4-DAY WORK WEEK DUE TO EXTREME HEAT

Due to the high temperature of the weather, the issue of the 4-day work week came up again. According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), it can be implemented by the government and private companies, but it needs to be discuss and consider other possible issues.

Employees and commuters is in favor of a 4-day work week where work hours are ten hours per day. The town of Bacnotan in La Union has implemented a 4-day work week on April 15 for the safety of employees and the public from the heat.

Adjusted working hours due to extreme heat (Photo courtesy of Maria Tan/ABS-CBN News)

According to the Civil Service Commission (CSC), the 4-day work week is one of those that can be implemented by government offices under flexible work arrangements, they can implement it during hot weather or when there is a calamity.

But the CSC has a strict reminder to government employees, "when you choose compressed work week, it does not mean that there is one day that there is no one in your office. Monday to Friday our offices need to be manned, there is someone to deal with the transacting public," CSC Commissioner Atty. Aileen Lizada said.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) sees no problem with the 4-day work week in the government and private sector, but the TUCP insists that employees' salaries and health should be considered.

"Pay the workers correctly, we will be there in more than eight hours. The 8 hours law was set because that is really the capacity of the human body to work properly," Secretary General Atty. Arnel Dolendo of TUCP stated.

According to the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), the 4-day work week has an impact on the economy, especially because investors may not be in favor of it. ECOP said it would be better to let companies and offices make their own rules.

DOLE is ready to help in the creation of these guidelines, according to Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, flexible work arrangements can help employees' work life balance, but it needs to be balanced.

Source: ABS-CBN News

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