AS the holiday season nears, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) must be wary of mall operators who refuse to give their employees overtime pay, according to a labor group.
Partido Manggagawa (PM) Chairman Renato Magtubo issued the reminder to the DOLE on Tuesday as malls started extending their operating hours to accommodate more clients.
Some mall operators, Magtubo noted, have opened their establishments for a longer period of time, sometimes up to 12 hours, from the usual eight hours.
The longer working hours will entitle concerned mall workers additional benefits like overtime pay and night differential pay.
Magtubo said his group supports the adjustment in operating hours as this was done to help ease traffic congestion in the Metro, especially during the holidays.
The problem, he said, is that some mall operators might not faithfully pay their employees their hard-earned benefits that are stipulated in the Labor Code.
“We call upon the DOLE to strictly monitor compliance of labor standards laws by mall employers during and after this policy of adjusting mall hours of work,” said Magtubo.
He said mall workers should also remind their employers to give them the benefits mandated by law.
Mall operators have
agreed to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s request to adjust
their operating hours starting this month to ease traffic
congestion.
From 10 a.m., mall operators have agreed to open their stores at 11 a.m., Monday to Friday, until January 10, 2020.
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