Higher pay for workers on Chinese New Year

CEBU, Philippines — Employees in the private sector who will report for work on Chinese New Year on January 25 will receive an extra pay.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued pay rules for the Chinese New Year, a special non-working holiday, to guide employers in giving their workers proper wages and benefits.

Labor Advisory No. 02 provides that those who would report for work are entitled to receive 30 percent of their daily rate for the first eight hours of services rendered on the day.

Those who would work for more than eight hours shall be paid an additional 30 percent of their daily rate.

An employee who will decide to work during the special holiday, which falls on his rest day, will be paid an additional 50 percent of daily rate on the first eight hours of work. In excess of eight hours, the worker will get an additional 30 percent of hourly rate.

The “no work, no pay” rule covers those who would choose not to work on Saturday.

DOLE-7 Regional Director Salome Siaton, in a statement, said the rule applies unless there is a favorable company policy, voluntary practice or provision in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment of wages and other benefits on a special non-working day.

Also, he reminded employers “to be cautious and conscious of the computation of wages for workers rendering work” on Saturday.

“Workers reporting to duty on Saturday, must be paid with the correct holiday pay,” she said.

 Chinese New Year is among the nine declared Special Non-Working Holidays for 2020. Others are Edsa People Power Revolution Anniversary (February 25), Black Saturday (April 11), Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21), All Saints’ Day (November 1), Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (December 8), Last Day of the Year (December 31), and additional Special Non-Working Holidays (November 2 and December 24). KQD (FREEMAN)