COVID-affected workers may avail of SSS insurance

CEBU, Philippines —  Workers of tourism-related establishments who lose their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic should avail themselves of the one-time unemployment insurance benefit from the Social Security System (SSS), Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said.

“We would urge all qualified employees who are involuntarily separated from their jobs to get their unemployment insurance subsidy from the SSS,” Pimentel said in a statement.

He said the financial aid may not be much, but it will help and the benefit is a handout, not a loan.

“The laid off worker does not have to pay it back,” Pimentel said.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) earlier projected that up to 60,000 employees in the tourism sector alone could initially lose their jobs if the coronavirus outbreak lasts until June.

“All SSS members who get laid off, including overseas Filipino workers whose contracts have been cut short – such as those discharged by global cruise ship operators – are actually entitled to the unemployment insurance assistance,” Pimentel said.

Under the law, workers who are covered by the SSS and who get involuntarily separated from their jobs get a one-off unemployment insurance payment equal to their average monthly salary (AMSC) credit.

Thus, if the worker’s AMSC is P20,000, he or she gets a one-time jobless insurance benefit of P20,000.

Involuntary separation refers to job loss due to retrenchment or downsizing, closure or cessation of operation of a business, among others.

To avail of the unemployment insurance handout, the laid off employee must have paid at least 36 monthly contributions to the SSS, 12 months of which should be inside the 18-month period immediately preceding the month of involuntary separation.

Flexi work scheme

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is urging business and industry not to close shop and to use “flexible work arrangement” to help contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, while strictly observing the president’s order for community quarantine and social distancing.

Secretary Silvestre Bello III recently signed Labor Advisory No. 11 that supplements the flexible work arrangements.

Bello, in a statement, said the advisory is aimed at providing business and employers with “remedial measures” to help them fight the impact of the epidemic on business and industry workers.

“The purpose is to provide guidelines to help ensure the containment of COVID-19 transmission through the adoption of flexible work arrangements and observance of strict social distancing measures,” Bello said.

Bello said the flexible work arrangement is a better alternative to outright termination of services of workers, or total closure of establishments.

“Flexible work arrangements will include any of the following arrangements: telecommuting, work from home, reduction of workdays or work hours, rotation of workers, and/or the implementation of forced leaves,” he said.  KQD (FREEMAN)