Lawmakers called it 'discriminatory, illegal, and highly condemnable'
The Philippine Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) said the "no vaccine, no pay" scheme allegedly enforced by some employers is against the law. In a radio interview, Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello III said requiring vaccinations before giving wages has no legal basis and is against the Labour Code.
"You cannot withhold the salary of an employee or a worker without legal basis," Bello told the interview, adding that vaccination is not a legal basis for that. “So, the 'no vax, no pay' scheme is highly prohibited.”
Bello, in a virtual forum, previously urged employees subjected to the illegal policy to come forward and file a report. According to the secretary, employees just need to tell them their employers without disclosing their identities. The department will immediately inspect the said business to find out the validity of the claims and file legal action if the allegations are true.
"If found to have withheld the salary of the employee, we will immediately issue a compliance order," said Bello as quoted by the Philippine News Agency. "If not paid, that (compliance) order will become final and executory. What the DOLE will do is look for money or properties. We will garnish that to pay the employee. But we hope it won't come down to that,"
Read more: Philippines to allow unvaccinated employees return to work
The statement comes after the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines came out with a report that some employees were going to them complaining about denied salaries because they were unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Bello said they have yet to receive official complaints over the matter.
Meanwhile, lawmakers across the Philippine are calling for the immediate investigation of the illegal policy.
A house resolution was filed on Tuesday to the Labour and Employment Committee to look into the matter, CNN Philippines reported.
The lawmakers called the said policy "discriminatory, illegal, and highly condemnable," adding that it is unacceptable that workers are deprived of their hard-earned salaries because of the illicit labour policy.
