Commuters try to catch aride at a bus stop along EDSA in Quezon City on August 4, 2021. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA— A senator has filed a bill seeking a 28-day paid quarantine leave for public and private employees exposed to highly contagious diseases or dangerous chemicals while at work.
Sen. Lito Lapid filed Senate Bill No. 2404 as the pandemic persisted, as many workers continued to go on quarantine because of exposure to or affliction with COVID-19.
Under the Bill. workers will be entitled to paid leave equivalent to their daily wage rate during their entire quarantine period provided it does not exceed 28 days in a year.
The Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will reimburse the employer for the employee’s paid quarantine leaves.
The employer will shoulder payment of quarantine leaves in cases where the exposure of an employee to highly contagious diseases or dangerous chemicals was a result of its negligence.
The paid quarantine leave is separate from the employee's sick leave, hazard pay and other benefits, Lapid said.
“Napakahirap at delikado ng panahon natin ngayon pero marami pa rin sa atin ang sumasabak sa panganib para lamang makapagtrabaho," he said in a statement.
(Times are hard but many still dive into danger just to earn a living.)
"Pero ang masaklap para sa ating mga masisipag at matatapang na manggagawa, oras na tamaan sila ng sakit gaya na lamang ng COVID-19, ‘di lamang sila gagastos sa pagpapa-ospital at pagbili ng gamot, ang ilan pa sa kanila ay walang sweldong matatanggap o nauubos ang leave dahil [kailangan nilang] mag-quarantine."
(What's worse is when our hardworking and courageous workers contract COVID-19, they have to pay their hospital bill and medicine while some of them do not earn anything and use up their leaves in quarantine.)
Employers who refuse to grant paid quarantine leave benefit will be fined between P30,000 and P200,000.
RELATED VIDEO: