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No jab, no work? DOLE urged to probe 'discrimination' vs unvaccinated workers

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Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Manila residents belonging to categories A1, A2, A3, and A4 priority group get their vaccine jabs against COVID-19 inside the President Sergio Osmeña Highschool in Tondo, Manila on June 9, 2021. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/08/07/20210609-covid-vaccine-manila-sinovac-gc-5326.jpg"/><figcaption>Manila residents belonging to categories A1, A2, A3, and A4 priority group get their vaccine jabs against COVID-19 inside the President Sergio Osmeña Highschool in Tondo, Manila on June 9, 2021. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE) </strong>— The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) was urged Monday to investigate workplaces reportedly enforcing a &quot;no vaccine, no work&quot; policy that discriminates against unvaccinated laborers. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/04/21/dole-employers-group-reject-no-vaccination-no-work-policy">DOLE, employers&#x27; group reject &#x27;no vaccination, no work&#x27; policy</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/03/04/21/no-jab-no-job-official-says-covid-19-vaccination-is-voluntary">No jab, no job? Official says COVID-19 vaccination is voluntary</a></li></ul><p>Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said they have received complaints from workers about their employers implementing what they say is a discriminatory scheme.</p><p>KMU cited a manpower agency that allegedly left over a dozen workers hanging &quot;because they were unable to present vaccination cards despite accomplishing complete requirements.&quot; </p><p>Another manpower agency reportedly sent out an advisory about what workers call &quot;coerced vaccination&quot; for current and incoming employees.</p><p>The DOLE on March 12 issued a guideline stating &quot;[a]ny employee who refuses or fails to be vaccinated shall not be discriminated against in terms of tenure, promotion, training, pay, and other benefits, among others, or terminated from employment.&quot;</p><p>&quot;No vaccine, no work policy shall not be allowed,&quot; it added.</p><p>The Department of Health (DOH) and other government agencies and officials have reiterated that vaccination should be voluntary.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/15/21/covid19-vaccination-voluntary-work-requirement-philippines">DOH says COVID-19 vaccination should be voluntary for job applicants</a></li></ul><p>KMU said DOLE should investigate these incidents. </p><p>Meanwhile, it also blamed the government’s &quot;slow and inefficient&quot; vaccine procurement and rollout as another factor contributing to workers’ woes.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/06/21/covid-19-task-force-to-probe-vaccination-sabotage">COVID-19 task force to probe vaccination &#x27;sabotage&#x27; that spawned chaos</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Kahit nakapagdesisyon na ang manggagawa na magpabakuna, napakatagal naman o minsan wala pang supply ng bakuna,&quot; KMU secretary general Jerome Adonis said.</p><p>(Even if workers want to get jabbed, they wait so long to get scheduled, or sometimes there is no vaccine available in the first place.)</p><div><strong>&#x27;NO LEGAL BASIS&#x27;</strong></div><p>In a press conference, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said there is no legal basis for employers to compel their workers to be vaccinated.</p><p>&quot;It is an illegal policy especially so na kulang pa tayo ng supply ng vaccines... &#x27;Wag muna tayo magpilit na ma-vaccinate lahat,&quot; he said.</p><p>The Labor chief added that workers being subjected to the discriminatory policy can reach out to their hotlines. </p><p>&quot;Our inspectors are on duty kaya kung meron kayong reklamo, just let us know and we will conduct an inspection,&quot; Bello said, adding <br/>&quot;administrative sanctions&quot; await violators. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1632575" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

The DOLE was urged Monday to probe into firms reportedly enforcing a 'no vaccine, no work' policy that discriminates against unvaccinated laborers.

No jab, no work? DOLE urged to probe 'discrimination' vs unvaccinated workers

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No jab, no work? DOLE urged to probe 'discrimination' vs unvaccinated workers

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 09, 2021 05:40 PM PHT

|

Updated Aug 09, 2021 07:07 PM PHT

Read More:

DOLE

Department of Labor and Employment

KMU

Kilusang Mayo Uno

no vaccine no work policy

vaccination

jabs

labor rights

labor

labor issue

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