May 1 a regular holiday — DOLE

Today, the 104th Labor Day, is a regular holiday, the Department of Labor and Employment said yesterday,

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said pursuant to Memorandum Circular No. 01 which she issued to private sector employers, the following rules shall be observed today:

• If the day is an employee’s regular workday and the day is unworked, the employee should be paid 100 percent of his or her regular salary for that day.

• If the day is worked, the employee shall be paid 200 percent on the first eight hours, and an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate in excess of eight hours of work.

• If the day falls on an employee’s rest day and is unworked, he or she is paid on that day.

• If the day is worked, the employee shall be paid 200 percent of his or her daily rate plus 30 percent.

• For work in excess of eight hours, he or she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on that day.

Meanwhile, Sto. Tomas said militant groups should police their own ranks to prevent any untoward incident and to ensure a peaceful celebration of Labor Day.

"We respect any move to assemble as long as it is conducted in a peaceful manner," she said. "It is anybody’s right but it always comes with responsibility and that is to make it a peaceful one."

It is also the responsibility of these groups to ensure that nobody from among their ranks would take advantage of the situation and create chaos, she added. — James Mananghaya