Department Order Numbered 183, Series of 2017, is also known as “The Revised Rules on the Administration and Enforcement of Labor Laws pursuant to Article 128 of the Labor Code”. This revised rule aims to further strengthen the implementation of the visitorial and enforcement powers of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under the Labor Code. It shall be liberally construed to attain a just, inexpensive, and expeditious settlement and resolution of labor cases and disputes.
To enable the labor department to dispose all pending labor standards cases and prepare the inspection program for 2020, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has suspended all labor inspection activities in December.
In Administrative Order No. 495, Series of 2019, the Labor secretary directed all DOLE regional directors to suspend all labor inspection activities starting December 1, 2019 in their respective regions.
However, exempted from the suspension are complaint inspections; occupational safety and health standards (OSHS) investigations; technical safety inspections, such as inspection of boilers, pressure vessels, and mechanical and electrical installation, among others and inspection of any establishment or industry as directed by the Labor Secretary.
Every Christmas season, Secretary Bello suspends labor inspection activities which is aimed at preventing the chances of inspectors or any DOLE official or employee being bribed during the holidays and it is alos to ensure the continued effectiveness of DOLE’s enforcement of labor laws and standards and uphold the integrity of labor inspection activities, specially this season with heightened chances of bribery and suspicions. Routine inspections will resume upon issuance of the 2020 General Authority for Labor Inspectors.
For the information of Employers, business establishments and companies, every labor inspector is issued an Authority to Inspect by the Labor Secretary or his authorized representative, to labor inspectors to conduct routine inspections, complaint inspection or Occupation Health and Safety Standards Inspection.
Routine Inspection covers all private establishments including their branches, contractors or subcontractors and the priority establishments engaged in hazardous work; employing children; engaged in contracting and subcontracting arrangements; employing 10 or more employees, and other establishments as may be determined by the DOLE Secretary.
Complaint Inspection is undertaken in any of the following cases: when there is a Single Entry Approach (SEnA) referral; when there is an anonymous complaint; when there is a request for conciliation-mediation proceedings at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB). In the case of an anonymous complaint; the assigned labor inspector shall conduct a surprise visit to the said establishment to validate the violation of labor laws.
This Christmas Holidays, the DOLE has warned employers, business establishments and big corporations against unscrupulous individuals out to make a fast buck by posing as labor inspectors.
If there are individuals posing as labor inspectors, you can report them immediately to the DOLE Hotline 1349. DOLE-CAR at 074-443-5338, 074-443-5339, 074-442-2447.
end/Patrick T Rillorta