DOLE issues guidelines on flexible work arrangements amid COVID-19 outbreak

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued guidelines on flexible work arrangements to help employers and employees cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Department Advisory No. 01 series of 2020 encourages employers to consider flexible arrangements as a remedial measure, recognizing their practicality and desirability.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III stated that adopting flexible work arrangements is a better alternative to employee termination or business closure.

The guidelines specify that employers are not mandated to implement these arrangements and retain the final decision, emphasizing that they should be temporary and context-dependent.

Examples of flexible arrangements include reducing work hours or days, rotating workers, and implementing forced leave utilizing available leave credits.

This initiative comes as the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) projected potential layoffs affecting around 7,000 workers due to the outbreak.