DOLE hotline fields over 34,000 worker concerns in first quarter
By Trixee Rosel
At A Glance
- DOLE's Hotline 1349 received over 34,000 worker concerns in the first quarter.
- Labor standards topped the issues, led by unpaid final pay.
- Employment queries centered on local job opportunities.
- Social welfare concerns included non-remittance of benefits.
- Workers were urged to report issues to SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG.
- The hotline operates Mondays to Fridays, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
More than 34,000 concerns from Filipino workers on workplace conditions and employment-related welfare were addressed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through its Hotline 1349 in the first quarter of this year.
In a report from the DOLE Information and Publication Service, the agency recorded 34,037 calls and responded to 35,041 inquiries through voice and non-voice channels.
Labor standards concerns comprised the bulk of the calls at 68.69 percent, primarily involving unpaid final pay at 23.67 percent, holiday pay computation at 11.78 percent, resignation procedures at 9.7 percent, and both labor inspection requests and separation pay at 4.7 percent each.
Employment facilitation queries accounted for 19.42 percent, mostly related to local employment at 82.5 percent, followed by probationary employment policies at 6.3 percent, Alien Employment Permits at 4.7 percent, the Government Internship Program at 1.2 percent, and employer concerns such as immediate resignation and workplace liabilities at 1.5 percent.
Social welfare and protection inquiries reached 4.8 percent, covering non-remittance of mandatory benefits at 44 percent, expanded maternity leave at 24 percent, work-related accidents or deaths with 240 calls, due process in administrative suspension at 10 percent, and tax-related concerns at 6 percent.
Other inquiries involved reportorial requirements and miscellaneous matters at 6.7 percent, while labor relations issues accounted for the smallest share at 0.38 percent.
Workers who reported non-remittance of government-mandated contributions were advised to lodge formal complaints with the Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, and the Pag-IBIG Fund.
DOLE reiterated its commitment to protecting labor rights and providing prompt assistance to workers and employers through Hotline 1349, which operates Mondays to Fridays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.