Deferred holiday pay for employees from April to November must be paid by employer until yearend, the Department of Labor and Employment said.
Under Labor Advisory 31-2020 signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III last Nov. 25, all employers allowed to postpone the holiday pay of their employees during the national emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic must pay them this time.
“Employers who were allowed to defer payment of the holiday pay of their employees are required to pay all covered employees of the deferred holiday pay equivalent to 100 percent of their daily wage,” the advisory read.
The payment of deferred holiday “shall apply to all employers in the private sector which deferred the payment of holiday pay on account of the existence of a national emergency arising from the COVID-19 situation.”
The deferred holiday pay that must be paid this year includes the April 1 holiday, Labor Day on May 1, observance of Eid’l Fitr on May 25, Independence Day on June 12, Observance of Eid’l Adha on July 31, Ninoy Aquino Day on Aug. 21, National Heroes Day on Aug. 31, All Souls’ and Saints’ Days on Nov. 1 and 2, and Bonifacio Day on Nov. 30.
“Covered employers shall pay the qualified employees the deferred holiday pay on or before Dec. 31, 2020,” the department said. (Betheena Unite)
