Dole: Small firms may seek wage hike exemption

MANILA, Philippines — Small businesses may seek an exemption from wage increase orders, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said Tuesday, Sept. 29.

According to Dole, small retail or service establishments with fewer than 10 workers or those affected by “natural calamities or human-induced disasters” may apply for a wage hike exemption.

Employers may apply within 75 days from the effectivity of the wage order.

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Their application and other necessary requirements must be submitted to the concerned Regional Wage Boards in their respective regional offices within that period, the agency said.

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READ: Wage order raising NCR minimum pay by P60 takes effect

Meanwhile, registered barangay micro business enterprises, or those with total assets of P3 million or less, are exempt from the coverage of the Minimum Wage Law, as provided in Section 8 of the law.

The agency said employers whose applications were rejected or were submitted beyond the 75-day period from the effectivity of the wage order must comply with the wage adjustment.

“The applicable wage increase must be paid retroactive to the effectivity of the wage order, including 1% interest per month, in accordance with applicable guidelines,” the agency explained in its guidelines.

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For additional information regarding the wage order, Dole advised concerned employers and employees to coordinate with the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the National Capital Region.

READ: Central Visayas workers to get P42 daily wage hike by October

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This comes as Wage Order No. 28 took effect Saturday, Sept. 26, raising the minimum wage in Metro Manila by P60 for workers in both the nonagricultural and agricultural sectors.

Workers in the private sector in Central Visayas will also see a P42 increase in their daily minimum wage starting Oct. 14. /das