Bill Protecting Freelancers: The House Committee on Ways and Means recently approved the measures seeking to provide legal and contractual protection to freelancers or self-employed individuals, in an article by GMA News Online. According to Pangasinan Representative Christopher De Venecia, one of the bill’s authors, freelancers have been overlooked when it comes to policy.
“The bill makes it mandatory to have a written contract when engaging the services of freelancers. Very important, responsible companies are able to provide contracts with the freelancers. It likewise provides for civil penalties for violation of the act… and provide special lanes to help make the process simpler and faster,” states De Venecia. Read more: House panel OKs bill seeking protection for freelancers, an article by GMA News Online.
The measure seeks to have the following for freelancers:
- a framework for contracts between employers and freelancers;
- eligibility for night shift differential for those required to be physically present;
- hazard pay for those deployed in dangerous areas.
The measure also makes it unlawful to:
- pay the compensation due the freelancer later than 15 days after the date of payment of compensation stated in the written contract or after the rendition of service in cases where there is no written contract;
- require a condition of payment of compensation, at any time after a freelancer has commenced rendition of services, that a freelancer accept less than the specified contract price;
- retaliate against a freelancer under certain conditions.
Bill Protecting Freelancers: Included in the bill is to require all freelancers to pay their income taxes annually, with a lane or a special assistance desk in every revenue district office for application, registration, processing of documents, and other concerns. Read: One-Third of WFH Workers Suffer from Burnout
