THE UST Hospital administration and workers’ union have struck an agreement on payment for on-call employees even if they did not physically report to the hospital.
The resolution was reached after the Ugnayan ng mga Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng UST Hospital (UNM-USTH) called for fair compensation for on-call staff, whether there was a patient that came in or not.
“Employees who are officially decked on call shall receive the supposed compensation for the period effective July 1, 2025, even if they did not physically report to the hospital,” read a June 30 memorandum from UST Hospital human resources head Ferdinand Magkasi.
UST Hospital cited Book 3 Rule 1, Section 5b of the Implementing Rules of the Labor Code, which considers an employee as working if they are required to remain within or near the premises.
“An employee who is required to remain on call in the employer’s premises or so close thereto that he cannot use the time effectively and gainfully for his own purpose shall be considered as working while on call,” the section reads.
Among those covered by the agreement are personnel from the Center for Kidney Disease, CT Scan and MRI Unit, and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit.
Magkasi directed UST Hospital heads and supervisors to review the number of employees needed to be assigned as on-call.
This designation should reflect in schedules submitted to the human resources department, he said.
