The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday ordered private companies to release the deferred holiday pay of their workers before the end of the year.

“This advisory shall apply to all employers in the private sector which deferred of holiday pay on account of the existence of a national emergency arising from the Covid 19 situation,” the agency said in Labor Advisory No. 31 signed by Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

The order covers the holiday pay for previous regular holidays such as April 9 (Araw ng Kagitingan and Holy Thursday); April 10 (Good Friday); May 1 (Labor Day); May 25 (Eid’l Fitr); June 12 (Independence Day); July 31 (Eid’l Adha); and August 31 (National Heroes’ Day).

It also covers holiday pay for the past special non-working days such as April 11 (Black Saturday); August 21 (Ninoy Aquino Day); November 1 (All Saints’ Day) and November 2 (All Souls’ Day).

Likewise, it also orders employers to release the holiday pay of those who would work on November 30 (Bonifacio Day), a regular holiday.

“Employers who were allowed to defer payment of the holiday pay of their employees as referred herein, are required to pay all covered employees of the deferred holiday pay equivalent to 100 percent of their daily wage,” the DOLE said.

It said covered employers shall pay the qualified employees the deferred holiday pay on or before December 31.

The DOLE earlier allowed the deferment of holiday pay to help companies recover from the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis. (PNA)