- give proper credit to whom it is due. By telling to the customer the name of the employee who fixed their problem instead of telling that it is the company who did it and if you do it in front of the employee, surely it will give the employee motivation to work even better.

Listening more than talking- a communication is a two way process. It is not a healthy relationship if you are the only one who do the talking. Whenever you ask a question, wait until you get a respond. Learn to listen to your employees and to respond accordingly.

Ask only on the things you want to know and are prepared to act upon- there are companies who have done several surveys in the employees for the past years and have observed that the response rate has been dismal lately. Most of the time, it is because the questions that are being asked are the same questions that the employees have already answered. Unfortunately, they ignore the answers that they acquire. If you are obtaining input from your employees, try to use it, if you do not have the intention of doing so, then it might be better not to ask anymore.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

The Job Hunterâ€™s Survival Kit: The Resume Photo

PinoyBusiness — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:35:15 +0000

Should you attach a photo on your resume?

Raket, the Philippines recruitment site has published a guide to recruitment photos.

Again that depends on the position youâ€™re applying for. If physical appearance is part of the requirements then itâ€™s a given, Otherwise one HR person said it would depend on your photo.

She said that some HR people can be shallow, shallow nitwits (my words not hers) who judge applicants by their appearance. They would actually prioritize applicants with good looks over those with the right qualifications,

Her suggestion: invest in a good photo.

That is, get your photo taken in a studio not in a photo booth (do they still have those?). Few people can look good in booth photos.Â I always have my eyes closed or there is a look of surprise on my face in all my photo booth pics.Â Thatâ€™s because no one says â€œcheeseâ€ before the machine starts clicking.

http://www.raket.ph/

I wait and wait with a smile on my face and the damn thing does nothing. Just when I take a few secs to relax my strained facial muscles then it decides to takes my pic. My theory is that those photo booths are designed to make you look stupid so you keep on having your photo taken until youâ€™re freaking broke.

Apply for jobs Davao

If a studio photo is too pricey for you, get your photo taken using a decent cell phone camera and have a friend do some Photoshop magic. Hey, many celebrities look better than they do thanks to Photoshop so donâ€™t feel guilty about it. Itâ€™s not like your cheating or anything.

Apply for jobs Manila

If you choose the last option make sure you adjust your resume heading to the left to make room for your photo.

But if youâ€™re like me and you simply donâ€™t photograph well (in or out of a photo booth), you have a fourth option, according to the HR person. Donâ€™t include a photograph. This will prevent those dumb ass HR people from unfairly judging your by your resume photo.

So get moving and get that perfect job, apply with Raket , the Philippines jobs site helping Filipinos find work!

Possibly Related Topics to Read

BPO firms developed new services for the growing industry

Roy — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:44:50 +0000

The business process outsourcing (BPO) sector in the Philippines continues to grow and expand, in spite of the global financial crisis. In fact, because of the crisis, some outsourcing companies have introduced new services which provide for them additional revenue streams for their businesses. These were the results of the survey reported from the executives of BPO companies in the Philippines.

Gillian Joyce Virata, executive director for information and research of the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) said, â€˜â€¦despite some challenges associated with the global financial crisis, innovative firms are identifying new opportunities as a result of the crisis. This is enabling them to continue growing their businesses.â€

Based on the survey conducted, labor supply or manpower seems to be one of the main area of concern of most BPO companies, Virata said. In their survey called the â€œState of the BPO Industry: Mid-Year Report,â€ about forty-five percent of respondents indicated that their companies hire only six or fewer out of every 100 applicants. More than half of the respondents however, said they hire seven or more applicants for every 100.

This increasing attrition rates in the outsourcing companies have provided a â€œsustained demandâ€ for companies like ExcelAsia which provides recruitment and training services for the countryâ€™s large BPOs. ExcelAsia president Rita Trillo-Ugarte said, their company â€œcontinues to grow rapidly.â€

Themselves being service providers, they know that the industry continues to grow which means a continually increasing demand for workers.

One company who continue to expand is Convergys who opened three new call centers in Cebu, Santa Rosa and Quezon City in April and is looking forward to hire almost 3,000 new jobs and increase the companyâ€™s headcount to 16,000 in the Philippines.

StarTek also announced recently that it is maximized its Makati service center to full capacity to be able to meet expanding demand for complex services.

This only proves that there will be more demands for qualified call center employees and therefore provide a steady market for companiesÂ who provide trainings like ExcelAsia.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

OFWs in CNMI urged to renew their OWWA membership

Roy — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:46:21 +0000

There is an ongoing online public service campaign for all Filipino workers in the CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) to renew their membership to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). This campaign is initiated by Paul Madriaga, the internal vice president of the United Filipino Organizations in the CNMI.

The campaign was prompted by the death of two Filipino workers in the past two weeks in Saipan, who were found not to have renewed their membership with the OWWA. Because of this, their families were not able to receive any benefits from the agency.

OWWA provides overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) insurance for their families, just in case something happens to them, Madriaga said as he took note of the recent deaths of two OFWs. Unfortunately, many OFWs in the CNMI neglect to renew their OWWA membership. They only do so when they are about to go on vacation in the Philippines. If they donâ€™t go on vacation, they wouldnâ€™t renew their membership.

Renewing OWWA membership is simple, the OFWs can download the application from the agencies website at www.owwa.gov.ph and fill it up, or they can go to the OWWA office on the ground floor of the Marianas Business Plaza (formerly Nauru Building) in Susupe and request for the form. As of 2008, only 3,325 of the estimated 8,000 to 10,000 OFWs in the CNMI renewed their OWWA membership.

OWWA membership requires an annual payment of $25 representing their membership contribution, a small amount that goes a long way in helping their families after theyâ€™re gone. The benefit included in this membership is life insurance coverage for the duration of this employment contract, which includes P100,000 for natural death and P200,000 for accidental death.

Aside from the life insurance, there are also other benefits of being an OWWA member, Madriaga stressed.

Friends of the two Filipinos workers who died, are now asking for monetary donations and raising money to help the families back home for funeral expenses and other needs.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

Technology start-up companies now have a cheap facility

Roy — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:22:52 +0000

Technology startup companies in the Philippines now have an ally, and a home, with the help of the project that is spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology together with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

This is the incubation facility which would be opened at the University of the Philippines this April which would provide cheap hosting services and research facilities for technology startup companies. This project developed byÂ the DOST and PEZA called the Technology Business Incubation (TBI) will use facilities located beside the science agencyâ€™s Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI).

This bold project of the DOST and PEZA costs them about P10 million, utilizing the 600 square meter facility. Another P15 million were spent for the computer servers and network equipment. But unlike the other incubation facilities, TBI wonâ€™t be using buildings and other fixed structures, instead it will use large container trailers, just like the same ones used by hauling trucks, as housing for the startup companies.

Each of these trailers has at least 20 square meters of floor area, just about the size of a small office. DOST Undersecretary Fortunato de la PeÃ±a, said in an interview, that the agency is still evaluating the monthly rental of the facility for technology startups. It will be an amount that will not cover the use of utilities, such as electricity, water and communications.

De la PeÃ±a assured however that the monthly rental would be cheap for the startup companies since it would also provide technical assistance, through the ASTI, as well as pool for researchers from UP Diliman.

â€œWe already have inquiries about the facility but we still have to release the monthly rental soon. At least 20 startup firms would fit in that facility,â€ de la PeÃ±a said.

This is indeed great news for entrepreneurs who want to start their technology company on â€œshoestring budgetâ€ so to speak.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

DOLE reminds employers of holiday pay for employees who will work on April 6, 9 and 10

Roy — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:04:46 +0000

Next week the whole country will observe the Holy Week in the Philippines. It will be a week sandwiched between two long weekends as it will only have two working days for the countryâ€™s labor force, this is in pursuant to the Proclamation 1699 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in December last year.

Because of the signed proclamation, April 9, which is the Araw ng Kagitingan is moved to April 6, the Monday nearest to it. While April 9 and 10, are traditionally observed in the Christian world as the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, which is two of the most important days of reflections in the Holy Week, are also declared as regular holidays in the country.

This only leaves April 7 and 8, Tuesday and Thursday, as the official working days for the Holy Week.

The labor department, through labor secretary Marianito Roque, reminded employers that employees who will report to on the said holidays (April 6, 9 and 10) will get paid, subject to the holiday pay rules.

The guideline states that if an employee worked on a holiday, he is entitled to 200% of his basic salary for the first 8 hours and, an additional 30% of his her hourly rate for works rendered in excess of 8 hours. If an employee didnâ€™t work, he is still entitled to 100% of his daily rate, provided that he was present or was on official leave (with pay) on the working day immediately preceding the holiday.

Roque also reminded that the signing of Proclamation 1699 further affirmed Republic Act 9492, which provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order, or proclamation.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

Arthur Principe is Supreme Court’s first deaf-mute employee

Roy — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:07:46 +0000

Arthur Principe, 35, was officially hired as a utility worker II at the Supreme Court. His position may not be that high or big to merit media attention. But it is not his job nor his position, but Principe himself, which merits such attention. With his hiring, Principe became the first deaf-mute employee of the Supreme Court.

His application for a position in the Supreme Court was approved by Chief Justice Reynaldo Puno. In his approval, Puno cited his policy on avenues for the poor and marginalized groups such as persons with disability (PWD). Puno also based his decision upon the recommendation of Justice Arturo Brion, who himself has hearing impairment.

Principeâ€™s appointment is co-terminus with Brion. He started to report to his office last March 12. He is now part of the more than 2,000 employees of the Supreme Court.

In spite of his condition, Principe has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Management degree which he took up from the CAP College School for the Deaf in Pasay City. Parts of his duties and responsibilities in the Supreme Court include managing of files, encoding and photocopying of documents and doing some errands.

Before his appointment in the Supreme Court, Principe had a brief working stint being a sales crew of a popular clothing brand at SM Harrison Plaza.

Doing clerical work is not new to Principe though, as he already has some experience doing the same kind of duties as part of his on-the-job training at CAP College and the Nova-CBM ICT Training Center, a school of the Nova Foundation for Differently Abled Persons, Inc., a Philippine-based non-government organization.

Principeâ€™s hiring the countryâ€™s highest court could set the precedent on the recognition of the rights of people with disability and appreciate their qualifications and abilities, instead of just looking at their handicaps.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

Sometimes, Your Employees Canâ€™t Just Satisfy Your Demands

PinoyBusiness — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:38:12 +0000

Motivation seems always to be a problem to most of the companies. Business owners are having a hard time to solve repeated problems because he could not just motivate his people. On the contrary, is it really your people, , that needs to change or is it really you, the owner?

Sometimes, your employees canâ€™t just satisfy your demands. And that thought, makes them frustrated, makes them bored and makes them not to work. It is not them who cannot think out of the box, itâ€™s just you.

The secret solution here is to know how to do what your people wants to do. And in doing this, process matters, and here is the process:

1. Clearly know whatâ€™s up with your people
Know what really bothers your company, not yourself. Know what your workers need to do things, not what you need. Know how can you be a servant leader. If you will able to determine this, you can proceed to the next.

2. Commitment matters
Try to find a group of your employees whom you know can commit in dealing with your problem. Not all of your employees can help you, some of them are just present to work and do not actually think about your companyâ€™s success. Try to talk to some and get their commitment in solving the problem. Tell them your problem. If they are no interested find another group who could help you. Remember, make sure that you got their commitment.

3. Go for the results
If you already have the commitment of these people, you can now decide for the solution. The only way to achieve this solution is if and only if your people are motivated and innovated. And in doing motivation, of course, it will require an energy. Being motivated per se is an energy already. If your people are motivated but they do not possess the energy, then they will not work. You have to develop their passion into work, and again, passion requires energy anyway.

If you have now the passion, next to that is the result. And the result has to be precise and concrete.

4. Celebrate!
You have now the solution and you are happy about it, this calls for a celebration! This celebration will not only because of a well done job, but also to motivate you people to perform more and do more and to expect more this celebration. You have to reiterate to them that a well done job will always be compensated.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

Why Bad Emloyees Stay?

PinoyBusiness — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 08:43:43 +0000

All of us may have experienced so many things regarding bad services. One can easily testify to this in any establishments, whether in a restaurant, shopping department store or supermarket. And most of the time, these fraudulent practices are made by the employees or the people behind them. You might be wondering, why are they still around? How come companies and employers still choose to retain them as their employees? They couldâ€™ve fired them and look for someone better. Well folks, that is easier to say.

Thereâ€™s a lot of reasons why employers still choose to let â€œnot-so-good employeesâ€ stay in the company. We have collected some of them, and here is the list:

1.BOSS: Shall I put myself in his shoes?

Most of the time, it is the sympathetic feeling that the boss has in his employee that prevents him from firing the worker. This is more occurring if the boss knows his employee personally and know where that person is coming from. The employee might be sick, head of the family, working in his company is his last resort to live (but well, I know this is exaggerated), etc.

2.EMPLOYEE: You cant do this to me, I know something about you, remember?

It is kinda usual that the boss goes out with his co-employees to wind up. And most of the time, it is drinking or going to a bar, and inevitably, embarrassing moment comes that might loose his identity as the leader. And if an employee knows this, the boss might feel cautious, and instead retain the employee in his company.

Another thing is, if the employee is the only who can do the job.

3.BOSS: I canâ€™t fire him, I know I can be sued in return.

Thereâ€™s always a threat in firing someone. Violent actions might come in return for firing the employee. And this will definitely put the name of the business at risk.

4.EMPLOYEE: But Uncle

A close-relationship between employee and the boss might be one reason. If the worker is a close relative, the boss may find it very embarrassing to his relatives to fire someone in his own blood.

This also goes if the employee and the boss are best of friends.

5.BOSS: Recruitment??? Not again!
If a person will be fired, obviously his position will be vacant, and this calls for a recruitment process and procedure again. This takes a very long time, since interviews and going over with applications need to take place. And most of the time, the boss is not very happy to have all these processes.

6.EMPLOYEE: Taking my lunch longer doesnâ€™t mean I am a bad employee.

An employee may be caught having early lunch or longer ones, going work early, or does something that is not contributing anything to the company but headache, but these doesnâ€™t mean he is not good enough. As long as he is not hurting anyone and he finishes his job firing him is not necessary.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

DPWH to Generate 500,000 Jobs

PinoyBusiness — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 06:33:38 +0000

In its response to the government economic stimulus plan, the Department of Public Work and Highways (DPWH) has initiated efforts to generate some 500,000 jobs in different infrastructure projects all over the country.

Entering into an agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the National Constructors Association of the Philippines (NACAP) and the Philippine Construction Association (PCA), they will start entertaining applicants on Monday, February 23 at 8 AM.

According to DPWH Undersecretary for Luzon Ramon Aquino, this was the first time they entered into a MOA with the DOLE, NACAP and PCA. DPWH will be the conduit between the contractors and the job applicants who will assess the job seekerâ€™s capabilities and ensure that they meet the needs of the contractors, Aquino said. DOLE will see to it that the hired workersâ€™ rights, salaries and other benefits are well protected.

â€œThe nationwide jobs fair aims to provide gainful employment to workers displaced or affected by the current global recession. The jobs fairs shall also provide fiscal stimulus to spur economic growth in the locality as employment shall increase spending power and probable opportunity to save, among others,â€ the DPWH said.

The 500,000 required workers, according to Aquino, will be composed of the following: 30 percent skilled workers, 50 percent unskilled workers, and the remaining 20 percent would come from the construction firms. They would then be assigned to projects in their own localities to save them from the high cost of transportation and other incidental expenses if they work in far places.

On Monday, booths will be set up in the DPWH central office for the different regional offices namely, National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon, and the CALABARZON area (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon province), while some contractors are also expected to set up their own booths.

4,000 to 5,000 projects nationwide are lined up by the DPWH for the next 10 months, 1,200 of these projects have already been bid out.

Signing the MOA in behalf of their respective departments are Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, NACAP president Willy Castor and PCA president Anthony Fernandez.

Possibly Related Topics to Read

Assistance for Jobless IT Executives

PinoyBusiness — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:53:22 +0000

It is no doubt, despite the insistent optimism of some leaders and economic scholars, the Philippines have been affected by the global economic crisis. Many overseas Filipino workers (OFW) have returned to the country ahead of their contractâ€™s term because their employers were affected by the financial crisis. Here in the country, numbers of companies have closed shop, leaving hundreds of Filipinos jobless.

The government is doing its part to cushion the effect of such displacements by finding and creating jobs that would match the qualifications of those who lost their jobs. Private sectors, on the other hand, is also doing their share to alleviate the problem brought by the effect of the crisis.

For executives of technology companies who are jobless now, assistance may come to them soon as their organization, the Information Technology Association of the Philippines (ITAP) is planning to create a database of resumes of members affected by recent job cuts in the high-tech industry.

Victoria Agorilla, the newly elected president of the ITAP said they might include the database in their website where they could be viewed by human resource executives who are also members of the organization. â€œWeâ€™ll try to match their talents with openings in other companies within the ITAP membership. We want to keep our good people within the camp and not lose them to other industries,â€ Agorilla said.

Presently, ITAP has 39 members and more candidates are also in line for membership. They expect to have 50 company members by the end of the year. Agorilla said, the IT industry itself was not affected severely by the crisis, it is just unfortunate though that some companies have taken austerity measures to lessen the impact of the crisis.

This initiative of ITAP should be emulated by other industries as well, to keep their ranks competitive by finding work within the same industry.