CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has asked employers in Central Luzon to give their workers’ 13th month pay not later than December 24.
“It is the obligation of every employer to pay their workers their much awaited 13th month pay, and by doing so, they may fully enjoy spirit of the yuletide season with their families,” DOLE Regional Director Ana Dione said.
She said that all employers are required to pay their rank-and-file employees the 13th month pay regardless of the nature of their employment and irrespective of the methods which their wages are paid, provided the workers worked for at least one month in a year.
She stressed that labor laws and their implementing rules and regulations mandate the payment of the 13th month which is defined as 1/12 of the basic salary of an employee within a calendar year.
“The basic salary includes all remunerations or earnings paid by an employer to an employee for services rendered, but may not include cost-of-living allowances or COLA, profit-sharing payments, cash equivalents of unused vacation and sick leave credits, overtime pay, premium pay, night differential pay, holiday, and all allowances and monetary benefits which are not considered, or integrated as part of the regular or basic salary of the employee,” she explained.
Dione noted that employers are required under the Labor Code to make a report of compliance to the nearest DOLE regional office not later than January 15 of each year.
She also said that employers failing to pay the 13th month benefit are liable to money claim cases that aggrieved employees may file with any DOLE regional or field office. (Marna Dagumboy Del Rosario/PNA)
