Labor department clarifies pay rules for April holidays

THE Department of Labor and Employment has issued an advisory detailing the pay guidelines for regular and special nonworking holidays in April.

The advisory, signed by Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma, covers Eid’l Fitr (April 1), Day of Valor (April 9), Maundy Thursday (April 17), Good Friday (April 18) and Black Saturday (April 19).

On regular holidays — April 1, 9, 17 and 18 — employees who do not work are entitled to 100% of their daily wage, provided they report to work or take an approved leave on the preceding working day.

Employees working on these days will receive double their wage for the first eight hours, with an additional 30% premium for overtime work.

If the holiday coincides with an employee’s rest day and they are called to work, they are entitled to an additional 30% of the basic wage on top of the doubly pay.

For April 19, a special nonworking day, a “no work, no pay” policy applies unless a company’s internal policy or a collective bargaining agreement specifies otherwise.

Employees working on this day are entitled to an additional 30% of their daily wage for the first eight hours, with a 50% premium if the special day falls on a rest day.

Overtime hours on this day will also be subject to a 30% increase in the hourly rate, according to the labor advisory. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana