Social Legislation Flashcards
What is RA 10361?
The Domestic Workers Act or Batas Kasambahay
What are Batas Kasambahay’s policies?
- Rights and principles in labor force, being a primary social force, shall be promoted and protected by the State
- The State adheres to internationally accepted working conditions
- The State recognizes the need to protect its workers from abuse or anything harmful to their physical and mental health
- The State promotes gender-sensitive measures in the formulation and implementation of the program
What is debt bondage?
Rendering of service by the domestic worker as security or payment for a debt where the length and nature of service is not clearly defined or when the value of the service is not reasonably applied in the payment of the debt.
What is deployment expenses?
Expenses that are directly used for the transfer of the domestic worker from place of origin to the place of work covering the cost of transportation.
Advances and loans excluded.
What is domestic work?
Work performed in or for a household/s.
What is a domestic worker or kasambahay?
Any person engaged in domestic work within an employment relationship such as, but not limited to, the following: general househelp, nursemaid or “yaya”, cook, gardener, or laundry person, but shall exclude any person who performs domestic work only occasionally or sporadically and not on an occupational basis.
Children who are under foster family arrangement excluded.
What is an employer?
Any person who engages and controls the services of a domestic worker and is party to the employment contract.
What is a household?
Immediate members of the family or the occupants of the house that are directly provided services by the domestic worker.
What is the Private Employment Agency or PEA?
It refers to any individual, legitimate partnership, corporation or entity licensed to engage in the recruitment and placement of domestic workers for local employment.
Who are working children?
Domestic workers who are 15 yrs old and above but below 18 years old.
Rights and Privileges of a Domestic Worker
- Kasambahay shall be free from any form of abuse
- Basic necessities shall be provided for the kasambahay (meals, sleep)
- Privacy
- Access to outside communication
- Right to education and training
- Kasambahay shall be prohibited from disclosing privileged information and shall be inadmissible in evidence except when the suit involves the employer or any member of the household in a crime against persons, property, personal liberty, and security, and chastity
What are included in the employment contract?
- Duties and responsibilities of the domestic worker
- Period of employment
- Compensation
- Authorized deductions
- Hours of work and proportionate additional payment
- Rest days and allowable leaves
- Board, lodging, and medical attention
- Agreements on deployment expenses, if any
- Loan agreement
- Termination of employment
- Any other lawful condition agreed upon by both parties
May the employer require a domestic worker to make deposits from which deductions shall be made for the reimbursement of loss or damage to tools, materials, furniture and equipment in the household.
No. This is unlawful.
Where shall domestic workers be registered?
They shall be registered by their employers in the Registry of Domestic Workers in the barangay where the employer’s residence is located. The Department of the Interior and Local Government shall, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment, formulate a registration system for this purpose.
Who is in charge of providing efficient training, assessment, and certification based on a duly promulgated training program to the domestic workers?
The DOLE, through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
How many hours of daily rest period is a domestic worker entitled to?
8 hours a day.
How many hours of weekly rest period is a domestic worker entitled to?
At least 24 consecutive hours of rest in a week.
But they may also agree to the ff:
1. offsetting a day of absence with a particular rest day
2. waiving a particular rest day in return for an equivalent daily rate of pay
3. accumulating rest days not exceeding 5 days
or other similar arrangements.
Amount of minimum wage
P2,500/ month - NCR
P2,000/month - chartered cities and first class municipalities
P1,500/month - other municipalities
How frequent shall payment be made to a domestic worker?
At least once a month.
In what forms can payment be made to a domestic worker?
Only in cash.
No promissory notes, vouchers, coupons, tokens, tickets, chits, or any object other than cash wage.
Is a domestic worker entitled to a 13th month pay?
Yes, as provided for by law.
How long shall a copy of a pay slip be kept by the employer?
3 years
What are the leave benefits of a domestic worker?
If the domestic worker has rendered at least 1 year of service, he shall be entitled to an annual service incentive leave of 5 days with pay.
Unused leaves cannot carry over to the next years or be convertible to cash.
What other benefits can a domestic worker have?
A domestic worker who has rendered at least 1 month of service shall be covered by the Social Security System (SSS), the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and the Home Development Mutual Fund or PAG-IBIG.