DOLE Sheds More Light to 3 New Laws That Are Beneficial Contact Center Agents

How are safety standards observed in the workplace of contact center agents during times of calamities? Is there an alternative working arrangement so employees can spend more quality time with family? What are the latest regulations for working mothers who inevitably need to take a leave of absence from work due to childbirth?

These are some of the most pressing questions from most of the contact center professionals nationwide. To shed some light and understand amendments to existing laws, the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) has invited the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to the organization’s first General Membership Meeting for 2019.

DOLE Director Teresita Cucueco was tapped as a resource person during the gathering, which was held on April 30, 2019, at the Makati AB Function Room of the Shangri-La Manila Hotel in Makati City. Cucueco focused on these three laws and explained why and how each legislation could be advantageous to every contact center agent and employee across the country.

Health and safety at the workplace

The Republic Act No. 11058 or the Occupational Safety and Health Law upholds the overall safety of all employees in their workplaces at all times. “We are pleased to have this assurance that during times of catastrophe, employees’ safety and health would come as a top priority in the workplace,” said Cucueco.

This law was especially implemented during the recent earthquake that hit Luzon. CCAP and its member-organizations was among the first industry bodies that assured the public of the safety standards that were observed during and after the earthquake. The Occupational Safety and Health Law gives protection to all employees and serves as a penalizing regulation for employers that fail to observe measures provisioned by the law during times of calamities and disasters.

Working through telecommuting

The Republic Act No. 11165 or the Telecommuting Act provides a viable option for any contact center agent to render work hours outside the company’s designated workplace. The employee can work at home or at a co-working space—where he/she can still perform the activities without any disruption and where there is available equipment and technology to facilitate business processes.

CCAP President Jojo Uligan said telecommuting is not a new option for the industry. “Telecommuting was not successful when I piloted such a program in 2003,” he recalled. “There was still no sufficient technology back then and security was another issue in terms of data privacy. However, these days, we know that these setbacks can effectively be addressed.”

The law also specifies provisions that serve as protection to the rights of volunteer agents who intend to undergo this setup. “The employer and employee in the telecommuting program shall set mutually agreed policies to cover important factors like eligibility, code of conduct, performance assessment measures, observance of data privacy policy, and appropriate alternative workplaces,” Cucueco said.

Extended maternity leave

Finally, working mothers welcome the implementation of the Republic Act No. 11210 or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law. Under this new legislation, a working mother can file a paid leave of up to 105 days along with an added option to extend that leave—though without pay—for another 30 days.

The idea is to give working mothers more time to physically, mentally, and emotionally recover following childbirth. It is also assumed that such moms would use the leave credits to spend more quality time and take care of their newborn babies. They can even allocate up to seven days of leave (though this will be deducted from the 105 days) to the child’s father, aside from his own paternity leave.

Source: TET Events Tribune