The House Committee on Labor and Development approved the “Paid Pandemic Leave Law of 2020,” a bill seeking a 14-day paid pandemic leave to workers in the private sector during a global pandemic.
Makabayan bloc proposed the House Bill 7909 or “Paid Pandemic Leave Law of 2020,” which the House panel approved last Friday.
“We cannot emphasize enough the importance of this measure, especially as hundreds of thousands or even millions of Filipino workers have been placed in a very precarious situation amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas in sponsoring the measure.
“Sa Paid Pandemic Leave Bill na ito, gusto nating iwasan ang sitwasyon kung saan mamimili pa ang manggagawa kung isasakripisyo niya ang kalusugan niya o ang kabuhayan niya,” she added.
(With this Paid Pandemic Leave Bill, we do not want the workers to be in a situation wherein they would need to choose whether they would sacrifice their health or livelihood.)
If approved into law, the measure would grant a 14-day pandemic leave to employees who are confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of COVID-19 or any other emerging infectious disease that reached pandemic status. The worker would be allowed to undergo medical quarantine for two weeks.
House OKs 14-day paid pandemic leave bill
The same leave benefits would be given to those who had close contact or exposure to a COVID-19 patient or another emerging infectious disease, and those who have an immediate family member who acquired the disease.
Meanwhile, workers who have been displaced or placed under floating status due to the pandemic’s economic impact but remain unemployed are entitled to a maximum of 690 days paid leave at 80% of their daily full pay.
Employees who wish to avail of the paid pandemic leave should submit pertinent medical records and other proof of eligibility to their employer. The application results should be released within three days.
If the employer or company failed to act on the application within five calendar days from receipts, the paid pandemic leave would be automatically approved.
Through the Department of Labor and Employment and the Social Security System, the national government would reimburse the employer for the payment of their employees’ pandemic leaves.