Labor Law

Updated 8th November 2025

Labor Code of the Philippines

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442 OF 1974

THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Presidential Decree No. 442 OF 1974

Preliminary Title

Chapter I — General Provisions (1-6)

ARTICLE 1. Name of Decree — This Decree shall be known as the "Labor Code of the Philippines".

ARTICLE 2. Date of Effectivity — This Code shall take effect six (6) months after its promulgation.

ARTICLE 3. Declaration of Basic Policy — The State shall afford protection to labor, promote full employment, ensure equal work opportunities regardless of sex, race or creed and regulate the relations between workers and employers. The State shall assure the rights of workers to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane conditions of work.

ARTICLE 4. Construction in Favor of Labor — All doubts in the implementation and interpretation of the provisions of this Code, including its implementing rules and regulations, shall be resolved in favor of labor.

ARTICLE 5. Rules and Regulations — The Department of Labor and other government agencies charged with the administration and enforcement of this Code or any of its parts shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations. Such rules and regulations shall become effective fifteen (15) days after announcement of their adoption in newspapers of general circulation.

ARTICLE 6. Applicability — All rights and benefits granted to workers under this Code shall, except as may otherwise be provided herein, apply alike to all workers, whether agricultural or non-agricultural. (As amended by Presidential Decree No. 570-A, November 1, 1974)

Chapter II — Emancipation of Tenants (7-11)

ARTICLE 7. Statement of Objectives — Inasmuch as the old concept of land ownership by a few has spawned valid and legitimate grievances that gave rise to violent conflict and social tension and the redress of such legitimate grievances being one of the fundamental objectives of the New Society, it has become imperative to start reformation with the emancipation of the tiller of the soil from his bondage.

ARTICLE 8. Transfer of Lands to Tenant-Workers — Being a vital part of the labor force, tenant-farmers on private agricultural lands primarily devoted to rice and corn under a system of share crop or lease tenancy whether classified as landed estate or not shall be deemed owner of a portion constituting a family-size farm of five (5) hectares if not irrigated, and three (3) hectares, if irrigated.

In all cases, the land owner may retain an area of not more than seven (7) hectares if such landowner is cultivating such area or will now cultivate it.

ARTICLE 9. Determination of Land Value — For the purpose of determining the cost of the land to be transferred to the tenant-farmer, the value of the land shall be equivalent to two and one-half (2-1/2) times the average harvest of three (3) normal crop years immediately preceding the promulgation of Presidential Decree No. 27 on October 21, 1972.

The total cost of the land, including interest at the rate of six percent (6%) per annum, shall be paid by the tenant in fifteen (15) years of fifteen (15) equal annual amortizations.

In case of default, the amortization due shall be paid by the farmers' cooperative in which the defaulting tenant-farmer is a member, with the cooperative having a right of recourse against him.

The government shall guarantee such amortizations with shares of stock in government-owned and government-controlled corporations.

ARTICLE 10. Conditions of Ownership — No title to the land acquired by the tenant-farmer under Presidential Decree No. 27 shall be actually issued to him unless and until he has become a full-fledged member of a duly recognized farmers' cooperative.

Title to the land acquired pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 27 or the Land Reform Program of the Government shall not be transferable except by hereditary succession or to the Government in accordance with the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 27, the Code of Agrarian Reforms and other existing laws and regulations.

ARTICLE 11. Implementing Agency — The Department of Agrarian Reform shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Chapter.

Book One — Pre-Employment (12)

ARTICLE 12. Statement of Objectives — It is the policy of the State:

To promote and maintain a state of full employment through improved manpower training, allocation and utilization;
To protect every citizen desiring to work locally or overseas by securing for him the best possible terms and conditions of employment;
To facilitate a free choice of available employment by persons seeking work in conformity with the national interest;
To facilitate and regulate the movement of workers in conformity with the national interest;
To regulate the employment of aliens, including the establishment of a registration and/or work permit system;
To strengthen the network of public employment offices and rationalize the participation of the private sector in the recruitment and placement of workers, locally and overseas, to serve national development objectives;
To insure careful selection of Filipino workers for overseas employment in order to protect the good name of the Philippines abroad.

Title I — Recruitment and Placement of Workers

Chapter I — General Provisions (13-24)

ARTICLE 13. Definitions —

"Worker" means any member of the labor force, whether employed or unemployed.
"Recruitment and placement" refers to any act of canvassing, enlisting, contracting, transporting, utilizing, hiring or procuring workers, and includes referrals, contract services, promising or advertising for employment, locally or abroad, whether for profit or not: Provided, That any person or entity which, in any manner, offers or promises for a fee, employment to two or more persons shall be deemed engaged in recruitment and placement.
"Private fee-charging employment agency" means any person or entity engaged in recruitment and placement of workers for a fee which is charged, directly or indirectly, from the workers or employers or both.
"License" means a document issued by the Department of Labor authorizing a person or entity to operate a private employment agency.
"Private recruitment entity" means any person or association engaged in the recruitment and placement of workers, locally or overseas, without charging, directly or indirectly, any fee from the workers or employers.
"Authority" means a document issued by the Department of Labor authorizing a person or association to engage in recruitment and placement activities as a private recruitment entity.
"Seaman" means any person employed in a vessel engaged in maritime navigation.
"Overseas employment" means employment of a worker outside the Philippines.
"Emigrant" means any person, worker or otherwise, who emigrates to a foreign country by virtue of an immigrant visa or resident permit or its equivalent in the country of destination.

ARTICLE 14. Employment Promotion — The Secretary of Labor shall have the power and authority:

To organize and establish new employment offices in addition to the existing employment offices under the Department of Labor as the need arises;
To organize and establish a nationwide job clearance and information system to inform applicants registering with particular employment office of job opportunities in other parts of the country as well as job opportunities abroad;
To develop and organize a program that will facilitate occupational, industrial and geographical mobility of labor and provide assistance in the relocation of workers from one area to another; and
To require any person, establishment, organization or institution to submit such employment information as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Labor.

ARTICLE 15. Bureau of Employment Services —

The Bureau of Employment Services shall be primarily responsible for developing and monitoring a comprehensive employment program. It shall have the power and duty:
1. To formulate and develop plans and programs to implement the employment promotion objectives of this Title;
2. To establish and maintain a registration and/or licensing system to regulate private sector participation in the recruitment and placement of workers, locally and overseas, and to secure the best possible terms and conditions of employment for Filipino contract workers and compliance therewith under such rules and regulations as may be issued by the Minister of Labor;
3. To formulate and develop employment programs designed to benefit disadvantaged groups and communities;
4. To establish and maintain a registration and/or work permit system to regulate the employment of aliens;
5. To develop a labor market information system in aid of proper manpower and development planning;
6. To develop a responsive vocational guidance and testing system in aid of proper human resources allocation; and
7. To maintain a central registry of skills, except seamen.
The regional offices of the Ministry of Labor shall have the original and exclusive jurisdiction over all matters involving employer-employee relations including money claims, arising out of or by virtue of any law or contracts involving Filipino workers for overseas employment except seamen: Provided, That the Bureau of Employment Services may, in the case of the National Capital Region, exercise such power, whenever the Minister of Labor deems it appropriate. The decisions of the regional offices of the Bureau of Employment Services, if so authorized by the Minister of Labor as provided in this Article, shall be appealable to the National Labor Relations Commission upon the same grounds provided in Article 223 hereof. The decisions of the National Labor Relations Commission shall be final and inappealable. (Superseded by the Executive Order No. 797, May 1, 1982)
The Minister of Labor shall have the power to impose and collect fees based on rates recommended by the Bureau of Employment Services. Such fees shall be deposited in the National Treasury as a special account to the General Fund, for the promotion of the objectives of the Bureau of Employment Services, subject to the provisions of Section 40 of Presidential Decree No. 1177.

Abolished by Executive Order No. 797 (May 1, 1982) creating the Bureau of Local Employment.

ARTICLE 16. Private Recruitment — Except as provided in Chapter II of this Title, no person or entity other than the public employment offices, shall engage in the recruitment and placement of workers.

ARTICLE 17. Overseas Employment Development Board³ — An Overseas Employment Development Board is hereby created to undertake, in cooperation with relevant entities and agencies, a systematic program for overseas employment of Filipino workers in excess of domestic needs and to protect their rights to fair and equitable employment practices. It shall have the power and duty:

To promote the overseas employment of Filipino workers through a comprehensive market promotion and development program;
To secure the best possible terms and conditions of employment of Filipino contract workers on a government-to-government basis and to ensure compliance therewith;
To recruit and place workers for overseas employment on a government-to-government arrangement and in such other sectors as policy may dictate; and
To act as secretariat for the Board of Trustees of the Welfare and Training Fund for Overseas Workers.

³Functions of the OEDB are now being undertaken by the POEA per Executive Order No. 797.

ARTICLE 18. Ban on Direct-Hiring — No employer may hire a Filipino worker for overseas employment except through the Boards and entities authorized by the Secretary of Labor. Direct-hiring by members of the diplomatic corps, international organizations and such other employers as may be allowed by the Secretary of Labor is exempted from this provision.

ARTICLE 19 — (Superseded by B.P. Blg. 79 - An Act Creating the Commission on Filipinos Overseas and for Other Purposes)

ARTICLE 20 — (Superseded by Executive Order No. 79 - Reorganizing the Ministry of Labor and Employment, Creating the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, and for other purposes)

ARTICLE 21. Foreign Service Role and Participation — To provide ample protection to Filipino workers abroad, the labor attaches, the labor reporting officers duly designated by the Secretary of Labor and the Philippine diplomatic or consular officials concerned shall, even without prior instruction or advice from the home office, exercise the power and duty:

To provide all Filipino workers within their jurisdiction assistance on all matters arising out of employment;
To insure that Filipino workers are not exploited or discriminated;
To verify and certify as requisite to authentication that the terms and conditions of employment in contracts involving Filipino workers are in accordance with the Labor Code and rules and regulations of the Overseas Employment and National Seamen Board;
To make continuing studies or researches and recommendations on the various aspects of the employment market within their jurisdiction;
To gather and analyze information on the employment situation and its probable trends, and to make such information available; and
To perform such other duties as may be required of them from time to time.

ARTICLE 22. Mandatory Remittance of Foreign Exchange Earnings — It shall be mandatory for all Filipino workers abroad to remit a portion of their foreign exchange earnings to their families, dependents, and/or beneficiaries in the country in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Labor.

ARTICLE 23 — (Repealed)

ARTICLE 24 — (Repealed)

Chapter II — Regulation of Recruitment and Placement Activities (25-35)

ARTICLE 25. Private Sector Participation in the Recruitment and Placement of Workers — Pursuant to national development objectives and in order to harness and maximize the use of private sector resources and initiative in the development and implementation of a comprehensive employment program, the private employment sector shall participate in the recruitment and placement of workers, locally and overseas, under such guidelines, rules and regulations as may be issued by the Secretary of Labor.

ARTICLE 26. Travel Agencies Prohibited to Recruit — Travel agencies and sales agencies of airline companies are prohibited from engaging in the business of recruitment and placement of workers for overseas employment whether for profit or not.

ARTICLE 27. Citizenship Requirement — Only Filipino citizens or corporations, partnerships or entities at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the authorized and voting capital stock of which is owned and controlled by Filipino citizens shall be permitted to participate in the recruitment and placement of workers, locally or overseas.

ARTICLE 28. Capitalization — All applicants for authority to hire or renewal of license to recruit are required to have such substantial capitalization as determined by the Secretary of Labor.

ARTICLE 29. Non-transferability of License or Authority — No license or authority shall be used directly or indirectly by any person other than the one in whose favor it was issued or at any place other than that stated in the license or authority be transferred, conveyed or assigned to any other person or entity. Any transfer of business address, appointment or designation of any agent or representative including the establishment of additional offices anywhere shall be subject to the prior approval of the Department of Labor.

ARTICLE 30. Registration Fees — The Secretary of Labor shall promulgate a schedule of fees for the registration of all applicants for license or authority.

ARTICLE 31. Bonds — All applicants for license or authority shall post such cash and surety bonds as determined by the Secretary of Labor to guarantee compliance with prescribed recruitment procedures, rules and regulations, and terms and conditions of employment as may be appropriate.

ARTICLE 32. Fees to be Paid by Workers — Any person applying with a private fee-charging employment agency for employment assistance shall not be charged any fee until he has obtained employment through its efforts or has actually commenced employment. Such fee shall be always covered with the appropriate receipt clearly showing the amount paid. The Secretary of Labor shall promulgate a schedule of allowable fees.

ARTICLE 33. Reports on Employment Status — Whenever the public interest requires, the Secretary of Labor may direct all persons or entities within the coverage of this Title to submit a report on the status of employment, including job vacancies, details of job requisitions, separation from jobs, wages, other terms and conditions and other employment data.

ARTICLE 34. Prohibited Practices — It shall be unlawful for any individual, entity, licensee, or holder of authority:

To charge or accept, directly or indirectly, any amount greater than that specified in the schedule of allowable fees prescribed by the Secretary of Labor, or to make a worker pay any amount greater than that actually received by him as a loan or advance;
To furnish or publish any false notice or information or document in relation to recruitment or employment;
To give any false notice, testimony, information or document or commit any act of misrepresentation for the purpose of securing a license or authority under this Code;
To induce or attempt to induce a worker already employed to quit his employment in order to offer him to another unless the transfer is designed to liberate the worker from oppressive terms and conditions of employment;
To influence or to attempt to influence any person or entity not to employ any worker who has not applied for employment through his agency;
To engage in the recruitment or placement of workers in jobs harmful to public health or morality or to the dignity of the Republic of the Philippines;
To obstruct or attempt to obstruct inspection by the Secretary of Labor or by his duly authorized representatives;
To fail to file reports on the status of employment, placement vacancies, remittance of foreign exchange earnings, separation from jobs, departures and such other matters or information as may be required by the Secretary of Labor;
To substitute or alter employment contracts approved and verified by the Department of Labor from the time of actual signing thereof by the parties up to and including the periods of expiration of the same without the approval of the Secretary of Labor;
To become an officer or member of the Board of any corporation engaged in travel agency or to be engaged directly or indirectly in the management of a travel agency; and
To withhold or deny travel documents from applicant workers before departure for monetary or financial considerations other than those authorized under this Code and its implementing rules and regulations.

ARTICLE 35. Suspension and/or Cancellation of License or Authority — The Minister of Labor shall have the power to suspend or cancel any license or authority to recruit employees for overseas employment for violation of rules and regulations issued by the Ministry of Labor, the Overseas Employment Development Board, or for violation of the provisions of this and other applicable laws, General Orders and Letters of Instructions.

Chapter III — Miscellaneous Provisions (36-39)

ARTICLE 36. Regulatory Power — The Secretary of Labor shall have the power to restrict and regulate the recruitment and placement activities of all agencies within the coverage of this Title and is hereby authorized to issue orders and promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the objectives and implement the provisions of this Title.

ARTICLE 37. Visitorial Power — The Secretary of Labor or his duly authorized representatives may, at any time, inspect the premises, books of accounts and records of any person or entity covered by this Title, require it to submit reports regularly on prescribed forms, and act on violation of any provisions of this Title.

ARTICLE 38. Illegal Recruitment —

Any recruitment activities, including the prohibited practices enumerated under Article 34 of this Code, to be undertaken by non-licensees or non-holder of authority, shall be deemed illegal and punishable under Article 39 of this Code. The Department of Labor and Employment or any law enforcement officer may initiate complaints under this Article.
Illegal recruitment when committed by a syndicate or in large scale shall be considered an offense involving economic sabotage and shall be penalized in accordance with Article 39 hereof.

Illegal recruitment is deemed committed by a syndicate if carried out by a group of three (3) or more persons conspiring and/or confederating with one another in carrying out any unlawful or illegal transaction, enterprise or scheme defined under the first paragraph hereof. Illegal recruitment is deemed committed in large scale if committed against three (3) or more persons individually or as a group.
The Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representatives shall have the power to cause the arrest and detention of such non-licensee or non-holder of authority if after investigation it is determined that his activities constitute a danger to national security and public order or will lead to further exploitation of job-seekers. The Secretary shall order the search of the office or premises and seizure of documents, paraphernalia, properties and other implements used in illegal recruitment activities and the closure of companies, establishments and entities found to be engaged in the recruitment of workers for overseas employment, without having been licensed or authorized to do so. (Declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (Salazar v. Achacoso, G.R. No. 81510, March 14, 1990))

ARTICLE 39 — (Repealed by Republic Act No. 8042, Section 7 - An Act to Institute the Policies of Overseas Employment and Establish a Higher Standard of Protection and Promotion of the Welfare of Migrant Workers, their Families and Overseas Filipinos in Distress, and for other Purposes)

Title II — Employment of Non-Resident Aliens (40-42)

ARTICLE 40. Employment Permit of Non-Resident Aliens — Any alien seeking admission to the Philippines for employment purposes and any domestic or foreign employer who desires to engage an alien for employment in the Philippines shall obtain an employment permit from the Department of Labor.

The employment permit may be issued to a non-resident alien or to the applicant employer after a determination of the non-availability of a person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing at the time of application to perform the services for which the alien is desired.

For an enterprise registered in preferred areas of investments, said employment permit may be issued upon recommendation of the government agency charged with the supervision of said registered enterprise.

See Department Order No. 75 dated May 31, 2006 (Revised Rules for the Issuance of Employment Permits to Foreign Nationals).

ARTICLE 41. Prohibition Against Transfer of Employment —

After the issuance of an employment permit, the alien shall not transfer to another job or change his employer without prior approval of the Secretary of Labor.
Any non-resident alien who shall take up employment in violation of the provision of this Title and its implementing rules and regulations shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of Articles 289 and 290 of the Labor Code.

In addition, the alien worker shall be subject to deportation after service of his sentence.

ARTICLE 42. Submission of List — Any employer employing non-resident foreign nationals on the effective date of this Code shall submit a list of such nationals to the Secretary of Labor within thirty (30) days after such date indicating their names, citizenship, foreign and local addresses, nature of employment and status of stay in the country. The Secretary of Labor shall then determine if they are entitled to an employment permit.

Book Two — Human Resources Development Program

Title I — National Manpower Development Program

Chapter I — National Policies and Administrative Machinery for their Completion (43-56)

ARTICLES 43 to 56 — (Superseded by Republic Act No. 7796, "An Act Creating the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Providing for its Powers, Structure and for other Purposes")

Title II — Training and Employment of Special Workers

Chapter I — Apprentices (57-72)

ARTICLE 57. Statement of Objectives — This Title aims:

To help meet the demand of the economy for trained manpower;
To establish a national apprenticeship program through the participation of employers, workers and government and non-government agencies; and
To establish apprenticeship standards for the protection of apprentices.

ARTICLE 58. Definition of Terms — As used in this Title:

"Apprenticeship" means practical training on the job supplemented by related theoretical instruction.
An "apprentice" is a worker who is covered by a written apprenticeship agreement with an individual employer or any of the entities recognized under this Chapter.
An "apprenticeable occupation" means any trade, form of employment or occupation which requires more than three (3) months of practical training on the job supplemented by related theoretical instruction.
"Apprenticeship agreement" is an employment contract wherein the employer binds himself to train the apprentice and the apprentice in turn accepts the terms of training.

ARTICLE 59. Qualifications of Apprentice — To qualify as an apprentice, a person shall:

Be at least fourteen (14) years of age;
Possess vocational aptitude and capacity for appropriate tests; and
Possess the ability to comprehend and follow oral and written instructions.

Trade and industry associations may recommend to the Secretary of Labor appropriate educational requirements for different occupations.

(See Section 12 of Republic Act No. 7610, as amended by Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9231.)

ARTICLE 60. Employment of Apprentices — Only employers in the highly technical industries may employ apprentices and only in apprenticeable occupations approved by the Secretary of Labor and Employment. (As amended by Section 1, Executive Order No. 111, December 24, 1986)

ARTICLE 61. Contents of Apprenticeship Agreements — Apprenticeship agreements, including the wage rates of apprentices, shall conform to the rules issued by the Secretary of Labor and Employment. The period of apprenticeship shall not exceed six months. Apprenticeship agreements providing for wage rates below the legal minimum wage, which in no case shall start below 75 percent of the applicable minimum wage, may be entered into only in accordance with apprenticeship programs duly approved by the Secretary of Labor and Employment. The Department shall develop standard model programs of apprenticeship. (As amended by Section 1, Executive Order No. 111, December 24, 1986)

ARTICLE 62. Signing of Apprenticeship Agreement — Every apprenticeship agreement shall be signed by the employer or his agent, or by an authorized representative of any of the recognized organizations, associations or groups and by the apprentice.

An apprenticeship agreement with a minor shall be signed in his behalf by his parent or guardian, if the latter is not available, by an authorized representative of the Department of Labor, and the same shall be binding during its lifetime.

Every apprenticeship agreement entered into under this Title shall be ratified by the appropriate apprenticeship committees, if any, and a copy thereof shall be furnished both the employer and the apprentice.

ARTICLE 63. Venue of Apprenticeship Programs — Any firm, employer, group or association, industry organization or civic group wishing to organize an apprenticeship program may choose from any of the following apprenticeship schemes as the training venue for apprentice:

Apprenticeship conducted entirely by and within the sponsoring firm, establishment or entity;
Apprenticeship entirely within a Department of Labor and Employment training center or other public training institution; or
Initial training in trade fundamentals in a training center or other institution with subsequent actual work participation within the sponsoring firm or entity during the final stage of training.

ARTICLE 64. Sponsoring of Apprenticeship Program — Any of the apprenticeship schemes recognized herein may be undertaken or sponsored by a single employer or firm or by a group or association thereof or by a civic organization. Actual training of apprentices may be undertaken:

a) In the premises of the sponsoring employer in the case of individual apprenticeship programs;

b) In the premises of one or several designated firms in the case of programs sponsored by a group or association of employers or by a civic organization; or

c) In a Department of Labor and Employment training center or other public training institution.

ARTICLE 65. Investigation of Violation of Apprenticeship Agreement — Upon complaint of any interested person or upon its own initiative, the appropriate agency of the Department of Labor and Employment or its authorized representative shall investigate any violation of an apprenticeship agreement pursuant to such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

ARTICLE 66. Appeal to the Secretary of Labor and Employment — The decision of the authorized agency of the Department of Labor and Employment may be appealed by any aggrieved person to the Secretary of Labor and Employment within five (5) days from receipt of the decision. The decision of the Secretary of Labor and Employment shall be final and executory.

ARTICLE 67. Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies — No person shall institute any action for the enforcement of any apprenticeship agreement or damages for breach of any such agreement, unless he has exhausted all available administrative remedies.

ARTICLE 68. Aptitude Testing of Applicants — Consonant with the minimum qualifications of apprentice-applicants required under this Chapter, employers or entities with duly recognized apprenticeship programs shall have primary responsibility for providing appropriate aptitude tests in the selection of apprentices. If they do not have adequate facilities for the purpose, the Department of Labor and Employment shall perform the service free of charge.

ARTICLE 69. Responsibility for Theoretical Instruction — Supplementary theoretical instruction to apprentices in cases where the program is undertaken in the plant may be done by the employer. If the latter is not prepared to assume the responsibility, the same may be delegated to an appropriate government agency.

ARTICLE 70. Voluntary Organization of Apprenticeship Programs; Exemptions —

The organization of apprenticeship program shall be primarily a voluntary undertaking by employers;
When national security or particular requirements of economic development so demand, the President of the Philippines may require compulsory training of apprentices in certain trades, determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment. Appropriate rules in this connection shall be promulgated by the Secretary of Labor and Employment as the need arises; and
Where services of foreign technicians are utilized by private companies in apprenticeable trades, said companies are required to set up appropriate apprenticeship programs.

ARTICLE 71. Deductibility of Training Costs — An additional deduction from taxable income of one-half (1/2) of the value of labor training expenses incurred for developing the productivity and efficiency of apprentices shall be granted to the person or enterprise organizing an apprenticeship program: Provided, That such program is duly recognized by the Department of Labor and Employment: Provided, further, That such deduction shall not exceed ten (10%) percent of direct labor wage: and Provided, finally, That the person or enterprise who wishes to avail himself or itself of this incentive should pay his apprentices the minimum wage.

ARTICLE 72. Apprentices Without Compensation — The Secretary of Labor and Employment may authorize the hiring of apprentices without compensation whose training on the job is required by the school or training program curriculum or as requisite for graduation or board examination.

Chapter II — Learners (73-77)

ARTICLE 73. Learners Defined — Learners are persons hired as trainees in semi-skilled and other industrial occupations which are non-apprenticeable and which may be learned through practical training on the job in a relatively short period of time which shall not exceed three (3) months.

ARTICLE 74. When Learners May be Hired — Learners may be employed when no experienced workers are available, the employment of learners is necessary to prevent curtailment of employment opportunities, and the employment does not create unfair competition in terms of labor costs or impair or lower working standards.

ARTICLE 75. Learnership Agreement — Any employer desiring to employ learners shall enter into a learnership agreement with them, which agreement shall include:

The names and addresses of the learners;
The duration of the learnership period, which shall not exceed three (3) months;
The wages or salary rates of the learners which shall begin at not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the applicable minimum wage; and
A commitment to employ the learners if they so desire, as regular employees upon completion of the learnership. All learners who have been allowed or suffered to work during the first two (2) months shall be deemed regular employees if training is terminated by the employer before the end of the stipulated period through no fault of the learners.

The learnership agreement shall be subject to inspection by the Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representative.

ARTICLE 76. Learners in Piecework — Learners employed in piece or incentive-rate jobs during the training period shall be paid in full for the work done.

ARTICLE 77. Penalty Clause — Any violation of this Chapter or its implementing rules and regulations shall be subject to the general penalty clause provided for in this Code.

Chapter III — Handicapped Workers (78-81)

See also Republic Act No. 7277 (Magna Carta for Persons with Disability), as amended by Republic Act No. 9442.

ARTICLE 78. Definition — Handicapped workers are those whose earning capacity is impaired by age or physical or mental deficiency or injury.

ARTICLE 79 — (Superseded by Republic Act No. 7277, as amended)

ARTICLE 80. Employment Agreement — Any employer who employs handicapped workers shall enter into an employment agreement with them, which agreement shall include:

The names and addresses of the handicapped workers to be employed;
The rate to be paid the handicapped workers which shall not be less than seventy-five (75%) percent of the applicable legal minimum wage;
The duration of employment period; and
The work to be performed by handicapped workers.

The employment agreement shall be subject to inspection by the Secretary of Labor or his duly authorized representative.

ARTICLE 81. Eligibility for Apprenticeship — Subject to the appropriate provisions of this Code, handicapped workers may be hired as apprentices or learners if their handicap is not such as to effectively impede the performance of job operations in the particular occupations for which they are hired.

Book Three — Conditions of Employment

Title I — Working Conditions and Rest Periods

Chapter I — Hours of Work (82-90)

ARTICLE 82. Coverage — The provisions of this Title shall apply to employees in all establishments and undertakings whether for profit or not, but not to government employees, managerial employees, field personnel, members of the family of the employer who are dependent on him for support, domestic helpers, persons in the personal service of another, and workers who are paid by results as determined by the Secretary of Labor in appropriate regulations.

As used herein, "managerial employees" refer to those whose primary duty consists of the management of the establishment in which they are employed or of a department or subdivision thereof, and to other officers or members of the managerial staff.

"Field personnel" shall refer to non-agricultural employees who regularly perform their duties away from the principal place of business or branch office of the employer and whose actual hours of work in the field cannot be determined with reasonable certainty.

ARTICLE 83. Normal Hours of Work — The normal hours of work of any employee shall not exceed eight (8) hours a day.

Health personnel in cities and municipalities with a population of at least one million (1,000,000) or in hospitals and clinics with a bed capacity of at least one hundred (100) shall hold regular office hours for eight (8) hours a day, for five (5) days a week, exclusive of time for meals, except where the exigencies of the service require that such personnel work for six (6) days or forty-eight (48) hours, in which case, they shall be entitled to an additional compensation of at least thirty percent (30%) of their regular wage for work on the sixth day. For purposes of this Article, "health personnel" shall include resident physicians, nurses, nutritionists, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, laboratory technicians, paramedical technicians, psychologists, midwives, attendants and all other hospital or clinic personnel.

ARTICLE 84. Hours Worked — Hours worked shall include: (a) all time during which an employee is required to be on duty or to be at a prescribed workplace; and (b) all time during which an employee is suffered or permitted to work.

Rest periods of short duration during working hours shall be counted as hours worked.

ARTICLE 85. Meal Periods — Subject to such regulations as the Secretary of Labor may prescribe, it shall be the duty of every employer to give his employees not less than sixty (60) minutes time-off for their regular meals.

ARTICLE 86. Night Shift Differential — Every employee shall be paid a night shift differential of not less than ten percent (10%) of his regular wage for each hour of work performed between ten o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning.

ARTICLE 87. Overtime Work — Work may be performed beyond eight (8) hours a day provided that the employee is paid for the overtime work, an additional compensation equivalent to his regular wage plus at least twenty-five percent (25%) thereof. Work performed beyond eight hours on a holiday or rest day shall be paid an additional compensation equivalent to the rate of the first eight hours on a holiday or rest day plus at least thirty percent (30%) thereof.

ARTICLE 88. Undertime Not Offset by Overtime — Undertime work on any particular day shall not be offset by overtime work on any other day. Permission given to the employee to go on leave on some other day of the week shall not exempt the employer from paying the additional compensation required in this Chapter.

ARTICLE 89. Emergency Overtime Work — Any employee may be required by the employer to perform overtime work in any of the following cases:

When the country is at war or when any other national or local emergency has been declared by the National Assembly or the Chief Executive;
When it is necessary to prevent loss of life or property or in case of imminent danger to public safety due to an actual or impending emergency in the locality caused by serious accidents, fire, flood, typhoon, earthquake, epidemic, or other disaster or calamity;
When there is urgent work to be performed on machines, installations, or equipment, in order to avoid serious loss or damage to the employer or some other cause of similar nature;
When the work is necessary to prevent loss or damage to perishable goods; and
Where the completion or continuation of the work started before the eight hour is necessary to prevent serious obstruction or prejudice to the business or operations of the employer.

Any employee required to render overtime work under this Article shall be paid the additional compensation required in this Chapter.

ARTICLE 90. Computation of Additional Compensation — For purposes of computing overtime and other additional remuneration as required by this Chapter, the "regular wage" of an employee shall include the cash wage only, without deduction on account of facilities provided by the employer.

Chapter II — Weekly Rest Periods (91-93)

ARTICLE 91. Right to Weekly Rest Day —

a) It shall be the duty of every employer, whether operating for profit or not, to provide each of his employees a rest period of not less than twenty-four (24) consecutive hours after every six (6) consecutive normal work days.

b) The employer shall determine and schedule the weekly rest day of his employees subject to collective bargaining agreement and to such rules and regulations as the Secretary of Labor and Employment may provide. However, the employer shall respect the preference of employees as to their weekly rest day when such preference is based on religious grounds.

ARTICLE 92. When Employer May Require Work on a Rest Day — The employer may require his employees to work on any day:

In case of actual or impending emergencies caused by serious accident, fire, flood, typhoon, earthquake, epidemic or other disaster or calamity to prevent loss of life and property, or imminent danger to public safety;
In cases of urgent work to be performed on the machinery, equipment, or installation, to avoid serious loss which the employer would otherwise suffer;
In the event of abnormal pressure of work due to special circumstances, where the employer cannot ordinarily be expected to resort to other measures;
To prevent loss or damage to perishable goods;
Where the nature of the work requires continuous operations and the stoppage of work may result in irreparable injury or loss to the employer; and
Under other circumstances analogous or similar to the foregoing as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

ARTICLE 93. Compensation for Rest Day, Sunday or Holiday Work —

Where an employee is made or permitted to work on his scheduled rest day, he shall be paid an additional compensation of at least thirty percent (30%) of his regular wage.

An employee shall be entitled to such additional compensation for work performed on Sunday only when it is his established rest day.
When the nature of the work of the employee is such that he has no regular workdays and no regular rest days can be scheduled, he shall be paid an additional compensation of at least thirty percent (30%) of his regular wage for work performed on Sundays and holidays.
Work performed on any special holiday shall be paid an additional compensation of at least thirty percent (30%) of the regular wage of the employee. Where such holiday work falls on the employee's scheduled rest day, he shall be entitled to an additional compensation of at least fifty percent (50%) of his regular wage.
Where the collective bargaining agreement or other applicable employment contract stipulates the payment of a higher premium pay than that prescribed under this Article, the employer shall pay such higher rate.

Chapter II — Holidays, Service Incentive Leave, and Service Charges (94-96)

ARTICLE 94. Right to Holiday Pay —

Every worker shall be paid his regular daily wage during regular holidays, except in retail and service establishments regularly employing less than ten (10) workers;
The employer may require an employee to work on any holiday but such employee shall be paid a compensation equivalent to twice his regular rate; and
As used in this Article, "holiday" includes: New Year's Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the ninth of April, the first of May, the twelfth of June, the fourth of July, the thirtieth of November, the twenty-fifth and thirtieth of December and the day designated by law for holding a general election.

See Section 26, Chapter 7 of Executive Order No. 292, as amended by Republic Act No. 9177 and Republic Act No. 9492 for the list of Regular Holidays and Nationwide Special Holidays.

ARTICLE 95. Right to Service Incentive Leave —

Every employee who has rendered at least one year of service shall be entitled to a yearly service incentive leave of five days with pay.
This provision shall not apply to those who are already enjoying the benefit herein provided, those enjoying vacation leave with pay of at least five days and those employed in establishments regularly employing less than ten employees or in establishments exempted from granting this benefit by the Secretary of Labor and Employment after considering the viability or financial condition of such establishment.
The grant of benefit in excess of that provided herein shall not be made a subject of arbitration or any court or administrative action.

See also Republic Act No. 8972 (Solo Parent's Welfare Act) for the "Parental Leave," and Republic Act No. 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004) for the "battered woman leave".

ARTICLE 96. Service Charges — All service charges collected by hotels, restaurants and similar establishments shall be distributed completely and equally among the covered workers except managerial employees.

In the event that the minimum wage is increased by law of wage order, service charges paid to the covered employees shall not be considered in determining the employer's compliance with the increased minimum wage.

To facilitate resolution of any dispute between the management and the employees on the distribution of service charges, a grievance mechanism shall be established. If no grievance mechanism is established or if inadequate, the grievance shall be referred to the regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment which has jurisdiction over the workplace for conciliation.

For purposes of this Article, managerial employees refer to any person vested with powers or prerogatives to lay down and execute management policies or hire, transfer, suspend, pay-off, recall, discharge, assign or discipline employees or to effectively recommend such managerial actions.

(Amended by Republic Act No. 11360 (2019), "An Act Providing that Service Charges Collected by Hotels, Restaurants and Other Similar Establishments be Distributed in Full to all Covered Employees, Amending for the Purpose Presidential Decree No. 442, as Amended, Otherwise Known as the 'Labor Code of the Philippines.'" See DOLE Department Order No. 206 (2019) for specific regulations. See also DOLE Labor Advisory No. 10 (2020).)

Title II — Wages

Chapter I — Preliminary Matters (97-98)

ARTICLE 97. Definitions — As used in this Title:

"Person" means an individual, partnership, association, corporation, business trust, legal representatives, or any organized group of persons.
"Employer" includes any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee and shall include the government and all its branches, subdivisions and instrumentalities, all government-owned or controlled corporations and institutions, as well as non-profit private institutions, or organizations.
"Employee" includes any individual employed by an employer.
"Agriculture" includes farming in all its branches and, among other things, includes cultivation and tillage of soil, dairying, the production, cultivation, growing and harvesting of any agricultural and horticultural commodities, the raising of livestock or poultry, and any practices performed by a farmer on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with such farming operations, but does not include the manufacturing or processing of sugar, coconuts, abaca, tobacco, pineapples or other farm products.
"Employ" includes to suffer or permit to work.
"Wage" paid to any employee shall mean the remuneration or earnings, however designated, capable of being expressed in terms of money, whether fixed or ascertained on a time, task, piece, or commission basis, or other method of calculating the same, which is payable by an employer to an employee under a written or unwritten contract of employment for work done or to be done, or for services rendered or to be rendered and includes the fair and reasonable value, as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment, of board, lodging, or other facilities customarily furnished by the employer to the employee. "Fair and reasonable value" shall not include any profit to the employer, or to any person affiliated with the employer.

ARTICLE 98. Application of Title — This Title shall not apply to farm tenancy or leasehold, domestic service and persons working in their respective homes in needle work or in any cottage industry duly registered in accordance with law.

Chapter II — Minimum Wage Rates (99-101)

ARTICLE 99. Regional Minimum Wages — The minimum wage rates for agricultural and non-agricultural employees and workers in each and every region of the country shall be those prescribed by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.

ARTICLE 100. Prohibition Against Elimination or Diminution of Benefits — Nothing in this Book shall be construed to eliminate or in any way diminish supplements, or other employee benefits being enjoyed at the time of promulgation of this Code.

ARTICLE 101. Payment by Results — (a) The Secretary of Labor and Employment shall regulate the payment of wages by results, including pakyao, piecework, and other non-time work, in order to ensure the payment of fair and reasonable wage rates, preferably through time and motion studies or in consultation with representatives of workers' and employers' organizations.

Chapter III — Payment of Wages (102-111)

ARTICLE 102. Forms of Payment — No employer shall pay the wages of an employee by means of promissory notes, vouchers, coupons, tokens, tickets, chits, or any object other than legal tender, even when expressly requested by the employee. Payment of wages by check or money order shall be allowed when such manner of payment is customary on the date of effectivity of this Code, or is necessary because of special circumstances as specified in appropriate regulations to be issued by the Secretary of Labor and Employment or as stipulated in a collective bargaining agreement.

ARTICLE 103. Time of Payment — Wages shall be paid at least once every two (2) weeks or twice a month at intervals not exceeding sixteen (16) days. If on account of force majeure or circumstances beyond the employer's control, payment of wages on or within the time herein provided cannot be made, the employer shall pay the wages immediately after such force majeure or circumstances have ceased. No employer shall make payment with less frequency than once a month. The payment of wages of employees engaged to perform a task which cannot be completed in two (2) weeks shall be subject to the following conditions, in the absence of a collective bargaining agreement or arbitration award:

That payments are made at intervals not exceeding sixteen (16) days, in proportion to the amount of work completed;
That final settlement is made upon completion of the work.

ARTICLE 104. Place of Payment — Payment of wages shall be made at or near the place of undertaking, except as otherwise provided by such regulations as the Secretary of Labor and Employment may prescribe under conditions to ensure greater protection of wages.

ARTICLE 105. Direct Payment of Wages — Wages shall be paid directly to the workers to whom they are due, except:

In cases of force majeure rendering such payment impossible or under other special circumstances to be determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment in appropriate regulations, in which case, the worker may be paid through another person under written authority given by the worker for the purpose; or
Where the worker has died, in which case, the employer may pay the wages of the deceased worker to the heirs of the latter without the necessity of intestate proceedings. The claimants, if they are all of age, shall execute an affidavit attesting to their relationship to the deceased and the fact that they are his heirs, to the exclusion of all other persons. If any of the heirs is a minor, the affidavit shall be executed on his behalf by his natural guardian or next-of-kin. The affidavit shall be presented to the employer who shall make payment through the Secretary of Labor and Employment or his representative. The representative of the Secretary of Labor and Employment shall act as referee in dividing the amount paid among the heirs. The payment of wages under this Article shall absolve the employer of any further liability with respect to the amount paid.

ARTICLE 106. Contractor or Subcontractor — Whenever an employer enters into a contract with another person for the performance of the former's work, the employees of the contractor and of the latter's subcontractor, if any, shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of this Code.

In the event that the contractor or subcontractor fails to pay the wages of his employees in accordance with this Code, the employer shall be jointly and severally liable with his contractor or subcontractor to such employees to the extent of the work performed under the contract, in the same manner and extent that he is liable to employees directly employed by him.

The Secretary of Labor and Employment may, by appropriate regulations, restrict or prohibit the contracting-out of labor to protect the rights of workers established under this Code. In so prohibiting or restricting, he may make appropriate distinctions between labor-only contracting and job contracting as well as differentiations within these types of contracting and determine who among the parties involved shall be considered the employer for purposes of this Code, to prevent any violation or circumvention of any provision of this Code.

There is "labor-only" contracting where the person supplying workers to an employer does not have substantial capital or investment in the form of tools, equipment, machineries, work premises, among others, and the workers recruited and placed by such person are performing activities which are directly related to the principal business of such employer. In such cases, the person or intermediary shall be considered merely as an agent of the employer who shall be responsible to the workers in the same manner and extent as if the latter were directly employed by him.

ARTICLE 107. Indirect Employer — The provisions of the immediately preceding article shall likewise apply to any person, partnership, association or corporation which, not being an employer, contracts with an independent contractor for the performance of any work, task, job or project.

ARTICLE 108. Posting of Bond — An employer or indirect employer may require the contractor or subcontractor to furnish a bond equal to the cost of labor under contract, on condition that the bond will answer for the wages due the employees should the contractor or subcontractor, as the case may be, fail to pay the same.

ARTICLE 109. Solidary Liability — The provisions of existing laws to the contrary notwithstanding, every employer or indirect employer shall be held responsible with his contractor or subcontractor for any violation of any provision of this Code. For purposes of determining the extent of their civil liability under this Chapter, they shall be considered as direct employers.

ARTICLE 110. Worker Preference in Case of Bankruptcy — In the event of bankruptcy or liquidation of an employer's business, his workers shall enjoy first preference as regards their wages and other monetary claims, any provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding. Such unpaid wages and monetary claims shall be paid in full before claims of the government and other creditors may be paid. (As amended by Section 1, Republic Act No. 6715, March 21, 1989)

ARTICLE 111. Attorney's Fees —

In cases of unlawful withholding of wages, the culpable party may be assessed attorney's fees equivalent to ten percent of the amount of wages recovered.
It shall be unlawful for any person to demand or accept, in any judicial or administrative proceedings for the recovery of wages, attorney's fees which exceed ten percent of the amount of wages recovered.

Chapter IV — Prohibition Regarding Wages (112-119)

ARTICLE 112. Non-interference in Disposal of Wages — No employer shall limit or otherwise interfere with the freedom of any employee to dispose of his wages. He shall not, in any manner force, compel, or oblige his employees to purchase merchandise, commodities or other property from any other person, or otherwise make use of any store or services of such employer or any other person.

ARTICLE 113. Wage Deduction — No employer, in his own behalf or in behalf of any person, shall make any deduction from the wages of his employees, except:

In cases where the worker is insured with his consent by the employer, and the deduction is to recompense the employer for the amount paid by him as premium on the insurance;
For union dues, in cases where the right of the worker or his union to check-off has been recognized by the employer or authorized in writing by the individual worker concerned; and
In cases where the employer is authorized by law or regulations issued by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

ARTICLE 114. Deposits for Loss or Damage — No employer shall require his worker to make deposits from which deductions shall be made for the reimbursement of loss of or damage to tools, materials, or equipment supplied by the employer, except when the employer is engaged in such trades, occupations or business where the practice of making deductions or requiring deposits is a recognized one, or is necessary or desirable as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment in appropriate rules and regulations.

ARTICLE 115. Limitations — No deduction from the deposits of an employee for the actual amount of the loss or damage shall be made unless the employee has been heard thereon, and his responsibility has been clearly shown.

ARTICLE 116. Withholding of Wages and Kickbacks Prohibited — It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, to withhold any amount from the wages of a worker or induce him to give up any part of his wages by force, stealth, intimidation, threat or by any other means whatsoever without the worker's consent.

ARTICLE 117. Deduction to Ensure Employment — It shall be unlawful to make any deduction from the wages of any employee for the benefit of the employer or his representative or intermediary as consideration of a promise of employment or retention in employment.

ARTICLE 118. Retaliatory Measures — It shall be unlawful for an employer to refuse to pay or reduce the wages and benefits, discharge or in any manner discriminate against any employee who has filed any complaint or instituted any proceeding under this Title or has testified or is about to testify in such proceedings.

ARTICLE 119. False Reporting — It shall be unlawful for any person to make any statement, report, or record filed or kept pursuant to the provisions of this Code knowing such statement, report or record to be false in any material respect.

Chapter V — Wage Studies, Wage Agreements, and Wage Determination (120-127)

ARTICLE 120. Creation of National Wages and Productivity Commission — There is hereby created a National Wages and Productivity Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, which shall be attached to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for policy and program coordination. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6727, June 9, 1989)

ARTICLE 121. Powers and Functions of the Commission — The Commission shall have the following powers and functions:

To act as the national consultative and advisory body to the President of the Philippines and Congress on matters relating to wages, incomes and productivity;
To formulate policies and guidelines on wages, incomes and productivity improvement at the enterprise, industry and national levels;
To prescribe rules and guidelines on wages, incomes and productivity improvement at the enterprise, industry and national levels;
To review regional wage levels set by the Regional Tripartite Wages Productivity Boards to determine if these are in accordance with prescribed guidelines and national development plans;
To undertake studies, researches and surveys necessary for the attainment of its functions and objectives, and to collect and compile data and periodically disseminate information on wages and productivity and other related information, including, but not limited to, employment, cost-of-living, labor costs, investments and returns;
To review plans and programs of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards to determine whether these are consistent with national development plans;
To exercise technical and administrative supervision over the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards;
To call, from time to time, a national tripartite conference of representatives of government, workers and employers for the consideration of measures to promote wage rationalization and productivity; and
To exercise such powers and functions as may be necessary to implement this Act.

The Commission shall be composed of the Secretary of Labor and Employment as ex-officio chairman, the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as ex officio vice-chairman and two (2) members each from workers' and employers' sectors who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Secretary of Labor and Employment to be made on the basis of the list of nominees submitted by the workers' and employers' sectors, respectively, and who shall serve for a term of five (5) years. The Executive Director of the Commission shall also be a member of the Commission.

The Commission shall be assisted by a Secretariat to be headed by an Executive Director and two (2) Deputy Directors, who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

The Executive Director shall have the same rank, salary, benefits and other emoluments as that of a Department Assistant Secretary, while the Deputy Directors shall have the same rank, salary, benefits and other emoluments as that of a Bureau Director. The members of the Commission representing labor and management shall have the same rank, emoluments, allowances and other benefits as those prescribed by law for labor and management representatives in the Employees' Compensation Commission. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6727, June 9, 1989)

ARTICLE 122. Creation of Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards — There is hereby created Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, hereinafter referred to as Regional Boards, in all regions, including autonomous regions as may be established by law. The Commission shall determine the offices/headquarters of the respective Regional Boards.

The Regional Boards shall have the following powers and functions in their respective territorial jurisdictions:

To develop plans, programs and projects relative to wages, incomes and productivity improvement for their respective regions;
To determine and fix minimum wage rates applicable in their regions, provinces or industries therein and to issue the corresponding wage orders, subject to guidelines issued by the Commission;
To undertake studies, researches, and surveys necessary for the attainment of their functions, objectives and programs, and to collect and compile data on wages, incomes, productivity and other related information and periodically disseminate the same;
To coordinate with the other Regional Boards as may be necessary to attain the policy and intention of this Code;
To receive, process and act on applications for exemption from prescribed wage rates as may be provided by law or any Wage Order; and
To exercise such other powers and functions as may be necessary to carry out their mandate under this Code.

Implementation of the plans, programs, and projects of the Regional Boards referred to in the second paragraph, letter (a) of this Article, shall be through the respective regional offices of the Department of Labor and Employment within their territorial jurisdiction; Provided, however, That the Regional Boards shall have technical supervision over the regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment with respect to the implementation of said plans, programs and projects.

Each Regional Board shall be composed of the Regional Director of the Department of Labor and Employment as chairman, the Regional Directors of the National Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry as vice-chairmen and two (2) members each from workers' and employers' sectors who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Labor and Employment, to be made on the basis of the list of nominees submitted by the workers' and employers' sectors, respectively, and who shall serve for a term of five (5) years.

Each Regional Board to be headed by its chairman shall be assisted by a Secretariat. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6727, June 9, 1989)

ARTICLE 123. Wage Order — Whenever conditions in the region so warrant, the Regional Board shall investigate and study all pertinent facts; and based on the standards and criteria herein prescribed, shall proceed to determine whether a Wage Order should be issued. Any such Wage Order shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its complete publication in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation in the region.

In the performance of its wage-determining functions, the Regional Board shall conduct public hearings/consultations, giving notices to employee's and employer's groups, provincial, city and municipal officials and other interested parties.

Any party aggrieved by the Wage Order issued by the Regional Board may appeal such order to the Commission within ten (10) calendar days from the publication of such order. It shall be mandatory for the Commission to decide such appeal within sixty (60) calendar days from the filing thereof.

The filing of the appeal does not stay the order unless the person appealing such order shall file with the Commission, an undertaking with a surety or sureties satisfactory to the Commission for the payment to the employees affected by the order of the corresponding increase, in the event such order is affirmed. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6727, June 9, 1989)

ARTICLE 124. Standards/Criteria for Minimum Wage Fixing — The regional minimum wages to be established by the Regional Board shall be as nearly adequate as is economically feasible to maintain the minimum standards of living necessary for the health, efficiency and general well-being of the employees within the framework of the national economic and social development program. In the determination of such regional minimum wages, the Regional Board shall, among other relevant factors, consider the following:

The demand for living wages;
Wage adjustment vis-a-vis the consumer price index;
The cost of living and changes or increases therein;
The needs of workers and their families;
The need to induce industries to invest in the countryside;
Improvements in standards of living;
The prevailing wage levels;
Fair return of the capital invested and capacity to pay of employers;
Effects on employment generation and family income; and
The equitable distribution of income and wealth along the imperatives of economic and social development.

The wages prescribed in accordance with the provisions of this Title shall be the standard prevailing minimum wages in every region. These wages shall include wages varying with industries, provinces or localities if in the judgment of the Regional Board, conditions make such local differentiation proper and necessary to effectuate the purpose of this Title.

Any person, company, corporation, partnership or any other entity engaged in business shall file and register annually with the appropriate Regional Board, Commission and the National Statistics Office, an itemized listing of their labor component, specifying the names of their workers and employees below the managerial level, including learners, apprentices and disabled/handicapped workers who were hired under the terms prescribed in the employment contracts, and their corresponding salaries and wages.

Where the application of any prescribed wage increase by virtue of a law or wage order issued by any Regional Board results in distortions of the wage structure within an establishment, the employer and the union shall negotiate to correct the distortions. Any dispute arising from wage distortions shall be resolved through the grievance procedure under their collective bargaining agreement and, if it remains unresolved, through voluntary arbitration. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties in writing, such dispute shall be decided by the voluntary arbitrators within ten (10) calendar days from the time said dispute was referred to voluntary arbitration.

In cases where there are no collective agreements or recognized labor unions, the employers and workers shall endeavor to correct such distortions. Any dispute arising therefrom shall be settled through the National Conciliation and Mediation Board and, if it remains unresolved after ten (10) calendar days of conciliation, shall be referred to the appropriate branch of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC). It shall be mandatory for the NLRC to conduct continuous hearings and decide the dispute within twenty (20) calendar days from the time said dispute is submitted for compulsory arbitration.

The pendency of a dispute arising from a wage distortion shall not in any way delay the applicability of any increase in prescribed wage rates pursuant to the provisions of law or wage order.

As used herein, a wage distortion shall mean a situation where an increase in prescribed wage rates results in the elimination or severe contraction of intentional quantitative differences in wage or salary rates between and among employee groups in an establishment as to effectively obliterate the distinctions embodied in such wage structure based on skills, length of service, or other logical bases of differentiation.

All workers paid by result, including those who are paid on piecework, takay, pakyaw or task basis, shall receive not less than the prescribed wage rates per eight (8) hours of work a day, or a proportion thereof for working less than eight (8) hours.

All recognized learnership and apprenticeship agreements shall be considered automatically modified insofar as their wage clauses are concerned to reflect the prescribed wage rates. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6727, June 9, 1989)

ARTICLE 125. Freedom to Bargain — No wage order shall be construed to prevent workers in particular firms or enterprises or industries from bargaining for higher wages with their respective employers. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6727, June 9, 1989)

ARTICLE 126. Prohibition Against Injunction — No preliminary or permanent injunction or temporary restraining order may be issued by any court, tribunal or other entity against any proceedings before the Commission or the Regional Boards. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6727, June 9, 1989)

ARTICLE 127. Non-diminution of Benefits — No wage order issued by any regional board shall provide for wage rates lower than the statutory minimum wage rates prescribed by Congress. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6727, June 9, 1989)

Chapter VI — Administration and Enforcement (128-129)

ARTICLE 128. Visitorial and Enforcement Power —

The Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representatives, including labor regulation officers, shall have access to employer's records and premises at any time of the day or night whenever work is being undertaken therein, and the right to copy therefrom, to question any employee and investigate any fact, condition or matter which may be necessary to determine violations or which may aid in the enforcement of this Code and of any labor law, wage order or rules and regulations issued pursuant thereto.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 129 and 224 [217] of this Code to the contrary, and in cases where the relationship of employer-employee still exists, the Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representatives shall have the power to issue compliance orders to give effect to the labor standards provisions of this Code and other labor legislation based on the findings of labor employment and enforcement officers or industrial safety engineers made in the course of inspection. The Secretary or his duly authorized representatives shall issue writs of execution to the appropriate authority for the enforcement of their orders, except in cases where the employer contests the findings of the labor employment and enforcement officer and raises issues supported by documentary proofs which were not considered in the course of inspection. (As amended by Republic Act No. 7730, June 2, 1994)

An order issued by the duly authorized representative of the Secretary of Labor and Employment under this Article may be appealed to the latter. In case said order involves a monetary award, an appeal by the employer may be perfected only upon the posting of a cash or surety bond issued by a reputable bonding company duly accredited by the Secretary of Labor and Employment in the amount equivalent to the monetary award in the order appealed from. (As amended by Republic Act No. 7730, June 2, 1994)
The Secretary of Labor and Employment may likewise order stoppage of work or suspension of operations of any unit or department of an establishment when non-compliance with the law or implementing rules and regulations poses grave and imminent danger to the health and safety of workers in the workplace. Within twenty-four hours, a hearing shall be conducted to determine whether an order for the stoppage of work or suspension of operations shall be lifted or not. In case the violation is attributable to the fault of the employer, he shall pay the employees concerned their salaries or wages during the period of such stoppage of work or suspension of operation.
It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to obstruct, impede, delay or otherwise render ineffective the orders of the Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representatives issued pursuant to the authority granted under this Article, and no inferior court or entity shall issue temporary or permanent injunction or restraining order or otherwise assume jurisdiction over any case involving the enforcement orders issued in accordance with this Article.
Any government employee found guilty of violation of, or abuse of authority, under this Article shall, after appropriate administrative investigation, be subject to summary dismissal from the service.
The Secretary of Labor and Employment may, by appropriate regulations, require employers to keep and maintain such employment records as may be necessary in aid of his visitorial and enforcement powers under this Code.

ARTICLE 129. Recovery of Wages, Simple Money Claims and Other Benefits — Upon complaint of any interested party, the Regional Director of the Department of Labor and Employment or any of the duly authorized hearing officers of the Department is empowered, through summary proceeding and after due notice, to hear and decide any matter involving the recovery of wages and other monetary claims and benefits, including legal interest, owing to an employee or person employed in domestic or household service or househelper under this Code, arising from employer-employee relations: Provided, That such complaint does not include a claim for reinstatement: Provided further, That the aggregate money claims of each employee or househelper does not exceed Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00). The Regional Director or hearing officer shall decide or resolve the complaint within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the filing of the same. Any sum thus recovered on behalf of any employee or househelper pursuant to this Article shall be held in a special deposit account by, and shall be paid on order of, the Secretary of Labor and Employment or the Regional Director directly to the employee or househelper concerned. Any such sum not paid to the employee or househelper because he cannot be located after diligent and reasonable effort to locate him within a period of three (3) years, shall be held as a special fund of the Department of Labor and Employment to be used exclusively for the amelioration and benefit of workers.

Any decision or resolution of the Regional Director or hearing officer pursuant to this provision may be appealed on the same grounds provided in Article 229 [223] of this Code, within five (5) calendar days from receipt of a copy of said decision or resolution, to the National Labor Relations Commission which shall resolve the appeal within ten (10) calendar days from the submission of the last pleading required or allowed under its rules.

The Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representative may supervise the payment of unpaid wages and other monetary claims and benefits, including legal interest, found owing to any employee or househelper under this Code. (As amended by Section 2, Republic Act No. 6715, March 21, 1989)

Title II — Working Conditions for Special Groups of Employees

Chapter I — Employment of Women (130-136)

ARTICLE 130 [132]. Nightwork Prohibition — No woman, regardless of age, shall be employed or permitted or suffered to work, with or without compensation:

In any industrial undertaking or branch thereof between ten o'clock at night and six o'clock in the morning of the following day; or
In any commercial or non-industrial undertaking or branch thereof, other than agricultural, between midnight and six o'clock in the morning of the following day; or
In any agricultural undertaking at nighttime unless she is given a period of rest of not less than nine (9) consecutive hours.

(As amended by Republic Act No. 10151, approved on June 21, 2011. Subsequent articles are renumbered according to express provision of Republic Act No. 10151. Old numerical designation are enclosed in brackets "[]" for easy reference.)

ARTICLE 131. Exceptions — (Superseded by Social Security Act of 1997 [Republic Act No. 8282]. See also Paternity Leave Act of 1996 [Republic Act No. 8187])

ARTICLE 132 [134]. Family Planning Services; Incentives for Family Planning —

Establishments which are required by law to maintain a clinic or infirmary shall provide free family planning services to their employees which shall include, but not be limited to, the application or use of contraceptive pills and intrauterine devices.
In coordination with other agencies of the government engaged in the promotion of family planning, the Department of Labor and Employment shall develop and prescribe incentive bonus schemes to encourage family planning among female workers in any establishment or enterprise.

ARTICLE 133 [135]. Discrimination Prohibited¹² — It shall be unlawful for any employer to discriminate against any woman employee with respect to terms and conditions of employment solely on account of her sex.

The following are acts of discrimination:

a) Payment of a lesser compensation, including wage, salary or other form of remuneration and fringe benefits, to a female employee as against a male employee, for work of equal value; and

b) Favoring a male employee over a female employee with respect to promotion, training opportunities, study and scholarship grants solely on account of their sexes.

Criminal liability for the willful commission of any unlawful act as provided in this Article or any violation of the rules and regulations issued pursuant to Section 2 hereof shall be penalized as provided in Articles 303 [288] and 304 [289] of this Code: Provided, That the institution of any criminal action under this provision shall not bar the aggrieved employee from filing an entirely separate and distinct action for money claims, which may include claims for damages and other affirmative reliefs. The actions hereby authorized shall proceed independently of each other. (As amended by Republic Act No. 6725, May 12, 1989)

ARTICLE 134 [136]. Stipulation Against Marriage — It shall be unlawful for an employer to require as a condition of employment or continuation of employment that a woman employee shall not get married, or to stipulate expressly or tacitly that upon getting married, a woman employee shall be deemed resigned or separated, or to actually dismiss, discharge, discriminate or otherwise prejudice a woman employee merely by reason of her marriage.

ARTICLE 135 [137]. Prohibited Acts —

It shall be unlawful for any employer:
1. To deny any woman employee the benefits provided for in this Chapter or to discharge any woman employed by him for the purpose of preventing her from enjoying any of the benefits provided under this Code;
2. To discharge such woman on account of her pregnancy, or while on leave or in confinement due to her pregnancy;
3. To discharge or refuse the admission of such woman upon returning to her work for fear that she may again be pregnant.

ARTICLE 136 [138]. Classification of Certain Women Workers — Any woman who is permitted or suffered to work, with or without compensation, in any night club, cocktail lounge, massage clinic, bar or similar establishments under the effective control or supervision of the employer for a substantial period of time as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment, shall be considered as an employee of such establishment for purposes of labor and social legislation.

Chapter II — Employment of Minors (137-138)

ARTICLE 137 [139]. Minimum Employable Age —

No child below fifteen (15) years of age shall be employed, except when he works directly under the sole responsibility of his parents or guardian, and his employment does not in any way interfere with his schooling.
Any person between fifteen (15) and eighteen (18) years of age may be employed for such number of hours and such periods of the day as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment in appropriate regulations.
The foregoing provisions shall in no case allow the employment of a person below eighteen (18) years of age in an undertaking which is hazardous or deleterious in nature as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

ARTICLE 138 [140]. Prohibition Against Child Discrimination — No employer shall discriminate against any person in respect to terms and conditions of employment on account of his age.

Chapter III — Employment of House Helpers (139-150)

ARTICLE 139 [141]. Coverage — This Chapter shall apply to all persons rendering services in households for compensation.

"Domestic or household service" shall mean service in the employer's home which is usually necessary or desirable for the maintenance and enjoyment thereof and includes ministering to the personal comfort and convenience of the members of the employer's household, including services of family drivers.

ARTICLE 140 [142]. Contract of Domestic Service — The original contract of domestic service shall not last for more than two (2) years but it may be renewed for such periods as may be agreed upon by the parties. (See also Republic Act No. 7610, as amended by Republic Act No. 7658 and Republic Act No. 9231.)

ARTICLE 141 [143]. Minimum Wage —

Househelpers shall be paid the following minimum wage rates:
1. Eight hundred pesos (P800.00) a month for househelpers in Manila, Quezon, Pasay, and Caloocan cities and municipalities of Makati, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Malabon, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Pasig, Marikina, Valenzuela, Taguig and Pateros in Metro Manila and in highly urbanized cities;
2. Six hundred fifty pesos (P650.00) a month for those in other chartered cities and first-class municipalities; and
3. Five hundred fifty pesos (P550.00) a month for those in other municipalities.

Provided, That the employers shall review the employment contracts of their househelpers every three (3) years with the end in view of improving the terms and conditions thereof.

Provided, further, That those househelpers who are receiving at least One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) shall be covered by the Social Security System (SSS) and be entitled to all the benefits provided thereunder. (As amended by Republic Act No. 7655, August 19, 1993)

ARTICLE 142 [144]. Minimum Cash Wage — The minimum wage rates prescribed under this Chapter shall be the basic cash wages which shall be paid to the househelpers in addition to lodging, food and medical attendance.

ARTICLE 143 [145]. Assignment to Non-Household Work — No househelper shall be assigned to work in a commercial, industrial or agricultural enterprise at a wage or salary rate lower than that provided for agricultural or non-agricultural workers as prescribed herein.

ARTICLE 144 [146]. Opportunity for Education — If the househelper is under the age of eighteen (18) years, the employer shall give him or her an opportunity for at least elementary education. The cost of education shall be part of the househelper's compensation, unless there is a stipulation to the contrary.

ARTICLE 145 [147]. Treatment of Househelpers — The employer shall treat the househelper in a just and humane manner. In no case shall physical violence be used upon the househelper.

ARTICLE 146 [148]. Board, Lodging, and Medical Attendance — The employer shall furnish the househelper, free of charge, suitable and sanitary living quarters as well as adequate food and medical attendance.

ARTICLE 147 [149]. Indemnity for Unjust Termination of Services — If the period of household service is fixed, neither the employer nor the househelper may terminate the contract before the expiration of the term, except for a just cause. If the househelper is unjustly dismissed, he or she shall be paid the compensation already earned plus that for fifteen (15) days by way of indemnity.

If the househelper leaves without justifiable reason, he or she shall forfeit any unpaid salary due him or her not exceeding fifteen (15) days.

ARTICLE 148 [150]. Service of Termination Notice — If the duration of the household service is not determined either in stipulation or by the nature of the service, the employer or the househelper may give notice to put an end to the relationship five (5) days before the intended termination of the service.

ARTICLE 149 [151]. Employment Certification — Upon the severance of the household service relation, the employer shall give the househelper a written statement of the nature and duration of the service and his or her efficiency and conduct as househelper.

ARTICLE 150 [152]. Employment Record — The employer may keep such records as he may deem necessary to reflect the actual terms and conditions of employment of his househelper, which the latter shall authenticate by signature or thumbmark upon request of the employer.

Chapter IV — Employment of Homeworkers (151-153)

As amended by Republic Act No. 10361.

ARTICLE 151 [153]. Regulation of Industrial Homeworkers — The employment of industrial homeworkers and field personnel shall be regulated by the government through the appropriate regulations issued by the Secretary of Labor and Employment to ensure the general welfare and protection of homeworkers and field personnel and the industries employing them.

ARTICLE 152 [154]. Regulations of Secretary of Labor — The regulations or orders to be issued pursuant to this Chapter shall be designed to assure the minimum terms and conditions of employment applicable to the industrial homeworkers or field personnel involved.

ARTICLE 153 [155]. Distribution of Homework — For purposes of this Chapter, the "employer" of homeworkers includes any person, natural or artificial who, for his account or benefit, or on behalf of any person residing outside the country, directly or indirectly, or through an employee, agent contractor, sub-contractor or any other person:

Delivers, or causes to be delivered, any goods, articles or materials to be processed or fabricated in or about a home and thereafter to be returned or to be disposed of or distributed in accordance with his directions; or
Sells any goods, articles or materials to be processed or fabricated in or about a home and then rebuys them after such processing or fabrication, either by himself or through some other person.

Chapter V — Employment of Night Workers (154-161)

As provided by Republic Act No. 10151 entitled "An Act Allowing the Employment of Night Workers, Thereby Repealing Articles 130 and 131 of Presidential Decree Number Four Hundred Forty-Two, As Amended, Otherwise Known as the Labor Code of the Philippines."

ARTICLE 154. Coverage — This chapter shall apply to all persons, who shall be employed or permitted or suffered to work at night, except those employed in agriculture, stock raising, fishing, maritime transport and inland navigation, during a period of not less than seven (7) consecutive hours, including the interval from midnight to five o'clock in the morning, to be determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment, after consulting the worker's representatives/labor organizations and employers.

"Night Worker" means any employed person whose work requires performance of a substantial number of hours of night work which exceeds a specified limit. This limit shall be fixed by the Secretary of Labor after consulting the worker's representatives/labor organizations and employers.

ARTICLE 155. Health Assessment — At their request, workers shall have the right to undergo a health assessment, without charge and to receive advice on how to reduce or avoid health problems associated with their work:

Before taking up an assignment as a night worker;
At regular intervals during such assignment; and
If they experience health problems during such an assignment which are not caused by factors other than the performance of night work.

With the exception of a finding of unfitness for night work, the findings of such assessments shall not be transmitted to others without the worker's consent and shall not be used to their detriment.

ARTICLE 156. Mandatory Facilities — Suitable first-aid facilities shall be made available for workers performing night work, including arrangements where such workers where necessary, can be taken immediately to a place for appropriate treatment. The employers are likewise required to provide safe and healthful working conditions and adequate or reasonable facilities such as sleeping or resting quarters in the establishment and transportation from the work premises to the nearest point of their residence subject to exceptions and guidelines to be provided by the DOLE.

ARTICLE 157. Transfer — Night workers who are certified as unfit for night work, due to health reasons, shall be transferred, whenever practicable, to a similar job for which they are fit to work.

If such transfer to a similar job is not practicable, these workers shall be granted the same benefits as other workers who are unable to work, or to secure employment during such period.

A night worker certified as temporarily unfit for night work shall be given the same protection against dismissal or notice of dismissal as other workers who are prevented from working for reasons of health.

ARTICLE 158. Women Night Workers — Measures shall be taken to ensure that an alternative to night work is available to women workers who would otherwise be called upon to perform such work:

Before and after childbirth, for a period of at least sixteen (16) weeks, which shall be divided between the time before and after childbirth;
For additional periods, in respect of which a medical certificate is produced stating that said additional periods are necessary for the health of the mother or child:
1. During pregnancy;
2. During a specified time beyond the period, after childbirth is fixed pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, the length of which shall be determined by the DOLE after consulting the labor organizations and employers.
During the periods referred to in this article:
1. A woman worker shall not be dismissed or given notice of dismissal, except for just or authorized causes provided for in this Code that are not connected with pregnancy, childbirth and childcare responsibilities.
2. A woman worker shall not lose the benefits regarding her status, seniority, and access to promotion which may attach to her regular night work position.

Pregnant women and nursing mothers may be allowed to work at night only if a competent physician, other than the company physician, shall certify their fitness to render night work, and specify, in the case of pregnant employees, the period of the pregnancy that they can safely work.

The measures referred to in this article may include transfer to day work where this is possible, the provision of social security benefits or an extension of maternity leave.

The provisions of this article shall not have the effect of reducing the protection and benefits connected with maternity leave under existing laws.

ARTICLE 159. Compensation — The compensation for night workers in the form of working time, pay or similar benefits shall recognize the exceptional nature of night work.

ARTICLE 160. Social Services — Appropriate social services shall be provided for night workers and, where necessary, for workers performing night work.

ARTICLE 161. Night Work Schedules — Before introducing work schedules requiring the services of night workers, the employer shall consult the workers' representatives/labor organizations concerned on the details of such schedules and the forms of organization of night work that are best adapted to the establishment and its personnel, as well as on the occupational health measures and social services which are required. In establishments employing night workers, consultation shall take place regularly.

Book Four — Health, Safety, and Social Welfare Benefits

Title I — Medical, Dental, and Occupational Safety

Chapter I — Medical and Dental Benefits (162-167)

ARTICLE 162 [156]. First-Aid Treatment — Every employer shall keep in his establishment such first-aid medicines and equipment as the nature and conditions of work may require, in accordance with such regulations as the Department of Labor and Employment shall prescribe.

The employer shall take steps for the training of a sufficient number of employees in first-aid treatment. (Renumbered as expressly provided in Republic Act No. 10151.)

ARTICLE 163 [157]. Emergency Medical and Dental Services — It shall be the duty of every employer to furnish his employees in any locality with free medical and dental attendance and facilities consisting of:

The services of a full-time registered nurse when the number of employees exceeds fifty (50) but not more than two hundred (200) except when the employer does not maintain hazardous workplaces, in which case, the services of a graduate first-aider shall be provided for the protection of workers, where no registered nurse is available. The Secretary of Labor and Employment shall provide by appropriate regulations, the services that shall be required where the number of employees does not exceed fifty (50) and shall determine by appropriate order, hazardous workplaces for purposes of this Article;
The services of a full-time registered nurse, a part-time physician and dentist, and an emergency clinic, when the number of employees exceeds two hundred (200) but not more than three hundred (300); and
The services of a full-time physician, dentist and a full-time registered nurse as well as a dental clinic and an infirmary or emergency hospital with one bed capacity for every one hundred (100) employees when the number of employees exceeds three hundred (300).

In cases of hazardous workplaces, no employer shall engage the services of a physician or a dentist who cannot stay in the premises of the establishment for at least two (2) hours, in the case of those engaged on part-time basis, and not less than eight (8) hours, in the case of those employed on full-time basis. Where the undertaking is non-hazardous in nature, the physician and dentist may be engaged on retainer basis, subject to such regulations as the Secretary of Labor and Employment may prescribe to insure immediate availability of medical and dental treatment and attendance in case of emergency. (As amended by Presidential Decree No. 570-A, Section 26)

ARTICLE 164 [158]. When Emergency Hospital Not Required — The requirement for an emergency hospital or dental clinic shall not be applicable in case there is a hospital or dental clinic which is accessible from the employer's establishment and he makes arrangement for the reservation therein of the necessary beds and dental facilities for the use of his employees.

ARTICLE 165 [159]. Health Program — The physician engaged by an employer shall, in addition to his duties under this Chapter, develop and implement a comprehensive occupational health program for the benefit of the employees of his employer.

ARTICLE 166 [160]. Qualifications of Health Personnel — The physicians, dentists and nurses employed by employers pursuant to this Chapter shall have the necessary training in industrial medicine and occupational safety and health. The Secretary of Labor and Employment, in consultation with industrial, medical, and occupational safety and health associations, shall establish the qualifications, criteria and conditions of employment of such health personnel.

ARTICLE 167 [161]. Assistance of Employer — It shall be the duty of any employer to provide all the necessary assistance to ensure the adequate and immediate medical and dental attendance and treatment to an injured or sick employee in case of emergency.

Chapter II — Occuptational and Health Safety (168-171)

ARTICLE 168 [162]. Safety and Health Standards — The Secretary of Labor and Employment shall, by appropriate orders, set and enforce mandatory occupational safety and health standards to eliminate or reduce occupational safety and health hazards in all workplaces and institute new, and update existing, programs to ensure safe and healthful working conditions in all places of employment.

ARTICLE 169 [163]. Research — It shall be the responsibility of the Department of Labor and Employment to conduct continuing studies and research to develop innovative methods, techniques and approaches for dealing with occupational safety and health problems; to discover latent diseases by establishing causal connections between diseases and work in environmental conditions; and to develop medical criteria which will assure insofar as practicable that no employee will suffer impairment or diminution in health, functional capacity, or life expectancy as a result of his work and working conditions.

ARTICLE 170 [164]. Training Programs — The Department of Labor and Employment shall develop and implement training programs to increase the number and competence of personnel in the field of occupational safety and industrial health.

ARTICLE 171 [165]. Administration of Safety and Health Laws —

The Department of Labor and Employment shall be solely responsible for the administration and enforcement of occupational safety and health laws, regulations and standards in all establishments and workplaces wherever they may be located; however, chartered cities may be allowed to conduct industrial safety inspections of establishments within their respective jurisdictions where they have adequate facilities and competent personnel for the purpose as determined by the Department of Labor and Employment and subject to national standards established by the latter.
The Secretary of Labor and Employment may, through appropriate regulations, collect reasonable fees for the inspection of steam boilers, pressure vessels and pipings and electrical installations, the test and approval for safe use of materials, equipment and other safety devices and the approval of plans for such materials, equipment and devices. The fee so collected shall be deposited in the national treasury to the credit of the occupational safety and health fund and shall be expended exclusively for the administration and enforcement of safety and other labor laws administered by the Department of Labor and Employment.

Title II — Employee's Compensation and State Insurance Fund

Chapter I — Policy and Definitions (172-173)

(See SSS Act of 1997 and GSIS Act of 1997.)

ARTICLE 172 [166]. Policy — The State shall promote and develop a tax-exempt employees' compensation program whereby employees and their dependents, in the event of work-connected disability or death, may promptly secure adequate income benefit and medical related benefits.

ARTICLE 173 [167]. Definition of Terms — As used in this Title, unless the context indicates otherwise:

"Code" means the Labor Code of the Philippines instituted under Presidential Decree Numbered four hundred forty-two, as amended.
"Commission" means the Employees' Compensation Commission created under this Title.
"SSS" means the Social Security System created under Republic Act Numbered Eleven hundred sixty-one, as amended.
"GSIS" means the Government Service Insurance System created under Commonwealth Act Numbered One hundred eighty-six, as amended.
"System" means the SSS or GSIS, as the case may be.
"Employer" means any person, natural or juridical, employing the services of the employee.
"Employee" means any person compulsorily covered by the GSIS under Commonwealth Act Numbered One hundred eighty-six, as amended, including the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and any person employed as casual, emergency, temporary, substitute or contractual, or any person compulsorily covered by the SSS under Republic Act Numbered Eleven hundred sixty-one, as amended.
"Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, trust, corporation or legal representative thereof.
"Dependents" means the legitimate, legitimated or legally adopted or acknowledged natural child who is unmarried, not gainfully employed, and not over twenty-one (21) years of age or over twenty-one (21) years of age provided he is incapacitated and incapable of self-support due to a physical or mental defect which is congenital or acquired during minority; the legitimate spouse living with the employee and the parents of said employee wholly dependent upon him for regular support.
"Beneficiaries" means the dependent spouse until he/she remarries and dependent children, who are the primary beneficiaries. In their absence, the dependent parents and subject to the restrictions imposed on dependent children, the illegitimate children and legitimate descendants, who are the secondary beneficiaries: Provided, That the dependent acknowledged natural child shall be considered as a primary beneficiary when there are no other dependent children who are qualified and eligible for monthly income benefit.
"Injury" means any harmful change in the human organism from any accident arising out of and in the course of the employment.
"Sickness" means any illness definitely accepted as an occupational disease listed by the Commission, or any illness caused by employment subject to proof that the risk of contracting the same is increased by working conditions. For this purpose, the Commission is empowered to determine and approve occupational diseases and work-related illnesses that may be considered compensable based on peculiar hazards of employment.
"Death" means loss of life resulting from injury or sickness.
"Disability" means loss or impairment of a physical or mental function resulting from injury or sickness.
"Compensation" means all payments made under this Title for income benefits and medical or related benefits.
"Income benefit" means all payments made under this Title to the providers of medical care, rehabilitation services and hospital care.
"Medical benefit" means all payments made under this Title to the providers of medical care, rehabilitation services and hospital care.
"Related benefit" means all payments made under this Title for appliances and supplies.
"Appliances" means crutches, artificial aids and other similar devices.
"Supplies" means medicine and other medical, dental or surgical items.
"Hospital" means any medical facility, government or private, authorized by law, an active member in good standing of the Philippine Hospital Association and accredited by the Commission.
"Physician" means any doctor of medicine duly licensed to practice in the Philippines, an active member in good standing of the Philippine Medical Association and accredited by the Commission.
"Wages" or "Salary", insofar as they refer to the computation of benefits defined in Republic Act No. 1161, as amended, for SSS and Presidential Decree No. 1146, as amended, for GSIS, respectively, except that part in excess of Three Thousand Pesos.
"Monthly salary credit" means the wage or salary base for contributions as provided in Republic Act Numbered Eleven hundred sixty-one, as amended, or the wages or salary.
"Average monthly salary credit" in the case of the SSS means the result obtained by dividing the sum of the monthly salary credits in the sixty-month period immediately following the semester of death or permanent disability by sixty (60), except where the month of death or permanent disability falls within eighteen (18) calendar months from the month of coverage, in which case, it is the result obtained by dividing the sum of all monthly salary credits paid prior to the month of contingency by the total number of calendar months of coverage in the same period.
"Average daily salary credit" in the case of the SSS means the result obtained by dividing the sum of the six (6) highest monthly salary credits in the twelve-month period immediately preceding the semester of sickness or injury by one hundred eighty (180), except where the month of injury falls within twelve (12) calendar months from the first month of coverage, in which case it is the result obtained by dividing the sum of all monthly salary credits by thirty (30) times the number of calendar months of coverage in the period.

In the case of the GSIS, the average daily salary credit shall be the actual daily salary or wage, or the monthly salary or wage divided by the actual number of working days of the month of contingency.
"Quarter" means a period of three (3) consecutive months ending on the last days of March, June, September and December.
"Semester" means a period of two consecutive quarters ending in the quarter of death, permanent disability, injury or sickness.
"Replacement ratio" — The sum of twenty percent and the quotient obtained by dividing three hundred by the sum of three hundred forty and the average monthly salary credit.
"Credited years of service" — For a member covered prior to January, 1975, nineteen hundred seventy-five minus the calendar year of coverage, plus the number of calendar years in which six or more contributions have been paid from January, 1975 up to the calendar year containing the semester prior to the contingency. For a member covered on or after January, 1975, the number of calendar years in which six or more contributions have been paid from the year of coverage up to the calendar year containing the semester prior to the contingency.
"Monthly income benefit" means the amount equivalent to one hundred fifteen percent of the sum of:
1. The average monthly salary credit multiplied by the replacement ratio; and
2. One and a half percent of the average monthly salary credit for each credited year of service in excess of ten years;
  Provided, That the monthly income benefit shall in no case be less than two hundred fifty pesos (P250.00).
Chapter II — Coverage and Liability (174-181)

ARTICLE 174 [168]. Compulsory Coverage — Coverage in the State Insurance Fund shall be compulsory upon all employers and their employees not over sixty (60) years of age: Provided, That an employee who is over (60) years of age and paying contributions to qualify for the retirement or life insurance benefit administered by the System shall be subject to compulsory coverage.

ARTICLE 175 [169]. Foreign Employment — The Commission shall ensure adequate coverage of Filipino employees employed abroad, subject to regulations as it may prescribe.

ARTICLE 176 [170]. Effective Date of Coverage — Compulsory coverage of the employer during the effectivity of this Title shall take effect on the first day of his operation, and that of the employee, on the date of his employment.

ARTICLE 177 [171]. Registration — Each employer and his employees shall register with the System in accordance with its regulations.

ARTICLE 178 [172]. Limitation of Liability — The State Insurance Fund shall be liable for compensation to the employee or his dependents, except when the disability or death was occasioned by the employee's intoxication, willful intention to injure or kill himself or another, notorious negligence, or otherwise provided under this Title.

ARTICLE 179 [173]. Extent of Liability — Unless otherwise provided, the liability of the State Insurance Fund under this Title shall be exclusive and in place of all other liabilities of the employer to the employee, his dependents or anyone otherwise entitled to receive damages on behalf of the employee or his dependents. The payment of compensation under this Title shall not bar the recovery of benefits as provided for in Section 699 of the Revised Administrative Code, Republic Act Numbered Eleven Hundred Sixty-One, as amended, Republic Act Numbered Forty-Eight Hundred Sixty-Four as amended, and other laws whose benefits are administered by the System or by other agencies of the government. (As amended by Presidential Decree No. 1921)

ARTICLE 180 [174]. Liability of Third Party/ies —
1. When the disability or death is caused by circumstances creating a legal liability against a third party, the disabled employee or the dependents, in case of his death, shall be paid by the System under this Title. In case benefit is paid under this Title, the System shall be subrogated to the rights of the disabled employee or the dependents, in case of his death, in accordance with the general law.
2. Where the System recovers from such third party damages in excess of those paid or allowed under this Title, such excess shall be delivered to the disabled employee or other persons entitled thereto, after deducting the cost of proceedings and expenses of the System.
ARTICLE 181 [175]. Deprivation of the Benefits — Except as otherwise provided under this Title, no contract, regulation or device whatsoever shall operate to deprive the employee or his dependents of any part of the income benefits and medical or related services granted under this Title. Existing medical services being provided by the employer shall be maintained and continued to be enjoyed by their employees.

Chapter II — Coverage and Liability (182-)

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Preliminary Title

Chapter I — General Provisions (1-6)

Chapter II — Emancipation of Tenants (7-11)

Book One — Pre-Employment (12)

Title I — Recruitment and Placement of Workers

Chapter I — General Provisions (13-24)

Chapter II — Regulation of Recruitment and Placement Activities (25-35)

Chapter III — Miscellaneous Provisions (36-39)

Title II — Employment of Non-Resident Aliens (40-42)

Book Two — Human Resources Development Program

Title I — National Manpower Development Program

Chapter I — National Policies and Administrative Machinery for their Completion (43-56)

Title II — Training and Employment of Special Workers

Chapter I — Apprentices (57-72)

Chapter II — Learners (73-77)

Chapter III — Handicapped Workers (78-81)

Book Three — Conditions of Employment

Title I — Working Conditions and Rest Periods

Chapter I — Hours of Work (82-90)

Chapter II — Weekly Rest Periods (91-93)

Chapter II — Holidays, Service Incentive Leave, and Service Charges (94-96)

Title II — Wages

Chapter I — Preliminary Matters (97-98)

Chapter II — Minimum Wage Rates (99-101)

Chapter III — Payment of Wages (102-111)

Chapter IV — Prohibition Regarding Wages (112-119)

Chapter V — Wage Studies, Wage Agreements, and Wage Determination (120-127)

Chapter VI — Administration and Enforcement (128-129)

Title II — Working Conditions for Special Groups of Employees

Chapter I — Employment of Women (130-136)

Chapter II — Employment of Minors (137-138)

Chapter III — Employment of House Helpers (139-150)

Chapter IV — Employment of Homeworkers (151-153)

Chapter V — Employment of Night Workers (154-161)

Book Four — Health, Safety, and Social Welfare Benefits

Title I — Medical, Dental, and Occupational Safety

Chapter I — Medical and Dental Benefits (162-167)

Chapter II — Occuptational and Health Safety (168-171)

Title II — Employee's Compensation and State Insurance Fund

Chapter I — Policy and Definitions (172-173)

Chapter II — Coverage and Liability (174-181)

Chapter II — Coverage and Liability (182-)

Table of Contents

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