Trillanes wants paid leaves for disaster volunteers

Volunteers who participate in specialized disaster relief operations of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) should enjoy paid leaves from their job, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said. Trillanes’ Senate Bill 237 seeks to grant any employee of up to 15 days paid leave in any 12-month period to participate in specialized disaster relief services for the PNRC. The employee, however, must be a PNRC-certified disaster service volunteer. According to the proposed measure, employees who are granted the leave shall be compensated with the regular pay rate during which the employee is absent from work. He or she shall not lose any seniority or any already accumulated vacation time, sick time, or earned overtime due to the leave. However, the employee shall not receive overtime pay, shift differential pay, hazardous duty pay, or any other form of pay or compensation in addition to the regular pay, the bill said. The paid leaves shall also only be granted upon the request of the PNRC and the approval of the worker's employer. - Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News