Republic Act No. 679 April 15, 1952
AN ACT TO REGULATE THE EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN, TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION HEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
(REPEALED BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442)SECTION 1. Employment of children below fourteen years of age. - (a) Children below fourteen years of age may only be employed to perform light work -
(1) which is not harmful to their health or normal development, and
(2) which is not such as to prejudice their attendance in school or to benefit from the instruction there given.
(b) No child below fourteen years of age shall be employed or permitted or suffered to work on school days in any shop, factory, commercial, industrial, or agricultural establishment or any other place of labor unless such child knows how to read and write. The fact that a child knows how to read and write shall be evidenced by an educational certificate issued by the principal of the public or private elementary school in the locality where such child resides; but in...
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Republic Acts
AN ACT TO REGULATE THE EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Republic Act No. 679
Republic Act No. 679: An Act to Regulate the Employment of Women and Children
Employment of Children Below 14 Years of Age (Section 1):
- Children below 14 can only perform light work that:
- Is not harmful to health or development.
- Does not prejudice school attendance.
- Cannot work on school days unless they know how to read and write.
- Exceptions: domestic work, family establishments, vocational schools, performers.
Employment of Children Below 16 Years of Age (Section 2):
- Prohibited from working in industrial undertakings like mines, factories, construction, transport.
- Prohibited from operating machinery, working underground or at heights.
- Prohibited from working in billiard rooms, cockpits, bars, night clubs, dance halls, stadiums, race tracks.
Employment of Children Below 18 Years of Age (Section 3):
- Prohibited from working in bars, night clubs, dance halls.
- Prohibited from working in pharmacies for drug preparation.
- Prohibited from working with noxious, poisonous, infectious, or explosive substances.
- Prohibited from working in occupations involving serious danger, as determined by the Secretary of Labor.
Medical Examination for Fitness (Section 4):
- Required for employment of persons below 18 years old.
- Conducted by a qualified government or approved physician, without cost.
- Certificate may specify conditions or types of employment.
- Employer must conduct re-examinations every 6 months or as required.
Hours of Work and Night Work (Section 5):
- Children below 16 cannot work more than 7 hours daily or 42 hours weekly.
- Children below 16 cannot work between 6 PM and 6 AM.
- Children 16-18 cannot work between 10 PM and 6 AM, with 13 consecutive hours of rest.
Written Consent of Parent (Section 6):
- Required for employment of persons below 18 years old.
Employment of Women (Section 7):
- Prohibited from work requiring standing all the time or lifting heavy objects.
- Prohibited from working between 10 PM and 6 AM, with exceptions.
- Equal remuneration for work of equal value for men and women.
Maternity Protection (Section 8):
- 6 weeks of paid vacation before delivery, 8 weeks after delivery or miscarriage at 60% of wages.
- Duty to allow nursing mothers to nurse their child twice a day for 30 minutes each.
- Duty to establish nurseries for employers with at least 15 married women employees.
Facilities for Women and Children (Section 9):
- Duty to provide seats for women and children.
- Duty to establish separate toilet rooms and dressing rooms for women and children.
- Duty to allow at least 60 minutes for noon meals.
Special Work Permits and Regulations (Section 10):
- Secretary of Labor can grant special permits for child employment due to economic necessity.
- Secretary of Labor can make rules and regulations to carry out the Act.
Enforcement and Penalties (Sections 11-12):
- Director of Labor shall enforce the Act.
- Employers must keep records and post abstracts of the Act.
- Unlawful to discharge pregnant women or retaliate against complainants.
- Violations punishable by fines of 100-5,000 pesos and/or 30 days to 1 year imprisonment.
Employment of Children Below 14 Years of Age (Section 1):
- Children below 14 can only perform light work that:
- Is not harmful to health or development.
- Does not prejudice school attendance.
- Cannot work on school days unless they know how to read and write.
- Exceptions: domestic work, family establishments, vocational schools, performers.
Employment of Children Below 16 Years of Age (Section 2):
- Prohibited from working in industrial undertakings like mines, factories, construction, transport.
- Prohibited from operating machinery, working underground or at heights.
- Prohibited from working in billiard rooms, cockpits, bars, night clubs, dance halls, stadiums, race tracks.
Employment of Children Below 18 Years of Age (Section 3):
- Prohibited from working in bars, night clubs, dance halls.
- Prohibited from working in pharmacies for drug preparation.
- Prohibited from working with noxious, poisonous, infectious, or explosive substances.
- Prohibited from working in occupations involving serious danger, as determined by the Secretary of Labor.
Medical Examination for Fitness (Section 4):
- Required for employment of persons below 18 years old.
- Conducted by a qualified government or approved physician, without cost.
- Certificate may specify conditions or types of employment.
- Employer must conduct re-examinations every 6 months or as required.
Hours of Work and Night Work (Section 5):
- Children below 16 cannot work more than 7 hours daily or 42 hours weekly.
- Children below 16 cannot work between 6 PM and 6 AM.
- Children 16-18 cannot work between 10 PM and 6 AM, with 13 consecutive hours of rest.
Written Consent of Parent (Section 6):
- Required for employment of persons below 18 years old.
Employment of Women (Section 7):
- Prohibited from work requiring standing all the time or lifting heavy objects.
- Prohibited from working between 10 PM and 6 AM, with exceptions.
- Equal remuneration for work of equal value for men and women.
Maternity Protection (Section 8):
- 6 weeks of paid vacation before delivery, 8 weeks after delivery or miscarriage at 60% of wages.
- Duty to allow nursing mothers to nurse their child twice a day for 30 minutes each.
- Duty to establish nurseries for employers with at least 15 married women employees.
Facilities for Women and Children (Section 9):
- Duty to provide seats for women and children.
- Duty to establish separate toilet rooms and dressing rooms for women and children.
- Duty to allow at least 60 minutes for noon meals.
Special Work Permits and Regulations (Section 10):
- Secretary of Labor can grant special permits for child employment due to economic necessity.
- Secretary of Labor can make rules and regulations to carry out the Act.
Enforcement and Penalties (Sections 11-12):
- Director of Labor shall enforce the Act.
- Employers must keep records and post abstracts of the Act.
- Unlawful to discharge pregnant women or retaliate against complainants.
- Violations punishable by fines of 100-5,000 pesos and/or 30 days to 1 year imprisonment.