No vax, No pay’ policy illegal – DOLE
THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)yesterday said the policy of withholding the salary of employees who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 is illegal.
Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III issued the statement in the wake of the disclosure by the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines that a company in the National Capital Region has been implementing a “no vaccine, no salary” policy.
“Bawal yan. Labag sa batas nga yan. You cannot withhold the salary of the employee, of the worker without legal basis. Yung hindi pagbabakuna hindi legal basis yun. Bawal na bawal yung ganyang policy,” he said.
So far, Bello said the DOLE has not received any report, complaint, or call regarding the illegal policy, not even from the ALU-TUCP, adding that they only learned about it through media interviews and reports.
The labor chief encouraged employees who experienced such policy to formally report their concerns to DOLE by visiting the department’s office or calling its hotline.
On Monday, several senators condemned the “no vaccine, no salary” policy, stressing that this is illegal.
