House bill seeks 7-day emergency leave for calamity-hit workers

A House measure seeking to grant seven-day special emergency leave for workers in private and public sectors who were directly affected by natural calamities has been filed. 

In filing House Bill 8847 or the "Lingkod Calamity Leave Act," Bulacan Representative Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado said the proposed measure is an effort to provide assistance to workers, especially considering the distress calamities might bring to victims.

Sy-Alvarado said under the bill, qualified employees shall be entitled to a seven-day special emergency leave each year.

"Every employee who has rendered at least six months of services shall be entitled to seven-day special emergency leave each year, with pay, in times of natural calamities or disasters, based on any of the grounds specified in Section 6 of this Act," the bill read.

Under the measure, any qualified could avail of the special emergency leave on any of the following grounds:

• Being stranded in affected areas where there are no means of transportation that can ensure a safe travel to and from work;
• Disease or illness of employee incurred by reason of the natural calamity or disaster;
• Caring of immediate family member affected by natural calamity disaster; and
• Urgent repair and clean-up of damaged houses.

The seven-day leave with pay shall be made available upon declaration of a state of calamity.

If a state of calamity was not declared but the area was severely affected by natural calamities, the head of the employees may grant the special emergency leave to affected employees based on proof or evidence presented or news account.

"The special emergency leave can be applied for five straight working days or on staggered basis and will not be deducted from employee's leave credits," the measure stated.

This leave may be availed of by employees within ten days from the date when the natural disaster occurred, the bill added.

Further, the benefits under the proposed measure shall not in any way mean any reduction, diminution, discontinuation, or elimination of other existing benefits. —LBG, GMA News