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Employers asked to adopt flexible work arrangements


MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Marianito Roque urged employers Friday to adopt flexible work arrangements to minimize the effects of the global financial crisis on local employment. DOLE Department Advisory No. 2, series of 2009, provides for guidelines on the adoption of various work arrangements as a coping mechanism and remedial measure in mitigating the impact of the financial crisis on their business operations. Roque said, however, that the adoption of flexible arrangements should be voluntary, thus, it must have the consent of both management and employees. He also asked employers to notify the DOLE Regional Office which has jurisdiction over their work place before carrying out any flexible work arrangements. He said DOLE Regional Offices have been directed to visit establishments wanting to adopt flexible work arrangements and validate whether their adoption is in accordance with the DOLE Advisory. “I urge employers and workers to consider adopting such arrangements as a better alternative rather than outright termination of the workers’ services and total closure of their establishment," Roque said in a press statement. Flexible work schedules “is beneficial as it allows reduction of business costs while saving jobs and maintaining competitiveness and productivity in industries." Among the arrangements that labor and management may consider are: 1. Compressed workweek, in which the normal workweek is reduced to less than six days but the total number of work hours of 48 hours per week shall remain. The normal workday is increased to more than eight hours but not to exceed 12 hours, without corresponding overtime premium. The concept can be adjusted accordingly depending on the normal workweek of the company pursuant to the provisions of Department Advisory No. 02, series of 2004, dated 2 December 2004. 2. Reduction of workdays, wherein the normal workdays per week are reduced but should not last for more than six months. 3. Rotation of workers, wherein the employees are rotated or alternately provided work within the workweek. 4. Forced leave, wherein employees are required to go on leave for several days or weeks utilizing their leave credits if there are any. 5. Broken-time schedule wherein the work schedule is not continuous but the work hours within the day or week remain. 6. Flexi-holidays schedule wherein the employees agree to avail the holidays at some other days provided there is no diminution of existing benefits as a result of such arrangement. - Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV
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