GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 11 March) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has declared a shopping mall here as the country’s first-ever labor law-compliant establishment in the retail sector under its enhanced Labor Law Compliance System (LLCS).
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz personally unveiled a marker on Tuesday at the KCC Veranza Mall here that recognizes its “100 percent” compliance of the country’s labor laws, standards and other related regulations.
“KCC Mall is the first shopping mall in the country that has achieved full labor law compliance,” she said during the unveiling rites.
Baldoz said the marker specifically distinguishes the mall as a recipient of the DOLE’s Tripartite Certificate of Compliance with Labor Standards (TCCLS) Award.
The TCCLS is given by the DOLE to companies that show commitment and exemplary adherence to the provisions of the Labor Code on General Labor Standards, Occupational Safety and Health Standards and the Child Labor Law or Republic Act 9231.
“This shows that our efforts to cultivate a culture of voluntary labor laws compliance among establishments nationwide has been gaining ground,” Baldoz said.
The recognition has brought the shopping mall a step closer towards the DOLE Secretary’s Labor Law Compliance Award and the Tripartite Seal of Excellence Award, which are the highest honors given by the department to compliant establishments.
These top awards mainly acknowledge the efforts of establishments in terms of “voluntary compliance of labor laws and implementation of higher standards of labor practice.”
Ofelia Domingo, DOLE Region 12 director, said KCC Veranza Mall had passed various assessments and inspections conducted by the agency.
She explained that the establishment specifically provided the due salaries and benefits of its employees, made sure that it has not employed any child or minor and had properly adopted proper health and safety initiatives for its employees.
“The full compliance of the labor laws and standards was achieved by the shopping mall and all its tenants,” she said.
The official said the compliance certificate issued to KCC Veranza Mall would be valid until Dec. 11 based on the LLCS.
DOLE started the full implementation in Oct. 2013 of the new LLCS, which provides an integrated framework for voluntary compliance and enforcement of labor laws and other regulations.
A briefer said the LLCS was formulated to operationalize the DOLE’s constitutional mandate to protect workers’ interests and welfare as well as promote social justice and maintenance of industrial peace through the encouragement of voluntary compliance and enforcement of labor laws.
