Senate Panel Okays Night Differential for gov't workers

The Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization, and Professional Regulation, led by its Chairman Sen. Bong Revilla, and the Senate Committee on Finance has jointly approved Comm. Report No. 13 which seeks to institutionalize the night shift differential pay for government employees.

SBN 643, filed and sponsored by Sen. Bong Revilla, seeks the granting of night shift differential in recognition of the effort of the employees who work beyond regular working hours and extend their schedule to serve the people.

The veteran lawmaker cited that it is important in ensuring the safety, security and productivity of employees, since working at night time takes a toll on any person's health, property, and life.

Under the measure, an employee is entitled to receive a maximum of 20 % of his basic rate per hour from 6 pm to 6 am. Aside from government workers, employees of Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) are also entitled.

However, public health workers covered by R.A. 7305, government employees whose schedule falls between 6 am and 6 pm or are on -call 24 hours a day (uniformed personnel of the Armed Force of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Fire Protection) are exempted from the night shift differential.