DoLE assists over 34K workers; labor standard issues top complaint

Employers are listening and are acting on what the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has reported it has effectively addressed the concerns of over 34,000 workers in the first quarter of 2025.

Handled by DoLE’s Information and Publication Service, the DOLE Hotline 1349 logged 34,037 calls and responded to 35,041 queries during the first quarter of 2025 through voice and non-voice channels.

The Department currently receives workers’ concerns via its hotline, email (hotline1349@dole.gov.ph), and its official DOLE Facebook messenger.

In the first three months of total calls, DoLE logged the largest number of queries on labor standards concerns, accounting for 68.69 percent of total calls received.

Employment facilitation followed with 19.42 percent, while inquiries on reportorial requirements and other concerns accounted for 6.7 percent.

Social welfare and protection, meanwhile, accounted for 4.8 percent of total calls, while labor relations-related concerns had the least number of calls at 0.38 percent.

Among the frequently raised labor standards-related concerns were non-compliance with final pay (23.67 percent), holiday pay rules and computation (11.78 percent), and resignation queries (9.7 percent).

DoLE’s hotline action officers also attended to requests for labor inspection (4.7 percent) and queries on separation pay qualifications and entitlement (4.7 percent).

Top concerns on employment facilitation were related to local employment issues (82.5 percent) followed by probationary employment policies (6.3 percent).

Alien Employment Permit (AEP) queries reached 4.7 percent of the total calls.

The DoLE hotline also received employment facilitation calls related to the Government Internship Program (GIP) (1.2 percent) and issues concerning employer losses from immediate resignations, absence without leave, and workplace incident damages (1.5 percent).

Under social welfare and protection, the most common queries were regarding the non-remittance of mandatory benefits (44 percent), expanded maternity leave policies (24 percent), work-related accident or death benefits (240 calls), suspension and administrative due process (10 percent), and taxation-related matters (six percent).

Furthermore, callers who raised concerns about non-remittance of government-mandated benefits were advised to file complaints with the relevant agencies, including PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and the Social Security System.

Hotline 1349 operates Monday to Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.