AS HEAT indexes continue to rise above 40°C in some regions of the country, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) XI urged employers from public and private sectors in the Davao Region to implement work-from-home (WFH) setups.
During the Kapihan forum on Apr. 22, Atty. Randolph Pensoy, DOLE XI regional director, said the office highly encouraged WFH arrangements for employees mostly exposed to heat.
“We are not giving a mandate or obligation but we are highly encouraging every employer to facilitate and to address this kind of phenomenon, masyadong mataas ang heat index ‘din natin sa Davao region,” Pensoy said.
He also stressed that although employers have the prerogative to dictate work setups, they must facilitate measures for workers without jeopardizing productivity or compromising their labor benefits.
“Now that we have El Niño, we give priority to that because as they give their work, we also have to give them a decent employment,” he said.
DOLE XI also assures the occupational safety and health of each employee, particularly the labor force engaged in a workforce are well-managed and strictly monitored.
“Most of our inspectors not just monitor the minimum wage and overtime phase, but we also monitor the safety conditions of the work environment, this includes our monitoring if establishments are well-ventilated for workers, mayroon bang pahingaan, and even to our lactating mothers, as well those who are practicing their religion,” he added.
