Work from home law implementing rules released: labor dept

MANILA -- Implementing rules for a new law that will allow workers to perform their duties at home or outside the office has been released, paving the way for its implementation, the labor department said.

Under the rules, private sector employers can offer work from home or out of office arrangements to their workers through collective bargaining. It will take effect 15 days upon publication, the department said in a statement.

“Ang kasunduan sa trabaho ay hindi dapat bababa sa minimum na pamantayan sa paggawa na itinakda ng batas, at kasama rito ang oras ng pagtatrabaho na dapat bayaran, minimum na oras ng pagtatrabaho, overtime at araw ng pahinga, karapatan sa leave benefit, social welfare benefit at seguridad sa trabaho,” Labor Sec. Silverstre Bello III said.

(The work should not be below the minimum standard set by the law, this includes hourly rate, minimum work hours, overtime pay, leave benefits, social welfare benefits and security of tenure.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Telecommuting Act last December.

Employers and employees should abide by any agreement if the workers are to follow the work-from-home scheme, DOLE said.

Companies that are interested to implement the Telecommuting Act should inform the DOLE of the arrangement.