NEW HR LEARNINGS _ May 23, 2021 EXIT INTERVIEWS - IS IT NECESSARY?

We, in HR , are very fond of interviewing people. We conduct the interview before we hire someone and we interview when someone resigned. Exit interview specifically is one practice that we do, to know the exact reason why said person is leaving. It is because we believed that in knowing his reason, we would be able to get an idea on what to improve within the organization in order to promote employee engagement.

But are we sure we are getting the true answer from the resignee? Are we getting the right information?

In my own experience, most resigned employees are no longer interested in telling us what we need to change or what are their real reasons from deciding to leave. Why? Well, obviously, because they have decided to separate already. What good will it do for them if they will tell you, " Oh, I am resigning because this company  has a very low salary, management are poor in motivating people, there is really favoritism, I am no longer growing, and so on so forth." Would it help him/her if he/she tells you the truth? And that is exactly the challenge on our part as HR. How can we make them speak-up when they will no longer be a part of the company. It is too late to know how we could make them stay if we will ask these questions only when they are already leaving. The truth is, resigned employee will avoid as much as possible telling words that would hurt or burn bridges. All you would hear from them are nice words because they just want to fast track their clearances and final pay.

Why not do this so-called Exit interview during their employment and just re-termed it into Engagement interview? or as the famous HR group suggested, why not make it a "kumustahan session" during their employment? If we will make this kumustahan session as the practice instead of the Exit interview, I believed there will be more employees who will stay and together with the company, they, too will gain from the positive improvements that were initiated through the so-called Engagement interview or kumustahan session.

SSS SICKNESS BENEFIT

 

SSS Sickness Benefit is a daily cash allowance paid to a member for the number of days he/she is unable to work due to sickness or injury.

How to qualify?

• Confinement either at home or in the hospital for at least four (4) days
• Paid at least three (3) monthly contributions within the 12-month period preceding the semester of sickness
• Has notified his employer; or if unemployed, has notified SSS
• Has used up all current company sick leave with pay

FIRST STEP:  Sickness Notification

Note: SSS has other advise/notification period during lockdown; ECQ or in case there is still a Covid -19 pandemic which causes the branch to close or stop their operation at their office.

In general, the following rules is being followed:

For Employed Members:

• Employee shall advise employer within 5 calendar days after the start of confinement
• Employer shall notify SSS within 5 calendar days form the receipt of employee notification
• If the employee notifies the employer beyond the prescribed five-day period, the confinement shall be deemed to have started not earlier than the fifth day immediately preceding the date of notification.
• If the employer notifies the SSS beyond five (5) calendar days after receipt of the notification from the employee, the employer shall be reimbursed only for each day of confinement starting from the 10th calendar day immediately preceding the date of notification to the SSS.
• If the employee has given the required notification to the employer, but the employer fails to notify the SSS of the confinement within the prescribed period resulting in the reduction of the benefit or denial of the claim, the employer shall have no right to recover the daily sickness allowance advanced to the employee.
• the employer must notify the SSS within ten (10) calendar days from the start of the employee’s sickness or injury while he was working or while he was within the company premises.

 If filed through Company Representative, the following documents should be forwarded to SSS:

·       System-generated Transmittal List (TL) or System-generated Acknowledgment Letter, if filed through Electronic Notification (three copies); or Employer TL (three copies)

·       Member’s Sickness Notification Application

·       Member’s identification card/s or document/s (photocopy)

·       All attached medical documents and reports, if any;

​

·       ​​A Medical Specialist shall determine other required medical documents based on a separate checklist.

Amount of Benefit

The daily cash allowance is equivalent to 90% of the average daily salary credit

 Computation of Benefit

• Exclude the semester of sickness/contingency
• Select the 3-6 highest Monthly Salary Credits within the last 12 months preceding the semester of contingency to arrive at the Total Monthly Salary Credit (TMSC)
• Divide the TMSC by 180 to get the Average Daily Salary Credit (ADSC)
• Multiply the ADSC by 90%, then further multiply it by the approved number of days (maximum period of entitlement is 120 days in one calendar year)

  Online Sickness Notification via SSS website

• Employer must have a registered My.SSS account ;
• Employer is enrolled in the Sickness and maternity Benefit Payment Thru-the-Bank Program and has a registered bank account;
• Has an approved SSS notification that is included in the SBRA claim; and
• Employer has a certification to advance the sickness benefit of the employee according to their sickness notification

 How to file SBRA for your employees via SSS website

1. Log in to My.SSS account (sss.gov.ph) and click Employer
2. Encode your User ID and Password then tick box for the captcha
3. Under E-Services, click Submit SS Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Application (SBRA)
4. Encode the SS number of the employee. Then select Claim Reference Number button from the list of approved sickness notifications (ex: confinement period, number of days approved) Then click Proceed
5. Enter other needed information then click the certification box. Then click Submit.
6. Confirmation page will be displayed. Make sure to get a copy of your Transaction Reference Number (TRN)
7. Confirmation of successful SBRA will also be sent via the registered email of the employer.

 Manner of Payment & Reimbursement for Employed Members

1. Once employer successfully sent the sickness notification, employer shall advance the benefit every regular payday of the employee
2. The amount advanced will be reimbursed 100% by the SSS thru employer’s depository bank.

 

Reference: SSS website

 

 

SSS OR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM - GOVERNMENT MANDATORY BENEFIT

 

SSS or Social Security System is one that I did not appreciate when I was just starting as an employee. I bet all newbies and fresh graduates who happened to get their first job could relate to me especially if this was not explained well to them during their orientation. I disliked it because it is one of the deductions that I see in my payslip but never did I understand that it is also my gain, only that it is being deposited in my fund… for my future when I can no longer work as an employee.

 

So for the young employees out there, you’re so lucky because our SSS contributions nowadays have gone higher especially the employer’s part of contribution. So what does that mean? It means the higher contribution you have ( both your own and your employer’s share ), the higher retirement benefit / and other related benefit you could get in the future. That is because most of the computations of the benefits are based on the amount that we have invested while we were employed.

 

On top of that retirement benefit, below are the other benefits which we can enjoy being a member of the Social Security System.

 

1.    Sickn​ess.

2.    Maternity

3.    Disability

4.    Death

5.    Funeral

6.    Unemployment

7.    Salary Loan

8.    Calamity Loan

9.    Educational Assistance Loan

10. Housing Loan

11. Retirement

 

We will tackle each of these SSS benefits in my next writing. ‘till then. Happy Easter and I am happy to get back and relive this blog…

GAP IN APPLICANT’S EMPLOYMENT – SHOULD YOU FOCUS ON IT NEGATIVELY?

My answer is a big “NO”. Why? Because something good might have happened during the gap period. He/She may have experience a milestone in her life where she has to stop working for a while and give time to a certain happening. Probably, she got married and needed to take care of her husband’s needs. A time to deserve her married life. Or it might be that she needed to take care of her old mother. A time to pay back and express her love and care of her old parents. A time of joy and a time of sorrow – yet both entails LOVE. If you will dig on it deeper, both experiences will make him/her a mature and better individual. Both will make her strong and nurturing. Both will make him/her a good leader – happy and humane.

Some applicants do have a long gap period of employment. But have you asked her what did she do during this break? Having the gap period in employment does not always mean incompetence. In fact, some people use it in upgrading their knowledge. With the advent of new technologies, being out of work is not anymore a reason to stop learning and remain extinct. Online magazines and newspapers have left printed ones out of fashion.

Being at work the whole period does not always mean that an individual is learning or in trend with the current practices in ones field of work. There is even a higher chance for the unemployed person to continue learning and upgrading his/her craft.

With the rise of blogs and google, unemployed person has a better chance of getting updated information as long as he/she uses internet at home. A better alternative in order to add value in ones career.

So should you say “NO” to an applicant with a big gap in employment? 

LABOR POLICIES IN THE PHILIPPINES TO BE ADHERED BY THE EMPLOYERS

These are the summary of policies and employment terms and conditions consistent with the mandated labor policies set forth in the Labor Code of the Philippines.

*Under the Labor Code, your employees are entitled to compensation or wages, overtime pay, holiday and premium pay, service charges and tips in service businesses, SSS, EC , Pag-Ibig and NHI remittances, service incentive leaves, and retirement pay.

*You must pay your employees no lower than the minimum wage rates prescribed by law. The minimum wage rates are based on the normal working hours of eight (8) hours a day.

For access , see the Department of Labor and Employment website, www.dole.gov.ph.

*

ON CONTRACTUAL/CONTRACTING EMPLOYEES

Department of Labor and Employment, Department Order 18-A, with the Implementing Rules on Article 106 to 109 of the Labor Code is all about Job Contracting.

There are different types and terms of Job Contracting. One which is familiar to me is the Contractual Type of employment wherein a worker works only for a specified period time. They are not considered regular.

However, they are covered too by the rules on Labor Standards.

a.      They are entitled to government-mandated benefits - SSS, PAG-IBIG, Philhealth, 5 days Service Incentive Leave after 1 year of service.

b.       It is legally advisable not to renew their contracts. A six months service in a company, whether continuous or broken, entitles them to claim for regularization.

Another type in which I am also familiar with is hiring of personnel through an agency or contractors. The following are considered in checking if said contractor is prohibited or not.

It is a legitimate contractor when:

a)      The contractor or subcontractor carries on a distinct and independent business and undertakes to perform the job, work or service on its own account and under its own responsibility according to its own manner and method, and free from the control and direction of the principal in all matters connected with the performance of the work except as to the results thereof; (b) The contractor or subcontractor has substantial capital or investment; and (c) The agreement between the principal and contractor or subcontractor assures the contractual employees entitlement to all labor and occupational safety and health standards, free exercise of the right to self-organization, security of tenure, and social and welfare benefits.

ARTICLE V OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165 - A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE – IS A MUST

Pursuant to Article V of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations and DOLE Department Order No. 53-03, series of 2003 (Guidelines for the Implementation of a Drug-Free Workplace Policies and Programs in the Private Sector), the following policies and programs must be adopted to achieve a drug-free workplace:

COVERAGE

This law applies to all establishments in the private sector, including contractors and concessionaires.

COMPONENTS

Advocacy, Training and Education – employees should be kept aware and educated about the dangers of using drugs including its consequences.

Drug Testing – random drug testing should be done in accordance with the company’s rules and regulation in order to avoid or lessen the risk in the workplace.

Treatment, Rehabilitation and Referral – this option is given only to officers and employees who are diagnosed with drug dependence for the first time, or who turn to the Assessment Team for assistance, or who would benefit from the treatment and rehabilitation.

CONSEQUENCES OF POLICY VIOLATIONS

1.       Any officer or employee who violated or commits other unlawful acts as defined under Article II of RA 9165 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be subject to the pertinent provisions of the said Act.

2.       Any officer or employee found positive for use of dangerous drugs shall be dealt with administratively in accordance with the provisions of Article 282 of Book VI of the Labor Code and under RA 9165.

CUSTOMER SERVICE – TO RECRUIT OR TO OUTSOURCE?

We are a customer oriented company and currently thinking of the need to have a Customer Service Desk in order to fully address the necessitates of the clients including the seems to be hard to resolve critical protest or complain. What is the best thing to do – to recruit or to outsource?

In deciding on whether to recruit or outsource personnel, following are essential to be considered:

Scope of Work and Volume of Work – Is it a very complicated task or merely just answering phone calls and queries? If it is just a small task with less danger if someone commits a mistake, then outsourcing is an option. But if entails full responsibility of the taking care of the general requirements of the clients, then recruiting a personnel would be better.

In other words, it depends on your objective and the set budget in deciding so.

NEW SSS CONTRIBUTION IN 2014

This news has been released early in May or June of this year but was finally announced and confirmed last October 2013.

It is confirmed that a 0.6 percent hike in SSS contribution will take effect in the coming year. Starting January 2014 the employee will have a share of 3.63% in the contribution and the employer with a share of 7.37%. The monthly salary credit or MSC will increase to PHP 16,000.00 per month.

Such increase in payment or contribution will result to increase in benefits. The maternity benefit is one example. Since the monthly salary credit increases as the contribution increases, then that will result to a higher computation of the said benefit. The maternity is being computed based on the monthly salary credit.

WHAT TO DO WITH EXCESS LEAVES?

If  a company have always practiced non-conversion and non forfeiture of its leaves and resulted in a number of excess-leaves, what is the best thing to do?

The scenario is that the company only provides the 10-VL SL. Due to non-treatment of excess leaves, employees have as much as 20+ leaves. Co. Wants to change this .

ANSWER:

It depends on what the management is willing to do and what is it that you want to convey to your employees. In other words, go back to your purpose: “ what is the reason for granting SL and VL to your employees?”

Do you want them to take a break and recharge from an exhausting work in order to have a better performance when they come back?

If you really want them to take a break, forfeiture of unused vacation leaves would be in order. This would compel them to use it. This way you put across the message that vacations are important to their well-being and that the company is looking out for them on this.

SL on the other hand should be treated differently. Unused SL could be monetized. This then serves as an incentive for them to keep themselves healthy, as the SL is actually savings for them. 

There are a number of ways to treat the excess, but the key is what do you (and management for that matter) want to do?

PHILHEALTH - ON REGISTERING AND REPORTING EMPLOYEES

Philhealth is one of the government mandatory benefits in the Philippines. It aims to provide medical assistance to nearly the entire population. It caters the five patient groups as : the workers; the Retirees; the OFWs; the indigents ; and the Non-poor and others.

Benefits package are the same for each group except for indigents and the OFWs who have additional outpatient primary care benefits.

Let’s leave it at that and now continue with the write-up on the formal sector since HR works for the  employed.

PHILHEALTH REGISTRATION FOR NEWLY HIRED AND EXISTING EMPLOYEES WITHOUT PIN YET

• Get a Philhealth Member Registration Form from the HR Department and fill it up.
• Attach the supporting documents for qualified dependents as: birth certificate for children and the marriage contract for spouse.
• Submit to HR Department. Better to have a receiving copies of your evidence in doing follow-ups.
• HR Department will then forward it to Philhealth office together with ER2 Form or Report of Employee Members.
• Then, Philhealth will send the Philhealth ID card and a copy of the Member Data Record to the member through his employer or the HR Department.

HR Department should be organized in keeping up this files of the employees since they are designated as the custodian.

PHILHEALTH FOR NEWLY HIRED EMPLOYEES WITH PIN

For newly-hired with PIN , he/she just have to report his PIN to the employer to indicate the same in ER2.

HR TO REPORT NEW AND SEPARATED EMPLOYEES TO PHILHEALTH

HR must be responsible enough to report the employees to Philhealth to ensure that they can get due benefits especially in times of need.

Newly – hired employees must be reported using the ER2 Form . Reporting must be done within 30 days of hiring date.

Separated employees must be reported using RF1 within 30 days from date of separation from the office.

LOW COST "PERKS" THAT HELP ATTRACT EMPLOYEES

When we ask an applicant in the interview on how much salary is he currently receiving, you may hear this response, “ I am receiving this ____________ amount as a basic salary plus other perks. If you would come to dig with it deeper, you would agree with me. Most of the times, there is no difference with the salary offerings of different companies but with the other benefits that they can offer? – It is really what makes them different. And it is that “other perks” which attract most of the applicants.

Below are some of the less expensive perks we can offer the employees:
1. Flexible time – it all depends on the kind of industry that we are in. If you found out that employees find it hard to make it on time at 7 am, then probably, it is too early for him and he can’t cope up with it. If said employee is of one of the potential talents and his position is considered as one of the hard-to-fill in, then it’s time to make a way I order to make him fit for the job. Consider adjusting his reporting time but be sure to make it 8 hours as required by the policy and the law.

2. Free Lunch – To foster teamwork and happiness in the workplace by way of celebration, why not offer a free even just once a week or once a month. This could be done along with the celebration of those who have birthdays for the month.

3. Pick and Drop – Free transportation can free the employees from worrying with everyday traffic and stress from commuting.

4. Gym Facilities – it is just a one-time investment which we can offer to employees. Make this sports or strengthening and healthy activities free for all employees during non-working hours and on weekends.

5. Libraries for leisure and learnings – encourage reading habits and learning sessions with the employees in order to make them at home even when they are at work.

6. Organize a family day – This will bring the employees including their families closer to the organization.
7. Livelihood Projects – This will interest old employees even the young ones who wants to be productive outside their works.

8. Summer Hours or Summer Days – Aside from the regular teambuildings during summer, give “one Friday” free for all employees. This to give them time with their family for their scheduled outings or summer escapades.

9. Free Chair Massage – Again, this is a “one time” investment which will benefit the employees to ease their back pains from sitting for just around 5 minutes. After that, they can go back to work with the feeling of comfort and relax.

10. Free snacks – Fill the kitchen or the pantry area with fruits, biscuits,  juice, coffee or milk. This will take out the employees from the burden of buying small time snacks and at the same time, it would reduce the office time spent outside the office by buying in the nearby convenience store.

Those are just a few of the perks that would attract talents and helped in retaining them. How about you? Any sharing on unique ideas that would help retain talented employees?

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT – a Thankless Job

Human Resource Management is a very difficult job but is viewed as a thankless job. For one to love this job, you must really be interested and see its worth as a function in a company or organization. Getting into full understanding of its processes and its importance depend on ones interest and commitment to the job. I mentioned, it’s a thankless job for the reason that more often than not, no one ever notices or appreciate its importance and its contribution. They are always in a dilemma between employees and the management. But most important of all, they still retain their principle of fairness and professionalism despite any pressure.

HR professionals have different functions or oftentimes are groomed into different specialties. Seeing the job searches or job engines, there a lot of demand than supplies nowadays. Companies are now realizing the importance or significance of Human resources in the corporate world hence the need for more HR people to handle the tasks.

DIFFERENT HR PROFESSIONS THAT ARE PREVAILING IN THE MARKET TODAY

1. Recruitment Officer / Talent Acquisition Officer
2. Recruitment Specialist / Talent Acquisition Specialist
3. Recruitment Manager /Talent Acquisition Manager
4. HR Generalist
5. HR Officer
6. HR Specialist
7. HR Manager
8. HR Executive
9. Timekeeper
10. Payroll Specialist
11. Payroll Officer
12. Payroll Manager
13. Employee Relations Officer
14. Employee Relations Specialist
15. Employee Relations Manager
16. Training Officer
17. Training Specialist
18. Training Manager
19. HR Consultant
20. Employee and Welfare Services Officer

…… And a lot more

Some HR professionals have chosen not to work for a company but have preferred establishing their own businesses. They started a business like Manpower Recruitment, Consultancy, HR Training and other services and as a freelancer in HR jobs.

HR as the center of grievance and discipline is labeled as “Highly Reprimanded” Department rather than “Highly Recommended”. It is also tagged as the department of many excuses, such “ we are waiting for the management’s decision”, “ the position is on freeze”, “we need to cost cutting”, and a lot more excuses. But nevertheless, let’s understand that HR Department is the custodian of all processes but always honor the management decision and fairly discussed the employees’ concerns.

With a vast of HR experience in different industries, I could say that every HR of different companies is unique hence also requires a unique yet most effective approach. It depends on how flexible you are as an HR professional. The learnings in handling the Human Resource Management Department are as immeasurable as the challenges that it may bring. Hence, as an HR expert, a mature worker in that profession that is, should have a solid motivation and a love for the job and expect not to be reciprocated with all the goodness and sacrifices done for the sake of doing the job as an HR. After all, it is really a Thankless Job.

HIKE IN SSS CONTRIBUTION 2013

As mentioned in the last SONA (the 4^th one ever ) by the President of the Philippines, Noynoy Aquino held last July 22, 2013, there is a need to increase the SSS contribution to help in the reduction of unfunded liability.

Consequently, if the contribution of the members will increase, the pension scheme will have to be amended too.

The hike which was said to be around 0.6% was approved in principle by the Social Security Commission last March 16, 2013.

The matter is still under study and debate awaiting for further approval and implementation. Will post an update once fully approved.