Workers won’t get special pay on 3 holidays next year

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed a proclamation declaring fewer nonworking days in 2022 in an effort to minimize work disruption amid the pandemic.

Under the order, Nov. 2 (All Souls’ Day), Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), and Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve), which had been special nonworking days, will now be special working days.

“For the country to recover from the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to encourage economic productivity by, among others, minimizing work disruption and commemorating some special holidays as special (working) days instead,” the proclamation said.

If an employee goes to work on a special nonworking holiday, the “no work, no pay” principle applies unless there is a company policy or collective bargaining agreement granting payment on a special day, according to a labor advisory released on Oct. 28.

For work done during the special nonworking holiday, a worker shall be paid an additional 30% of his/her basic wage on the first eight hours of work, it said.

But should a worker report for duty on a special working day, the employee is “entitled to receive only his/her daily wage and no premium is required since it is considered an ordinary working day,” the advisory said. — Kyle Aristophere Atienza