DESPITE coronavirus alarms, the labor department has resumed its special inspection of alien-employing establishments by deploying anew over 300 labor inspectors in key areas to inspect and verify the legitimacy of employment of foreign nationals.
In Administrative Order No. 46 issued on Jan. 31, 2020, Labor secretary Silvestre Bello III sent out 323 Labor and Employment Officers (LEOs) to conduct verification inspection of establishments across the country until June 30 this year.
Bello has then directed the regional directors to authorize the verification/inspection of identified establishments and workplaces. In Western Visayas, 11 LEOs will conduct the inspection.
These LEOs were joined by one regular labor inspector who serves as a team leader to supervise the conduct of verification inspection.
During inspection, the LEOs will ascertain the legitimacy of the company as shown by the business permit and the Securities and Exchange Commission registration and verify the roster of local employees and the foreign national/s actually working at the time of inspection.
The inspectors will also check the list of Alien Employment Permit applicants if there are any, and the company representative should certify that they are indeed hiring the foreign nationals.
The labor inspectors shall submit a report to the DOLE regional director one day after the conduct of verification inspection.
In 2019, the LEOs were given authority to inspect establishments employing foreign nationals from Oct. 31 to Dec. 15. (with a report from PIA-NCR/PN)
