Nasa ‘floating’ status ka rin ba?

UMABOT ng 7.3 million ang mga manggagawang nawalan ng trabaho simula ng nationwide lockdown starting March.

Sa unti-unting pagluwag, bumaba sa 4 million na lamang ang unemployed ngayong August 2020, ayon sa Philippine statistics.

Due to shrinking economy caused by the pandemic lockdowns, employers resort to different schemes to reduce their workforce or to do away with their employees dahil wala na silang pang-sweldo sa kanila. 

Very common ngayon ang mga tinatawag na ‘floating’ o ‘furlough’ na mga employees matapos silang sisantehin ng kanilang mga distressed employers.

However, there is no binding labor jurisprudence kung ano ang status ng mga manggagawang nasa floating or furlough. Besides, walang info from employers kung hanggang kelan sila floating. 

Dahil dito, maraming mga empleyado ang confused kung laid off ba sila o retrenched while on floating or furlough.

Tanong nila papaano na ang sahod at benepisyo nila during floating period? Maari ba silang maghanap ng ibang trabaho kapag sila ay nasa floating? Hanggang kelan sila floating? Papaano na ang mga SSS, Philhealth at Pagibig monthly payments nila? Laking problema nito.

Hindi dapat ini-ignore ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ang mga ganitong desisyon ng ilang employer.

Ang floating o furlough ay isang uri ng pang-aabuso ng mga employers at ito ay unjust and unfair to workers.

There is an urgent need for DOLE to step in and define floating or furlough status of employees as soon as possible. DOLE should not allow employers to abuse workers this way, not during this pandemic crisis, not ever!