ILOILO – The provincial government has adopted alternative work arrangements for its officials and employees to ensure the continuity of public service while observing general community quarantine.
The two work schemes were work-from-home and four-day (compressed) workweek. Through these, the provincial government aims to maintain 75 percent of its skeletal workforce and ensure physical distancing at the capitol.
The core work hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. but the sliding flexible work schedule of not earlier than 7 a.m. and not later than 9 a.m. is allowed.
Chiefs of offices were given the leeway to decide which of the two alternative work arrangements suit best their personnel, taking into consideration their specific tasks.
In Memorandum Order No. 44 issued by Atty. Suzette Mamon, acting provincial administrator, the following tasks were suitable for the work-from-home scheme:
* research
* policy formulation / review / amendment
* project work, including but not limited to, drafting of proposals / project studies / training modules
* data encoding / processing
* adjudication of cases or review of cases, including legal work
* budget planning and forecasting
* recording, examination and interpretation of financial records and reports
* evaluation and formulation of accounting, auditing and management control system
* computer programming
* database maintenance
* design work / drafting of drawing plans
* preparation of information materials
* sending / receiving e-mails
* Human Resource tasks, such as recording and computation of leave credits, updating of personnel database, etc.
On the other hand, the four-day (compressed) workweek shall be observed as a combination of any of four-day workdays to ensure that there are employees reporting the whole workweek.
In case a regular holiday falls within the scheduled workweek of the employee, the required 40-hour workweek shall be considered as complied.
According to Mamon, provincial government-run hospitals should also observe alternative work arrangements but they should make sure they remain on full operation in essential and critical services.
To facilitate the work-from-home arrangement, the chief of hospital shall ensure that employees are given tasks to be performed to the full extent possible in terms of man-days per workweek.
Employees under this work scheme shall make themselves available during the work hours that they are at home, stressed Mamon.
Also, employees must have access to any communication equipment or facilities, such as computer/laptop, internet, or e-mail, telephone or mobile phone.
Mamon stressed the importance of ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of data that employees handle.
The daily work home order and accomplishment report must be accomplished, too.
In formulating work schedules and priorities in alternative work arrangements, the chiefs of offices must take into consideration the following:
* employees 60 years old and above
* employees with the following conditions – immuno deficiency, comorbidities, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, other health risks
* pregnant and lactating mothers/PN
