DOLE backs bill on worker ‘disconnection’

MANILA, Philippines -  The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is throwing its full support to a proposed measure allowing employees to “disconnect” after office hours.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said digital technology has its advantages at work, but workers are not obliged to respond to employers’ text messages.

Bello explained disregarding work-related communications after office hours without disciplinary action is, technically, a voluntary engagement between employers and their employees.

 “Answering or ignoring texts, emails from employers after working hours is a voluntary engagement of an employee, and they are not obliged to respond or not. The right to disconnect is a choice of an employee,” Bello pointed out.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo earlier filed House Bill 4721 requiring employers to establish hours when workers are not supposed to send of answer work-related messages.

The proposed measure, Castelo said, is subject to rules provided by DOLE.

According to Bello, the measure, if enacted and implemented, can ease burnout and stress among workers.

But Bello said there are certain exemptions, thus the need to set clearer guidelines for the implementation of the proposed measure.

“Employees and employers know that there’s time for connection and so does a time for disconnection.  It’s always up for the employees to oblige themselves to work even after office hours,” Bello said.

 “Completely disconnecting would be also unrealistic for certain jobs, and the employers must be the one to implement a policy in accordance with the standards of the labor code, which will benefit both parties,” he added.

Bello said the employers can make their own assessment and evaluation on how to reduce the work hour of their workers.

“They either implement policy that will prevent their employees to work after office hours or compensate them for extra workload,” Bello said.