DOLE visits micro establishments to ensure labor law compliance

CEBU CITY – To help micro establishments (ME) in Cebu from getting into trouble with their workers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Visayas visited workplaces to ensure labor law compliance.

Lilia Estillore, regional director of DOLE-7, said they have been closely working with employees and employers to educate them about general labor standards, occupational safety and health, labor relations and productivity to prevent labor disputes which may hamper their operations.

Estillore said DOLE has recently helped about 200 MEs from Argao and Santander through their Technical and Advisory Visit, a program designed to assist employers in complying with the labor laws. She said all of their field offices will continue to push for more MEs to become labor compliant.

"DOLE-7's labor inspectors and their assistants are assisting them so that they can comply with the law and prevent labor disputes," Estillore told the Philippine News Agency.

In this program, labor inspectors visit MEs to advise them on certain aspects of compliance. Should they see gaps, MEs are given three months to comply with the law. "This is a way to help micro establishments to thrive and continue giving local employment," Estillore said.

She said that through the Technical and Advisory Visits, they were able to promote compliance of small-scale business organizations to the existing labor standards. (John Rey Saavedra)