DOLE orders Jollibee to make more than 6,000 workers regular employees

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment has ordered homegrown food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. to regularize more than 6,000 workers, as the government continues its campaign against hiring employees on short-term contracts.

In a statement, DOLE National Capital Region Director Henry John Jalbuena said his office has ordered Jollibee to make 6,482 workers deployed by its two contractors regular staff.

Aside from providing regular employment status to its workers, Jollibee was also directed to refund “illegally collected payments” to 426 affected workers in the amount of P15,432,305.00.

Five of Jollibee’s contractors were likewise told to return “unlawful wage deductions, bonds, donations, shares and other illegal payment collections” to 412 affected workers with a total amount of P4,137,158.15.

Jollibee did not immediately respond to a request from Philstar.com for comment.

Among President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign promise was to eradicate the abusive practice popularly called “endo,” an abbreviation of “end of contract” that offers no job security, health or other benefits.

The government is still to amend any of the labor laws.

Various stakeholders have expressed their concern that removing endo, without making it clear that “legitimate contractualization” will remain, might make the country less competitive. 

DOLE said over 100,000 workers have been regularized nationwide since the government launched a campaign against employ-on-contract scheme.

Aside from Jollibee, DOLE has also directed Burger King to regularize 704 workers.

The Labor Department has set schedules for establishment inspection on McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Restaurants to ensure their compliance with labor laws.

Labor officials are also set to hold dialogues with the management of Chowking and Mang Inasal.