The Department of Labor Employment (DOLE) encourages private business companies to provide additional paid isolation and quarantine leave for their workers will be infected with COVID-19.

Labor Undersecretary for Labor Relations’ Social Protection and Policy Support Cluster Benjo Benavidez said this is the most important part of the advisory issued by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III last Monday.

"The policy now is no work no pay. So, if you are absent because you have to isolate or quarantine, you will not be paid unless you still have accrued leave. But sometimes the accrued leave was already used... So we encourage the companies to give additional paid leaves," he said.

Benavidez said the companies were also advised to follow protocols imposed by the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force if there are COVID-19 cases or exposure among their personnel.

"The workers infected with COVID-19 should be isolated and those who have exposure should undergo quarantine. The labor advisory emphasized that the additional paid isolation and quarantine leave is separate from the present benefits of the workers based on the SSS (Social Security System) Law and the ECC (Employees Compensation Commission) Law," he said

Benavidez added that DOLE is also proposing to increase the P10,000 cash assistance for workers infected with COVID-19 to P30,000.

"Through the Employees Compensation Commission, we provide cash assistance, a grant in the amount of 10,000 pesos, although we have a proposal that is still subject to final approval to make it 30,000 (pesos)," he said.

"Aside from cash assistance, we have medical reimbursement and sickness benefits for workers that will get infected with COVID because of their work," he added. Robina Asido/DMS