DOLE urges firms to use flexible work to prevent layoffs

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is urging businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak to implement flexible work arrangements as a strategy to prevent job losses.

DOLE Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay highlighted this appeal, emphasizing its role as an alternative measure to safeguard employment.

This recommendation comes in response to projections from the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, which anticipates at least 7,000 workers in the airline, cruise ship, travel agency, and hotel and restaurant sectors facing layoffs within six months due to business losses from the crisis.

As of Tuesday, 35 establishments, primarily in tourism-related industries in Regions 6, 7, and 12, have already adopted flexible work arrangements, affecting 3,255 employees.

Flexible work arrangements include measures such as reduced workdays, job rotation, and adjusted working hours.