A Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) official on Monday expressed support for the proposed implementation of a four-day workweek amid rising fuel prices.
“Mainam na may mga ganitong panukala para na rin matulungan natin iyong mga manggagawa, lalung-lalo na ngayong tumataas po iyong presyo ng gasolina at iba pang commodities,” Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez said in a “Laging Handa” briefing.
A four-day workweek requires workers to work 10 hours per day instead of the usual eight hours.
Benavidez said workers may remain entitled to overtime benefits despite the compressed work schedule.
“Since ang compressed workweek po ay isang special work arrangement […] pinapayagan po dito na i-waive ng manggagawa iyong overtime premium. Pero ito po ay tinatrato po natin bilang isang exception rather than general rule,” he said.
“But generally po, the rule should be, any hour in excess, any work in excess of eight hour is overtime work at kailangan pong magbayad ng overtime pay,” he added.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) recommended reducing the workweek to just four days amid rising fuel prices.
Fuel prices are expected to decrease for the first time in 2022 on Tuesday, March 22. John Ezekiel J. Hirro