SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE

)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILiPPINES )
13 "UL - i
First Regular Session )

- r,- ~ ' , '-. lot'. . I' _.., _.._
SENATE
S. No. r
----------------------------- ---- -------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ . -'P"'O"' _
Introduced by SENATOR PlA S- CAYETANO
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In these times of global economic recession, a number of our countrymen
have lost their jobs, and many employers have limited the work hours of lheir
employees and reduced their takehome pay_ Unemployment rate has gone up,
especially as fresh graduates conirnue to join the labor force. As an ill-effect a
new type of discrimination has emerged - discrimination against an individuar due
to age. These displaced workers face a bleak future, especially as most
employers prefer young employees_ Prejudice against an aging workforce is
evident in the qualifications posted in job notices and differences in benefils
received.
The Constitution mandates the State to promote equalily of employment
opportunities for aII. This means that an individual should not be discriminated
against due to his age, sex, creed. political inclination, or status in lite, The basis
for employment should be the skills and Qualifications necessary to perform the
oCGupalion.
This bill seeks to eliminate age discrimination in employment by
prohibiting and penalizing any employer, labor contractor, and labor organization
that will discriminate against any indlvjdual because of his or her age.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested.
SELLIAS CAYETANO
1 ")
."
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. SrXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
t..$.) t'-r,l
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Firs' Regular Session )
SENATE
s. No. 2.9.
'; .;_.r'..
--7)
Introduced by SENATOR PIA S. CAYETANO
AN ACT
PROHIBITING TH[ OISCRIMINAnoN ON THE EMPLOYMI::NT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL
ON THE BASIS MERELY Of AGE
He it emjctad by the Senate and House of Representativos of PhiJj,opines jn
assembred:
1 SECTION 1. Short -The Act shall be known as the "AnL-Aye Discrirni 'Hation i I
2 Employment Act of 20 :
3
a SECTION 2. of Policies. he State :;;t arf prornote eqUJr optxlrtuni(ies In
5 p.mplaymen{ for e.... eryone. To achieve his end. it shall be U' e poliCy of the to:
6
'} a.) Promote employment of indlvidLlals on 'e basis of their abilities.
8 skills a rl d q S f aUu:lf than l H1!jf age.
9 b.) Prohl it arb t ary age limilalions in employment
10 c.) bot employers arid employees in devising way::! to resol/8 roblcms
I ! that may take place as- a d.rect or impac;l of age discriminalion on
1"2 m!=iloy ent.
J3
14 SECTION 3. Recognirion of - PursuOlnt to the above-<ledared principles, the
15 follcl'l'.'ing rights of citizens are hereby and lhe State gtlarantees their
16 er1'oyn ent to:
'7
IS".)The righl to qualify fOf a jc::;; position egardle,s5 of age, i=lnd on the basis of
\ 9 lheir merits an.d qllalifiC8 ;:uns.
20 b.) TM tight of older applicants or emp:oyees lu UB treated cqu::llly wilh the
}. I younger <:tp ::l!iC811ls or employees in 1errns of hiring. compensalion, trJi'lings,
n benefits, promotions. and other employment activities,
2J c,J The n'ght of any individual (0 JCcess pblfc recmds in the exercise of his (if
24 her .g lsgranled mder Act.
25
26 SECTION 4. Definition or Terms. - ThB rolla ,klg tar 5 shat
l
have
27 meanrngs:
28
a.) any 'ndivjjual b')' an
3{]
31 b,} includes any person acting diie;;lIy or ir directly 11"1 the interest or
32 an employer relating to an employee arLd shall i elude the Gove-mment and
)J <)11 its branches, SLJbdivls[o" instrumentalities. all 0
34 co:\lrolled ami im.rtutlol1s. as well ,CIS non-profit private
3S im:ltitutions, or organizaliuns.
JG
37
] C,) uJob Applfcanr' Includes (lny person ".'t10 appried tor a spec"c a;,c! vacanl
2 posTon for which an e pkJyer is seeking CAndiciatcs, met the ecJe:Fi. e .
3 doc JIl'1Emted ini m requ'rement- r In a spacjfjc, pc
4 elpplied for tho during the pen::x:l t iJt !hC to'. logl re 1sine
5 open, anj who COrT.piied with the organizalion':;j fo lal WCrul meiii
(l cUe e! S.
8 d.) means eny person rcg1Jlal1y (Jf1c'enaking, \'Jilh or ,itl10 l,It
o to prcr;urs e ployGes Fe an employer or to pmc rc fer
10 employees OPpoTturlitil:ls lo work Nfl emplOj'er, and ir.clucJes 8n agent or
11 such person.
\2
D e.) ''L;Jbor Organ;ziHiou" means any ur Clssociatio ot em;::lcl'es wilich
14 exists if I whole Of in panor the p r of collec !ve Of for
J S dealing ...... ith emplOy!:lfs conccmin erms and conditions 0 employrr,enL
leo
n f,) wPubJi,.her' lndudes any person or jur.dlc<:ll e ity engl!Jged i thD 'n'ing of
18 informaiion on p::.lper 311rl its drs' 'butiOll. buyi 1!J or of c{wise sec ring of
19 <lirtime Qr space on lele',ision, radio. i ten dan, si I ilar me "0, 0; other
20 similar methods.
2]
22 SECTION 5. Empfoyers Co ered. - The P all SIC s or thiS Act :slall ?ppl to all
'23 employers. includ:ng Ar"ld 1;:):<'11 goverllments, It shall also .a ')1)' 0 I,Lor
]4 contractors and labor orgar:z<lHons.
7.5
26 SECTION 6. fndMduaJs Covered. - The of this Act to all
27 illdLviduals, whethBr employees or job applie:anls woo may be Sl to disc(lmmation
28 in the workplace, or hiring process. due to OlQe.
29
30 SECTION 7. Educotion lJnd Programs, - The Oep<=lJ1mMt at labo ami
3 (DOLE) shalL
32
33 a.) Conduct studies and eS ArG es, and come I,.i;':- correspo ding guidt!t:flE:lS
34 al ed at minimizing impediments to Iho cm910yment of olde persons. and
35 fu ish such iflfor ation to employers, labor groups; 8n t e encral publiC:;
36 an
)7
J8 b.) Promo!e programs. in COO 'j witt p b .m ' P \' le! agencies, that
39 further enhance the knawledUA and skills of every individual. of
40 ag9.
ill
42 SECliON 8. Prohibiliorl at ttga Discrimin(ilioR.
43
44 a.) H:;11<311 be unlflw JI for an employer lo
<::5
46 1.) Print or p blish. or cause to be p' ed or published. in 1my form of media,
47 inc Udll1g Internet, any nOlice of relat;r.g lo em;llo, C t
4& SlJggesting prefl::lrances. limitalior..:, spccifica.lions. .md discli Inat!o
4
l
) based or age;
)0
51 2.} RCQ i,e the declaration of agA or bi Male during the applical'ol1 proceS!i;
51
.53 ,.3.) Dedinc OmpJoyHlent iJpplrcation of tMe inclivi(lllRI'. age;
S4
S5 4,) Ojscnminate <In individual In or compenGvtion. temls and
5G conditions, or privileges of emp[oymtlnt on QCJ;ount of sue 1 'ndlvldual's
Yi aQc:
.
S,) Deny any e, p:oyce's prcI10tklns or for trainings or; the
basis of his! er a e;
6,) Forcibly Jay-oft employee merel)' uf o'(j a;,;,
5
is 7.) early on the basis of S;Jch e-rnplor'ee'g Clge: and
..
I
8 8,) Reduce tne wage rale d any employee IIJsi lu [,6 to Y.'ilh lhjs
9 ' Act.
]0
1] b_} l1 ShAll be lJnla'",rl'ul or a labor to refuse to refer for employment, or
12 otheJ"wlse discri inale agf.'linst any i:1t!ividu,)1 tecauSB or s\Jch pcrSo:1's ag!3.
IJ
14 c, j It sM<JJJ unlawful for ;l labor group to -
\ 5
16 1_) memtlership {o any indivitlual because of h'siher <'19&;
i7
\ 8 2.} Exclude from its membership individual becaLJ 5(; of such individual's

7.0
11 3.} Ca 6e or effemp' to cause an ernploj'er to 8gainst .:In
22 ino'viou::l in violat'on of this act.
24 d,) It sna1/ be JI for t:J to print or rCllblish any notke oi advp-rtisemen
2.5 (cl<:ltlng to &mployrnen sU9gAstitig limita1ions. specifi atior.s. and
26 discrimination ased om. age.
27
2S SECTION S. Exccptio,'1s. - 1l shall n01 be un'a'....iul for an c;mployeI to set age limil<'ilir.r\s
1Y in emp!oyment . :
30
31 Q.) Age Is n cona fide c upaHonal 'f .ecess8iY in [he
normal opefation of I e particLJ ar or where the is
:3 basfld 011 reasonabl" factors, 0 her than Jge:
34
3S 0,) Tile Intent is to the h:lrms of a bon8 fidf;J system that Is rIO:
36 intenclet:! to lhe purpose of this I\ct;
37
38 c.) The in ent is to observe the lerms of a bona ffde e ployel3 retiremen or a
39 voluntory early retire ,ent conslste t ; h the purpose of this Act
40 Pro'lided, thRt such re irtimcnt or valli tary r 'iremenl plans are In
4 aero d;,Jnce .' laboT amp'flded, and other n::llatE;d fa ,';S; a ;
42
43 d.) The action is duly csrtified by the $Bcrel<lt',/ of Lauor and Employ nent in
44 with the of this Ad.
45
46 SECTION 10. Investig<1tion ami E(lforcemsnt. - The DOLE sM11 have the autt ofity 1 0
47 iovesttgntc and require 'he keel ingo1 records for the Old llnistratlon of this
48 c . Ii shall sucn rules, rflgula dons, orders ali ' il"lstl1J:;lions es It
and (l?pro\Jriate to carry ou; its ,espor s bil't1es unc!Hr this Act

S! SECTION 11- - /\ny violation of Act 5 aU OB pUllishc-d With a (ine of not
52 than fifty thousand 'e80S (P50,OOO,OO) not mure ilve hundrHd tholJ,sar;c
53 {P500,OOO .(10), or i I"lsonment of not less tl1an three (3) mOTllllS but no,
54 lhan two (2) yea's, or bmh at th8 discrc ion o' re court If the O !l1Se is commi ted a
corporation, trusl, finn, partners1 lp or <)s-sQcialicn cr entity. the penally shall be:
SCi ir posed upon 'he guilty officer Of of SLJch corporation, trusl, If . artne shop cr
S7 assoc'-a ion O( e tily,
l
2 SECTION 12. Sepa(iJbillly Claus.e. .- Should an ' provision he ein be subsE!Q':Jently
J in-:alid ur unconstitutional. the sholl at affect the <3 "dity 0 the legalily
4 0; the provisions /"lOt so
5
6 13, RensJ/infl - All la 18. ""srden!ial decrees, execulivc order. 0
7 (ules <lnd ather issu" ces, :J parts thereof. : ie' (ire incons'slenl 'Nifh
S the of this Act, are lereby aM r;;o' inea t;:ccordi, gly.
9
10 SECTION i 4, EffecU/J"ty. ... 'Thi' Act shall lake effect fi teen (15 after p\Jb1ical"c in
II the O{f[cial Gazella ar in >1" least (2) newspapers 0 general circula ion.
12
13 Approved,