Baguio gov’t to DOLE, CSC: Give leave credits to vaccinated workers

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY officials recently requested the Dept. of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Civil Service Commission (CSC) to grant excused leave of absences to employees in the private sector who experience and manifest adverse effects after receiving Covid-19 vaccination.
    Under Resolution No. 142, series of 2021, signed by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, city legislators stated such absences should not be deducted from their leave credits.
    Earlier, the health department and the city government started roll out of vaccination to health workers and individuals with co-morbidities amidst limited supply of the vaccines provided not only to the city but also to the whole Cordillera.
    The council noted side effects of the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines vary from person to person.
    For some people, the Council said adverse reaction of any of the vaccines would require them to take a rest and take a leave of absence for those employed in government and private sectors.
    According to the health department, it is normal for a vaccinated individual to reportedly experience side effects which may include fever, fatigue, headaches, body itches, chills, and nausea.
    Other individuals might also experience pain, swelling on the injected part, redness, an itchy rash, and mild forms of irritation around the injected side.
     Health experts claimed side effects experienced by vaccinated individuals indicate that the immunity of the said persons are being developed by the vaccine.
    The council said the labor department and the employers should be considerate to employees that are forced to go on leave due to post-vaccine effects to allow them to cope with the side effects by excusing them from such leave of absences to regain their productivity and serve their employers more healthy after recovering from the such adverse effects after immunization.
    The council urged employers to consider the excused leave of absences of their workers who were vaccinated and experienced adverse side effects after immunization as an added benefit to them.
    Health workers initially vaccinated are government frontliners who had been delivering health care services to Covid-19 patients since the start of the pandemic early last year.
    Copies of the resolution will be transmitted to the DOE and the CSC for their information and action.