House panel OKs bill granting 14-day paid pandemic leave to private sector workers

The House Committee on Labor and Development has approved the measure seeking to mandate a 14-day paid pandemic leave to private sector employees during a declared global pandemic.

During its hearing last Friday, the panel approved House Bill 7909, or the proposed "Paid Pandemic Leave Law of 2020," authored by the representatives from the Makabayan bloc.

"We cannot emphasize enough the importance of this measure, especially as hundreds of thousands or even millions of Filipino workers have been placed in a very precarious situation amid the COVID-19 pandemic," said Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas in sponsoring the measure.

"Sa Paid Pandemic Leave Bill na ito, gusto nating iwasan ang sitwasyon kung saan mamimili pa ang manggagawa kung isasakripisyo niya ang kalusugan niya o ang kabuhayan niya," she added.

The measure grants a 14-day pandemic leave to employees who are confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of COVID-19 or any other emerging infectious disease that reached pandemic status, allowing them to undergo medical quarantine.

The same leave is granted to employees who are close contacts or have exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19 or another emerging infectious disease, and those who have an immediate family member who contracted the disease.

Meanwhile, employees who have been rendered involuntarily out of work or placed under floating status by their employer due to the impact of the pandemic to the company but remain unemployed are entitled to a maximum of 690 days paid leave at 80% of their daily full pay.

Employees who are applying for paid pandemic leave should submit the necessary medical records and other proof of eligibility to their employer. Processing of the application should not exceed three days.

If the employer failed to act on the application within five calendar days from receipts, then it is deemed approved.

The national government will then reimburse the employer for the payment of their employees' pandemic leaves through funds from the Department of Labor and Employment and the Social Security System. —LDF, GMA News