The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced that it has adopted the federal minimum wage standard in the US, which applies to all Filipino workers in certain territories.
The POEA said in an advisory that the federal minimum wage standard, which is at $7.25 per hour or $1,256.70 per month, will apply to all Filipino workers whether they are agency-hired, direct-hired, or returning workers in US bases/installations in Gauntanamo Bay, Cuba and Diego Garcia.
“All recruitment agencies deploying in the said territories, and seeking for initial accreditation, or for renewal of accreditation, must adhere to the said minimum wage standard,” the POEA said.
POEA said that it “may adopt” a minimum wage of at least $1,000 per month for job order requests that are pending with Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) prior to the issuance of advisory.
The said minimum standard, POEA explained, was adopted notwithstanding the exemptions provided in the Sections 206, 207, 211, and 212 of the US Fair Labor Standards Act.
“The move was also made without prejudice to the provisions of the Filipino National Employment Manual provided by the US laws and US Department of Defense regulations for Filipino nationals directly hired in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,” POEA added.
Meanwhile, POEA reminded returning workers or Balik Manggagawa (BM) that they may continue availing the BM Online Evaluation for efficient transaction on securing their travel exit clearance or Overseas Employment Certificates (OEC), amid the community quarantine protocols.
In Memorandum Circular No. 27, Series of 2020, POEA said that returning workers with previous online records and who have not completed their online transactions can avail of the online evaluation.
“When no OEC exemption certificate is issued by the system, the BM is prompted to
make an appointment and must select the nearest authorized POEA processing site,” POEA said.
For BMs who are returning to the same employer but to different countries, POEA said that a letter from the employer attesting the transfer of the jobsite must be submitted.
Meanwhile, POEA clarified that the online evaluation is “not yet available” to previously undocumented BMs, workers with no BM Online accounts, workers with watchlisted employers, workers returning to restricted markets, watchlisted workers, as well as to household service workers.