Wednesday, August 15, 2012

August 20 declared a holiday

..Mark your calendars: there's an extra long weekend coming up. The Palace has declared Monday, Aug. 20, a regular holiday in observance of Eid'l Fitr. "The President today signed Proc. No. 455 declaring Monday, August 20, 2012 as a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid'l Fitr," Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said via Twitter on Monday. In a proclamation signed by the President, the holiday announcement was "to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness." It added "it is necessary to declare Monday, 20 August 2012, as a regular holiday throughout the country." August 21, Tuesday, meanwhile has already been declared a special non-working holiday at the start of the year, for the Ninoy Aquino day. The Monday that follows, August 27, has as well been declared a regular holiday for the Heroes Day. Under the standing Department of Labor and Employment pay rules, if an employee is not working on regular holidays, he or she is still entitled to 100 percent of his or her regular daily rate, “provided he or she was present, or was on leave with pay on the workday immediately preceding the holiday.” Meanwhile, if an employee works on a regular holiday that also falls on his or her rest day, he or she is entitled to 200 percent of the daily rate for the first eight hours and an additional 30 percent for additional hours. On special non-working days, the following shall apply: "a. If the day is unworked, the "no work, no pay" principle shall apply unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special day even if the day is unworked. b. If worked, the employee shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the daily rate of 100 percent on the first eight hours of work. In excess of eight hours, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on said day. c. If the day falls on the employee's rest day and is worked, he/she shall be paid an additional 50 percent of the daily rate of 100 percent on the first eight hours of work. In excess of eight hours, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate." ..