(Eagle News) — The employees of non-essential establishments should not be forced to go to work while the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine is in place, the Palace said on Wednesday, March 18.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said “employers should not terminate their employees by reason only of not reporting for work because of the COVID-19 situation.”
“Unless the company is engaged in basic necessities or services, employers should not require their employees to report for work,” he said.
On Tuesday night, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said employees “do not have to report, if they don’t want to report or since they are under enhanced community quarantine, then they really cannot report and they will be excused.”
“There will be no basis for them to be disciplined,” he had said.
Under the enhanced community quarantine guidelines, private establishments providing basic necessities and activities related to food and medicine production such as hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacies and drug stores should operate.
Also allowed to operate were banks, money transfer services, power, energy, water and telecommunications supplies and facilities.
