The National Conciliation and Mediation Board adopted the revised guidelines issued by the Civil Service Commission for Alternative Work Arrangements and Support Mechanisms for Workers in the Government during the period of state of national emergency due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.The guidelines provide for the parameters in the implementation of alternative work arrangement schemes. Work-from-Home arrangement is adopted in areas placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

It shall also be implemented during the period of general community quarantine (GCQ) where the operation of public transportation is at a reduced capacity and social distancing is required in the workplace. Employees who are below 21 years old and those who are 60 years old and above and personnel who have immunodeficiency, comorbidities, and other health risks, and pregnant women shall be under work-from-home arrangement, except when their services are indispensable or when office work is permitted. Services that are indispensable to the NCMB are conciliation-mediation services for Conciliator-Mediators; driving services for drivers; messengerial and other related tasks for liaison officers; cashiering works, and supervision and coordinative works for Division Chiefs, Directors and OICs.
Four-day compressed workweek shall be adopted in areas placed under GCQ that are identified as moderate and low-risk. Under the Four-day compressed workweek, employees are required to render not less than 10 hours of work a day.

A skeleton workforce shall be adopted in areas under GCQ where public transportation operates at a reduced capacity and social distancing is required in the workplace. Employees assigned as skeleton workforce shall be issued necessary travel orders, in addition to the office-issued IDs for proper identification. In case a personnel is required to report to work on a regular holiday, he shall be entitled to additional compensation like overtime or compensatory time off (CTO) among other things.

Also Included in the guidelines is the provision of adequate support mechanisms to employees such as stress debriefing, provision of appropriate personal protective equipment to frontline service providers and employees, and reduction of working hours.

END/gillian