"Workers may skip work due to heat", 8 April 2024

Workers have the option not to report for work to avoid the scorching heat, but they would not get paid for that day.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, as provided under Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Advisory No. 17-2022, said an employee has the option not to report for work due to dangers linked to extreme heat.

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Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez ... said that an employee who fails or refuses to work by reason of imminent danger resulting from weather disturbances and similar occurrences is free from administrative sanction.

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Meanwhile, labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said that the government and employers are equally responsible for workers’ health and safety at work amid the extreme heat.

KMU secretary general Jerome Adonis ... criticized the DOLE guidelines as they do not cover the protection of outdoor workers.

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KMU said DOLE should issue a stricter department order mandating employers to comply with such safety measures.

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The House Committee on Labor and Employment yesterday asked employers to implement measures to protect their workers from heat stress.

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