Displaced Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and local workers may soon avail the unemployment insurance of Social Security System (SSS)
This, after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued the necessary guidelines for the proposal, according to a report of Business Mirror.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that unemployment insurance from SSS will be available soon.
Last week, Bello issued Department Circular 01, Series of 2019 covering the certification requirement for applicants, who are availing of the unemployment insurance benefit stipulated by Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.
Under the guidelines, all SSS members including household service workers (HSW) and OFWs who were “involuntarily” retrenched are eligible for the new benefit.
Local workers could apply for the certification at the nearest DOLE office their employer is located.
While for OFWs, who are abroad, may do so at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).
Displaced workers are required to submit one valid ID and a copy of the Notice of Termination by their employer.
Bello said that if there is no Notice of Termination, the applicant can submit a notarized Affidavit of Termination of Employment to DOLE or to POLO
Bello further stated that DOLE Field Offices, or Provincial Offices as well as POLOs, are mandated to issue the certification within the day it was filed provided it has complete documentary requirements.
While the Bureau of Local Employment is task to monitor the application and issuance of certification from DOLE for unemployment insurance.
The DOLE certification ensuring a worker as retrenched because of “authorized causes” is a requirement before SSS could process unemployment insurance.
