CHR backs workers’ rest protection bill

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) yesterday expressed support to a proposed legislation that aims to protect employees from working beyond their designated hours.

The proposed “Workers’ Rest Law” pending before the House of Representatives and the Senate seeks to prevent employers from giving their employees “unlimited work from home” or assigning tasks and holding meetings that exceed the designated work hours.

“The proposed bill seeks to protect the rest hours of employees and penalizes violators, including those who will discriminate against employees asserting their rights,” said CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia.

The CHR officials noted that work-from-home arrangements that increased due to the pandemic have resulted in reduced boundaries in the personal and professional lives of workers.

“The economic uncertainty also heightened the fear of unemployment. Some employers have taken advantage of this fear to exploit their workers’ services and overstep the boundaries of reasonable work hours,” she added.

The proposals are currently pending at the committee level in both chambers of Congress.