Sanctions urged vs BPOs that kept employees at work after Cebu quake

A LEGISLATOR called for business process outsourcing (BPO) companies to be sanctioned after they allegedly kept employees at work after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Cebu province earlier this week.

“They’re insensitive for forcing their employees to return to work just a few minutes after a massive earthquake,” Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival V. Cendaña said in a statement on Thursday.

At least 10 Cebu BPOs compelled staff to report to work despite safety concerns and appeals to attend to their families following the earthquake that shook Cebu province late Tuesday, the BPO Industry Employees Network-Cebu said in a statement.

“Multiple incidents of employees insisting on not reporting to work were met with notices-to-explain, administrative sanctions, loss of attendance incentives and benefits, among many retaliatory actions,” the association said.

Mr. Cendaña said companies should not put employees in danger during emergencies. “In situations like that, human life should be the top priority.”

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) needs to investigate BPOs that allegedly compelled staff to report to work following the earthquake, he said.

“DoLE needs to monitor and act on this immediately,” Mr. Cendaña said. “We can’t allow this to become a normal and accepted practice in any workplace.”

The quake struck during the night shift, when BPOs are typically providing services to clients in other time zones. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio