DOLE reminds employers to comply with proper holiday pay rules

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has reminded employers to follow the correct wage guidelines for employees working on the upcoming holidays, including October 31 (All Saints' Day Eve), November 1 (All Saints' Day), and November 30 (Bonifacio Day).

In accordance with Labor Advisory No. 13-25, DOLE stated that October 31 and November 1 are classified as special non-working days. Following the "no work, no pay" rule, employees who choose not to work on these dates will not receive wages unless their company policy, practice, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) grants additional compensation.

Workers who render service on a special non-working day should receive an extra 30 percent of their basic daily pay for the first eight hours. If they work beyond that, they are entitled to an additional 30 percent of their hourly rate on top of their overtime pay. On the other hand, November 30, observed as Bonifacio Day, is a regular holiday, and employees who work on this date must be paid 200 percent of their regular daily wage for the first eight hours.

Employees who choose not to work on a regular holiday are still entitled to receive their full daily pay, as long as they reported for duty or were on paid leave the day before the holiday. DOLE also reminded all employers across the country to follow the prescribed pay guidelines to guarantee fair compensation for workers during the upcoming holidays. The advisory was dated October 21, Tuesday.