TO help jobseekers successfully gain employment, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has allocated P100 million to finance the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) tests of those newly hired.
In Department Order No. 232-2022, the DOLE sets aside P100 million from its annual budget for free COVID-19 testing of new hires in compliance with their pre-employment requirements.
“Newly-hired jobseekers across all sectors complying with the pre-employment requirements are qualified to avail the testing subsidy under this Order,” said DOLE. “This Order is issued to provide guidelines on the one-time grant of free COVID-19 testing for qualified newly-hired jobseekers required to secure a negative RT-PCR result among the pre-employment requirements.”
DOLE said the program shall cover jobseekers hired after the effectivity of the order, as well as jobseekers employed beginning February 01, 2022 but have yet to assume their positions due to lack of negative RT-PCR test result.
It added that priority will be given to newly hired jobseekers in private domestic establishments; agency-hired overseas worker set for deployment; and newly appointed employees in any branch or instrumentality of the government.
Excluded in the program are foreigners, except Persons of Concern (POCS) such as refugees, returnees, stateless people, internally displaced, and asylum-seekers.
In applying for the testing subsidy, the agency said newly hired jobseekers shall submit the complete documentary requirements to the nearest DOLE Field Office.
These include photocopy of any government-issued ID, duly accomplished subsidy application form, and certificate of acceptance or appointment duly signed by the company owner. general manager, or human resource manager.
The concerned DOLE Field Office shall evaluate the application within three working days from receipt and endorse the pre-evaluated applications to the concerned Regional Office for final approval or denial.
The concerned DOLE Regional Office must notify the applicant within five working days whether the application is approved or denied through electronic mail/SMS.
“If approved, the electronic mail shall include the information that the beneficiary shall present to the testing center, particularly reference number, date and time, and place of vaccination,” said DOLE.
