DOLE chief seeking intensified enforcement of labor standards
The Department of Labor and Employment will strengthen and intensify its inspection program to maximize employers’ compliance with labor standards and protect workers rights, in line with the platform and policy pronouncements on labor and employment of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, the agency said in statement.
The intensified inspection program is outlined under Project Labor Enforcement and Action Program, contained in Administrative Order No. 281 series of 2010 and was signed by Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on July 16, 2010.
“This is part of DOLE’s share in the reform process of the new administration that aims to protect workers’ rights through the attainment of a culture of compliance with labor laws among establishments nationwide,” Baldoz said.
Project LEAP will have two phases. Phase one will start on August 2, 2010 until November 30, 2010. The second phase will stretch through the months of February to November 2011. The project will cover all establishments employing 10-199 workers.
The inspection of establishments under LEAP will be zonal. Under the order, Baldoz has directed the DOLE regional inspectorate force to conduct inspection as a term in a specific target area before moving to the next target area.
“This will enable the DOLE to cover more establishments for inspection. The objective is to effect a compliance rate with labor standards of at least 70 percent,” she said, adding that the protection of workers’ rights is a primary component of President Aquino’s agenda on labor and employment.
Project LEAP has identified security agencies, manpower agencies, subcontractors, cooperatives, manufacturing establishments, restaurants and fast food enterprises as priority establishments for inspection. All “inspectionable” establishments other than the said companies will also be inspected but on a non-priority basis.
Priority areas include major cities, urban centers, special economic zones, industrial estates, and other areas having the highest concentration of inspectionable establishments.
Project LEAP aims to inspect at 35,680 establishments for the project’s duration, with each of the DOLE’s 223 labor and technical safety inspectors in the 16 DOLE regional offices tasked to inspect 10 establishments per week.
To cover the target number of establishments, only the core labor standards and compliance with social welfare legislation will be the subject of inspection. These core labor standards are compliance on minimum wage, Emergency Cost of Living Allowance, 13th month pay, holiday pay, service incentive leave, overtime pay, night-shift differential, SSS, Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth.
During the course of inspection, the labor inspector shall determine if the subject establishment engages the services of security agencies, manpower agencies, and sub-contractors.
The DOLE regional directors will recognize establishments which consistently comply with labor standards for the past three years. Compliant establishments will be excluded from targeted establishments for inspection, but a list of these companies will be submitted for documentation and verification. They will be cited by the DOLE and shall be given due recognition.
Baldoz said the names of compliant establishments will be published in the DOLE website and in newspapers.
