Employers Were Advised Against Delay Of Releasing 13th Month Pay To Employees
13TH MONTH – Employers were advised not to be late on giving the 13th month pay to employees, according to ALU-TUCP, country’s largest labor group.
According to the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, employers who are late in giving the bonus might end up having to paying more from money claims.
Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson of ALU-TUCP, said that employers nationwide have until December 24 (Monday) to give the mandatory 13th month pay of their employees. He further added that the law requires all employers to pay their workers the amount which is equivalent to their one-month salary on or before Dec. 24 every year.
Tanjusay noted that the employees can also give their consent to employers to give half of the bonus every June and half from every December. Employers who refuse to comply with the law will be charged with violation of Presidential Decree 851 before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), he added. The employers, if found guilty, will be charged with money claims and will have to pay moral and exemplary damages.
According to PhilStar, the 13th month bonus must be paid in cash and must not be replaced with grocery items, rice, gadgets or gift cheques, which is different from Christmas bonus, as this is discretionary, says Tanjusay, citing that many Employers might evade the mandatory pay and dupe employees by giving them rice and grocery goods only.
Employees who worked for one month; workers who are under the end-of-contract scheme and other short-term work arrangements; and even resigned or terminated employees who have worked for more than one month are also entitled to the 13th-month pay and bonus.
As per the report, according to Tanjusay, the violators including middlemen such as manpower agencies, manpower cooperatives, labor contractors and service providers, will face cancellation of license and end up paying more with money claims. Foreign violators will face deportation.
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