[Manila Bulletin WORK LIFE Column: published October 30, 2009]
“HELP! MY PREVIOUS COMPANY WON’T GIVE ME MY BACK PAY!”
Hi! My Name is Chase. It's been 5 months already since I got terminated from my previous company. And, until now they're not yet releasing my back pay. I'm just wondering if I can do something legal about it, because every time I ask someone in the human resource department, their answer is always the same - they have no idea when they can release my back pay.
ADVICE: Before seeking legal means, do the practical steps first. Gather all employment documents that you have like payslips, clearance and certificate of employment. Send a letter to both the President and the HR manager explaining the situation and requesting that they release your back pay within 1 week from date of receipt. This will give them the opportunity to respond and correct the issue. Make an extra copy of that letter for yourself, have them sign and receive it. This serves as your evidence that you have given them due notice in writing. Follow up after a week. If they do not respond and still deny you your back pay, then you can take legal action because the Labor Code of the Philippines stipulates that it is unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, to withhold any amount from the wages of a worker. For further questions and assistance, you can also contact the Department of Labor and Employment at the DOLE HOTLINE: (632)5278000 or through their website www.dole.gov.ph.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Graceful Exit
[Manila Bulletin WORK LIFE Column: published October 7, 2009]
When a key employee decides to leave a company to pursue other goals or employment, it sets forth a chain of events that not only affects his or her life but also the business operations of the company that he or she is leaving. That is why it is critical for both employers and employees to make the exit process as smooth as possible.
See, leaving a company that you’ve been a part of is difficult for most people. Letting go of employees is also one of the saddest moments for employers. This is where a lot of emotions, both positive and negative, happen. If done poorly and recklessly, it can lead to team morale issues or worse, legal problems---something nobody wants.
Years ago, when my partners and I started our educational company, we didn’t have a system for dealing with such eventualities. Every time we let go of an employee, our operations would get hampered and emotions would run high. So I took on the reigns, made HR a priority and created our very own Operations Manual for Human Resources.
The result of this effort is priceless. We now have an efficient HR system that guides our people through the many procedures and phases of employment. It allows us to welcome new employees, coach them to become productive team members and help them grow with the company. In instances when an employee needs to leave, our current system is also set up to provide a harmonious and graceful exit.
In the interest of guiding both employers and employees through this difficult phase, let me share with you the general exit process that many companies follow:
RESIGNATION
When an employee voluntarily resigns from a company, it is customary to submit a formal resignation letter. Upon receipt of the letter, the boss discusses the matter with the employee and decides whether to accept the resignation or negotiate other terms. If the boss accepts the resignation, the HR head is notified and the paperwork process begins. A 30-day grace period is usually practiced to allow for proper turnover and clearance. However, a shorter grace period may be granted at the discretion of the Management Team.
The usual documents that are commonly used are turnover checklists to aid you in proper turnover, exit interview survey to document the reason for your resignation, clearance form and certificate to ensure that you have no pending accounts and assignments with the company. Once you have been cleared, you will be given your last pay by your company. It is important to keep a copy of your Clearance Certificate or request for a Certificate of Employment as your next employer may require you to present one.
TERMINATION
Meanwhile, an employee may also be terminated due to lawful causes, just causes or authorized causes. Lawful causes are acts done by an employee that are not in accordance with the law. Just causes are acts done by an employee that are not in accordance with the company’s policies after sufficient warnings have been provided. Authorized causes are instances where the company has to terminate employment due to closure of the company, lingering illness of an employee or reduction of staff. Separation pay is usually given for authorized causes that involve illness of an employee and reduction of staff.
The usual documents that are commonly used are termination letters, notices and reports, turnover checklists, exit interview surveys, clearance forms and certificates. For authorized causes, HR are advised to submit letters and notices to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
EXIT GRACEFULLY
Whether you are an employer or an employee, it is critical for the health of your company as well as your career to make the exit process as smooth as possible.
As an employer, I’ve learned that it is definitely a lot better to send off your departing employees in a positive tone and to remove the drama from it all. Having an efficient HR system allows you to do just that. It helps you give goodwill.
As an employee, I’ve learned that it is in your best interest to leave with your reputation intact. Your relationship with your previous employer doesn’t end just because you left. It just simply changed. It is a true joy to be able to still communicate with people you have previously worked with and to be regarded in a good light. So exit gracefully, leave a good mark and keep in touch.
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company will be holding a seminar on Compensation and Benefits Management on October 21 (Wed), as well as, Labor Law and Relations on November 14 & 21 (Sat). Her company and team of HR consultants also offer consultancy services to help companies develop an efficient and practical HR System. To know more, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com and www.hrclubphilippines.com or call (632)6874645. You may email your comments and questions to: worklife@businessmaker-academy.com
When a key employee decides to leave a company to pursue other goals or employment, it sets forth a chain of events that not only affects his or her life but also the business operations of the company that he or she is leaving. That is why it is critical for both employers and employees to make the exit process as smooth as possible.
See, leaving a company that you’ve been a part of is difficult for most people. Letting go of employees is also one of the saddest moments for employers. This is where a lot of emotions, both positive and negative, happen. If done poorly and recklessly, it can lead to team morale issues or worse, legal problems---something nobody wants.
Years ago, when my partners and I started our educational company, we didn’t have a system for dealing with such eventualities. Every time we let go of an employee, our operations would get hampered and emotions would run high. So I took on the reigns, made HR a priority and created our very own Operations Manual for Human Resources.
The result of this effort is priceless. We now have an efficient HR system that guides our people through the many procedures and phases of employment. It allows us to welcome new employees, coach them to become productive team members and help them grow with the company. In instances when an employee needs to leave, our current system is also set up to provide a harmonious and graceful exit.
In the interest of guiding both employers and employees through this difficult phase, let me share with you the general exit process that many companies follow:
RESIGNATION
When an employee voluntarily resigns from a company, it is customary to submit a formal resignation letter. Upon receipt of the letter, the boss discusses the matter with the employee and decides whether to accept the resignation or negotiate other terms. If the boss accepts the resignation, the HR head is notified and the paperwork process begins. A 30-day grace period is usually practiced to allow for proper turnover and clearance. However, a shorter grace period may be granted at the discretion of the Management Team.
The usual documents that are commonly used are turnover checklists to aid you in proper turnover, exit interview survey to document the reason for your resignation, clearance form and certificate to ensure that you have no pending accounts and assignments with the company. Once you have been cleared, you will be given your last pay by your company. It is important to keep a copy of your Clearance Certificate or request for a Certificate of Employment as your next employer may require you to present one.
TERMINATION
Meanwhile, an employee may also be terminated due to lawful causes, just causes or authorized causes. Lawful causes are acts done by an employee that are not in accordance with the law. Just causes are acts done by an employee that are not in accordance with the company’s policies after sufficient warnings have been provided. Authorized causes are instances where the company has to terminate employment due to closure of the company, lingering illness of an employee or reduction of staff. Separation pay is usually given for authorized causes that involve illness of an employee and reduction of staff.
The usual documents that are commonly used are termination letters, notices and reports, turnover checklists, exit interview surveys, clearance forms and certificates. For authorized causes, HR are advised to submit letters and notices to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
EXIT GRACEFULLY
Whether you are an employer or an employee, it is critical for the health of your company as well as your career to make the exit process as smooth as possible.
As an employer, I’ve learned that it is definitely a lot better to send off your departing employees in a positive tone and to remove the drama from it all. Having an efficient HR system allows you to do just that. It helps you give goodwill.
As an employee, I’ve learned that it is in your best interest to leave with your reputation intact. Your relationship with your previous employer doesn’t end just because you left. It just simply changed. It is a true joy to be able to still communicate with people you have previously worked with and to be regarded in a good light. So exit gracefully, leave a good mark and keep in touch.
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and managing director for HR Club Philippines. Her company will be holding a seminar on Compensation and Benefits Management on October 21 (Wed), as well as, Labor Law and Relations on November 14 & 21 (Sat). Her company and team of HR consultants also offer consultancy services to help companies develop an efficient and practical HR System. To know more, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com and www.hrclubphilippines.com or call (632)6874645. You may email your comments and questions to: worklife@businessmaker-academy.com
Saturday, October 3, 2009
When Job Hunting, Is Honesty Really the Best Policy?
[Manila Bulletin WORK LIFE Column: published September 30, 2009]
Years of convent-style schooling compels me to say that in anything you do, you should strive to be a person of honesty and integrity. I believe in that wholeheartedly, not because it gains me entry to heaven, but because humbling experiences have shown me that it is much simpler to tell the truth. And yes, the truth does set a lot of us free (unless, of course, if you are a criminal).
But when telling the truth, there is a fine line between Tactful and Tactless. What you say and more importantly, how you say it are really what ultimately affect people. This reminds me of an actual conversation that I witnessed among my childhood friends Mina* and Belle* (not their real names)
Mina approaches Belle and says, “No offense, Belle, but you’re tactless.” Belle gets back at her, “Ikaw, pangit!” (you’re ugly)... After awhile, Belle whispers to us, “What’s tactless?”
THAT conversation is a perfect example of tactlessness. In case you are wondering which girl is the tactless one---both of them were!
TELLING THE TRUTH, TACTFULLY
When job hunting, you’re ability to tell the truth tactfully or tactlessly can spell the difference between landing that job vs. losing the career opportunity. Telling the truth tactfully is a communication skill that not many people have and it would be wise to develop and apply it in the process of your job search.
So let’s take a look at some real-life job hunting scenarios where telling the truth tactfully matters the most...
Scenario 1: Jumping from Job to Job
You have worked as a call center agent for a year, but the problem is: it is not for just one company but for four companies. The first two companies you worked for closed down after 3 months, while the other two, you resigned from because it was really tough selling to US consumers in the midst of the recession. You don’t want to appear like a serial job hunter who can’t hold a job for a long time. Question: Should you even put these short stints in your resume?
My advice: The Call Center Industry generally has a higher job turnover rate compared to other industries. It is quite common to see shorter than normal stay among call center agents. Hence, if you are applying for another call center agent position, it would be good to include the jobs you held for that year since it will show that you have experience. Recruitment Officers review job experience and timeframe in resumes. If you do not put those stints, you will be leaving out a year’s worth of experience. That one year gap may render your resume as questionable.
Meanwhile, when you get that interview, simply tell the truth and explain that the companies you worked for closed down due to management decision. When the interviewer asks you why you resigned from the other ones, never ever tell him or her, “Ang hirap kasi ng trabaho”. (The work was too hard). Instead, try phrasing it this way: “I resigned because the job did not really utilize my strengths. Being productive gives me a lot of fulfilment.” And while you’re at it, make a mental note and tell yourself never to whine about work being hard. You can do it!
Scenario 2: You Hate Your Ex-boss’ Guts
You resigned from your previous job because you simply could not stand your boss. He gets angry easily and you are not happy with your pay. There are many things you don’t like about that company and have finally decided to call it quits. Question: How should you answer when the interviewer asks: Why did you resign from your previous job?
My advice: Never ever say that you hate your ex-boss’ guts as the reason why you resigned. Never ever bad-mouth previous employers. When I interview applicants and they start telling me negative things about their previous employers, I usually just cut the interview short. First of all, no one wants negative people in their office. Secondly, an interview is not a counselling session. Lastly, if you say bad things about previous employers, recruitment officers will immediately see that you are likely to do the same thing to their company. Instead, simply say that the company culture does not fit you well, that you are looking for a happier and rewarding place to work in.
Scenario 3: You Have Some Experience but No Title
For your first job, you worked in a small company where you did all-around work. You did a lot of stockroom inventory work, some marketing and purchasing. Now, you are applying for a bigger company as an Inventory Supervisor. The problem is, you previous job title is Office Assistant. Question: How can you show that you are qualified for the Supervisory position even if you did not have the proper title?
My advice: Do not claim that you used to be an “Inventory Supervisor” to get that Inventory Supervisor job. That’s considered lying. Believe it or not, this actually happened to an HR friend of mine who was duly checking the background of one of her job candidates. The candidate passed the interview, but when she called and verified the information presented, she realized that the candidate lied about the position title. As a result, the candidate didn’t get the job. See, it is important to know that Recruitment Officers do background checks. And they do not simply just call the references you presented. They call previous employers. So instead of giving false information, the simple solution here is to highlight your experience in stockroom inventory work. Enumerate your skills, the activities that you did and what you accomplished or contributed in your previous job.
THE TRUTHFUL WAY
Being honest, whether you’re applying for a job or talking to a childhood friend is not just about telling the truth and nothing but the truth. What you say and how you say it matters very much. It can make a relationship or break one. So be wise and tell the truth with a lot of tact.
Jhoanna O. Gan-So is president of Businessmaker Academy and managing director for HR Club Philippines. Together with her team of HR Consultants, she has developed a successful seminar series on Human Resource Management which includes courses on Recruitment, Screening and Selection for HR practitioners. To know more about these seminars, you may visit www.businessmaker-academy.com and www.hrclubphilippines.com or call (632)6874645. You may email your comments and questions to: worklife@businessmaker-academy.com
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