Lapid files bill for expanded employment security amid COVID-19

A bill seeking to establish an expanded employment security for workers has been filed in the Senate amid the ongoing threat of COVID-19 in the country.

Senator Lito Lapid authored Senate Bill No. 1910 as he acknowledged that some employees lose their jobs because of fear of contracting the novel disease.

The bill establishes a mechanism for an employee whose work may have "considerable exposure to COVID-19" to inform his or her employer of any health concerns that he or she might have in resuming or continuing employment.

The employer must act upon the health concern immediately by "installing additional safety equipment, adjusting the work environment, adopting an appropriate work schedule, or finding alternative suitable employment for the said employee."

The measure further provides that if the employee is not satisfied by the response of the employee, he or she may bring up the grievance to the Regional Office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) where the company he or she works is located.

The decision of said Regional Director is appealable to the Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR).

"If the Regional Director or the BLR, as the case may be, finds that the employer failed to provide adequate response to the health concern raised by the employee, the latter may terminate his or her employment and shall be eligible for unemployment benefits," the proposed law read.

The employer, however, may not be held liable for any injury that resulted from an employee contracting COVID-19, "except when the employer violates the laws related to workplace safety."

Once enacted into law, the DOLE is mandated to prepare the implementing rules and regulations for this measure.

Around 4.6 million adult Filipinos in the country are jobless amid the pandemic, according to the results of the Philippine Statistics Authority's July 2020 Labor Force Survey. —Dona Magsino/KBK, GMA News