The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reminded employers on Friday, Dec. 24, to observe the proper payment of wages to their workers for the holidays this month.

"It's the duty of employers to provide the rightful wages and benefits entitled to their workers so that they can truly enjoy the spirit of Christmas with their families amid the pandemic," Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

DOLE issued over the week Labor Advisory 23 Series of 2021 to properly guide employers in paying wages to their workers this month.

The latest advisory is pursuant to Proclamation No. 1107 signed by President Duterte, declaring December 24 and December 31 as special working days, and December 25 and December 30 as regular holidays.

For the declared special working days, the advisory said that should a worker report for duty, the employee is entitled to receive his daily wage. No premium shall be paid since those days are considered ordinary working days.

For work done during the regular holiday, the employee shall be paid double or an equivalent to 200 percent of the wage for the first eight hours , the advisory said.

On the other hand, if the employee did not work, the workers shall be paid 100 percent of the wage for that day .

"For overtime work, the worker shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on said day ," it said.

If an employee works on a regular holiday that also falls on a rest day, the worker shall be paid an additional 30% of the basic wage of 200% + .

For overtime work on a regular holiday that also falls on a rest day, the worker shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on the said day , the advisory added.