HR Discourse: Updates as of December 2020

(Photo Credits: CIPD)

It has been quite sometime since I have made an update on what is happening from my end since my last HR Discourse. I want to let everyone know that I am doing ok and is now reporting at the office since my function is in support services and documentation requires it.

Here are some of the some of the updates from my end:

DISCUSSING THE GIG ECONOMY FROM MY STANDPOINT:

Last October 2020, I have been invited by Rhonadale Florentino, a good friend and HR Colleague in her Society for the Advancement of Human Resources on my take on the Gig Economy and the role of the HR Practitioner into this no-so-new phenomenon.

I've prepared the course material and presented this on a Saturday. Also, instead of doing the presentation at the "comfort" of my house (read: my neighborhood's so noisy), I've decided to go to the office (with the permission of my boss) and did the broadcast.

I will be discussing the role of HR and the Gig Economy in a separate post that I will be writing.

COVID 19 SCARE

Yes, you saw that right - our employees contracted COVID 19 ; some were detected as 'false positive-negative' during the rapid test done by our client in-house since they were already reporting in the office. After the results of the test, my HR counterpart informs me and immediately schedule them to do the swab test. Thankfully, they were cleared of the said virus.

Last October, our employee for deployment to our mother company overseas was required to take the swab test. He needs to take the test within 72 hours - counting from the time the sample was taken up to arrival. He went to the office to have the appointment letter printed and I interacted with him (and I got caught off guard without my mask because I was taking my lunch when he arrived).

He was tested positive (asymptomatic) the following day; since I've talked to him (less than 30 minutes) - I had to go on self isolation for the next 14 days. After two weeks and a clearance from my doctor via Telemedicine, I went back to work onsite.

The employee in question cleared 2 more swab tests and is now on overseas assignment starting this month. Frankly speaking, COVID 19 can be acquired anywhere and you can either be asymptomatic or symptomatic. Also, even if you do not go out or go out with the precautions in place, you still may get it in one form or other.

OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT/DISEMBARKATION PROCEDURES (FROM MY END):

While were on the subject of getting employees assigned elsewhere, deployment of the staff to our mother company overseas got too stringent as a result of the current pandemic we now faced. Hong Kong require all incoming passengers - whether on official assignment or residents - a swab test with ISO certification or at least accredited by the DOH.

The certification (Swab Testing) must be done within 72 hour from testing, issuance of certifications and up to arrival. From our end, we bought tickets, secured hotels here in the Philippines and Hong Kong. It has to be strictly synchronized to avoid any lapses (with the exception of being tested positive which will definitely halt all preparations).

If positive, the employee has to undergo isolation, telemed with our accredited provider and at least two (yes, you read that right) swab tests. The first swab test is the clearance from our telemedicine doctor and second, for the deployment. All cost are covered by the company. So far St. Luke's provides the fastest release of the results.

Our employees, who were assigned overseas will be required to undergo the strict quarantine of 14 days after getting the on-the-spot swab tests (sponsored by the government). They will be sent to hotels accredited to tide this period. The results of the swab test will be release two to three days after and once the all clear is given, will be allowed to go home (also subject with their own version of quarantining, hopefully not...)

LABOR ISSUES

Currently I have two labor issues covering sensitive matters. Unfortunately, I cannot discuss them in full to avoid being cited for cyber libel or get Management's ire should they stumble into this blog. But I am aware that I am coming of as a "contravida" in this issue but I believe this is part of the usual occupational hazard that all HR Practitioners go thru.

All I can say for the record is that: I understand why people go to Labor and I cannot stop you from doing so. Also, before making final decision (or should I say for the record, hard and painful ones), HR is being called into the table to ensure that every single call has a legitimate basis. I provide sound advice and diligence checks before making the recommendation to the Management in terms of how to go about the so-called ethical decisions.

At the end of the day, it is their decision to go ahead with my recommendation, approve some part or ignore it all together.

It is not easy to make that call; personally, it pains me a lot because at the end of the day, people's lives matter. Any decisions being made has a permanent impact that affect their livelihood. They get hurt and blame HR for making that so-called decision. They think that I haphazardly done (the recommendation) and accuse me of being ignorant of the Law or am no lawyer - but - I read the Labor Code, Implementing Guidelines per book and jurisprudences supporting it. I may not know everything but try to update myself on a regular basis.

Frankly speaking, someone harassed me months ago and tried recording our conversation to make me look bad (thank my lucky stars that it was not worse than that). Like I said, you have every single right to go to Labor and seek their assistance but to resort to this method is downright rude and unbecoming of a professional.

NO CHRISTMAS PARTY THIS YEAR:

Christmas came in very late no thanks to the pandemic; come to think of it, Metro Manila started to decorate for the holidays to "save Christmas". Months ago, we decided to forego the traditional party.. The Management initiated a Zoom town hall meeting, where some employees participated in a Christmas screen background competition. Most of the winners came from the Philippine group.

Initially, I suggested to my bosses to add at least a small amount of money to everyone's pay to their personal account but decided to support the proposal to add up the budget allocated for a bigger Christmas Party in 2021.

The most important thing is that employees will understand this given this situation we are all in. Safety first among other things.

INCREASES IN THE CONTRIBUTIONS (?!)

The Social Security System and the PhilHealth, two major government agencies, will go ahead with the increases (I am gonna hear groans of discontent here...) in 2021. Pag-Ibig Fund has planned to add Php 50.00 to the current decades old Php 100 (Employee/Employer share) but decided on the 14th of September 2020 to defer the planned increase to January 2022 due to the COVID 19 Pandemic.

On the solo/project/freelancer front, the Employer Compensation Commission has announced that they also cover them and add Php 30 from the monthly contribution effective immediately. All increases were planned ahead of the COVID 19 pandemic. Expect the increase in your contribution reflected in your 2021 payroll moving forward.

More information (or the shorter people friendly explanation) will be blogged here.

WEBINARS & MORE WEBINARS!

Learning and Development evolved this year, with the migration of the traditional seminars and trainings from the boardroom to the digital space. Not only that, the rates for each webinars were significantly reduced or affordable.

Aside from paid webinars, a lot of free webinar updates were placed online. I feel that one of the "best things" as a result of the pandemic is the access to free HR information and updates.

I was able to attend some webinars this year; although I have to admit that my dream webinar or course would be AIM's Chief Human Resources Officer Development Online Program. It is too pricey (read: budget concerns) but the experience would be priceless plus you get automatic Alumnus status once you finish the course.

So this is how my 2020 will end. I am praying that there will be remarkable changes moving on to 2021. I wish everyone a good year ahead and this pandemic be over. Peace!