Ang Probinsiyano party-list wants to extend the probationary employment period of Filipino workers from six months to 24 for months before getting regular from their job.
According to the House Bill 4802 filed by Ang Probinsiyano Rep. Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr., the extension of probationary employment is needed so the employers can better assess the competence of their workers.
He insisted that six months is not enough for the workers to prove themselves to be eligible to become regular employees.
“This is needed in order for the employee to familiarize themselves with the nature and the standards of the company they wish to become a permanent part of. Employers, on the other hand, would make use of this trial period to observe the probationary employee’s work ethics, fitness, and efficiency in order to determine if such probationary employees are qualified for regular employment,” Singson Jr. said in his explanatory note.
Singson explained that in the current set up of the law, the employers are afraid to accept their employees permanently because of the risk of “being stuck with a substandard employee,”
“Employers are left with no recourse but to end the probationary employment even when they are still in the process of evaluating the probationary employee to avoid automatic regularization of an unqualified employee in their workforce,” he said.
Article 281 of Presidential Decree 442 or Labor Code of the Philippines stated that employees can become regular workers within six months of the probationary period.
“Probationary employment shall not exceed six (6) months from the date the employee started working unless it is covered by an apprenticeship agreement stipulating a longer period… An employee who is allowed to work after a probationary period shall be considered a regular employee,” the law reads.
Meanwhile, netizen Henrie Enaje criticized Singson for pushing for the extension of the probationary employment period of Filipino workers.
“Hindi na nga masolusyunan ang kontraktwalisasyon at Endo, gusto pang gawing 24-months ang probi period!” he said.