Female employees are entitled to 105 days of paid maternity leave for live childbirth, with an option to extend for an additional 30 days without pay. For miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy, the entitlement is 60 days of paid leave.

Under the Expanded Maternity Leave Law (Republic Act No. 11210), maternity benefits are paid by the SSS. Solo parents receive an additional 15 days of paid maternity leave, for a total of 120 days.

Under the Paternity Leave Act (Republic Act No. 8187), married male employees are entitled to 7 days of paid paternity leave for the first four deliveries of the legitimate spouse.

Additionally, female employees may allocate up to 7 days of their maternity leave credits to the child's father, whether or not they are married.

Under the Solo Parents' Welfare Act (Republic Act No. 8972), solo parents who have rendered at least one year of service are entitled to 7 additional working days of parental leave per year, with full pay.

There is no statutory requirement for employers to provide paid sick leave in the Philippines. However, employees who are unable to work due to illness or injury may avail of the SSS Sickness Benefit, which provides daily cash allowance for the number of days unable to work.

Many employers provide sick leave as part of their company policy or collective bargaining agreements. The 5-day Service Incentive Leave can also be used for sick leave purposes.

There is no general statutory bereavement leave in the Philippines. However, under the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (VAWC), victims are entitled to up to 10 days of paid leave.

• Bereavement leave of 3 days is commonly provided through company policy or CBA
• Some employers offer additional compassionate leave depending on the relationship to the deceased

There is no at-will termination in the Philippines. Employers must have either a just cause or an authorized cause to terminate employment, as defined in the Labor Code of the Philippines.

Just causes for termination include:

• Serious misconduct or willful disobedience
• Gross and habitual neglect of duties
• Fraud or willful breach of trust
• Commission of a crime against the employer or immediate family
• Other analogous causes

Authorized causes for termination include:

• Installation of labor-saving devices
• Redundancy
• Retrenchment to prevent losses
• Closure or cessation of business
• Disease that is prejudicial to the employee's health or co-workers

For authorized cause terminations, the employer must provide a written notice at least 30 days before the effective date of termination to both the employee and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

• Authorized cause: 30 days written notice required
• Just cause: No minimum notice period, but the two-notice rule must be followed
• Employee resignation: 30 days advance written notice

Severance pay (separation pay) is required only for authorized cause terminations. The amount depends on the specific authorized cause:

• Redundancy, installation of labor-saving devices, or retrenchment: 1 month pay per year of service, or 1 month pay, whichever is higher
• Closure not due to serious losses: 1 month pay per year of service or half-month pay per year of service, depending on the cause
• Disease: 1 month pay per year of service or half-month pay per year of service, whichever is greater

Employees terminated for just cause are not entitled to separation pay. Upon termination, employees must receive any unpaid wages, pro-rated 13th month pay, and cash conversion of unused service incentive leave.

Employees who have rendered at least one year of service are entitled to a minimum of 5 days of Service Incentive Leave (SIL) per year with full pay.

This leave can be used for vacation or sick leave purposes. Unused SIL is commutable to its monetary equivalent at the end of the year. Some employers offer more generous leave entitlements through company policy or collective bargaining agreements.

The Philippines observes 18 or more regular and special non-working holidays annually, as declared by the President through a proclamation.

Regular holidays include:

• New Year's Day (January 1)
• Araw ng Kagitingan / Day of Valor (April 9)
• Maundy Thursday (varies)
• Good Friday (varies)
• Labor Day (May 1)
• Independence Day (June 12)
• National Heroes Day (last Monday of August)
• Bonifacio Day (November 30)
• Christmas Day (December 25)
• Rizal Day (December 30)
• Eid al-Fitr (varies)
• Eid al-Adha (varies)

Special non-working holidays include:

• EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary (February 25)
• Black Saturday (varies)
• Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21)
• All Saints' Day (November 1)
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)
• Last Day of the Year (December 31)

The onboarding process is typically completed within 2-5 business days following client execution of the Statement of Work.

Salaries in the Philippines are typically paid on a semi-monthly basis (twice a month), although some employers opt for monthly payroll cycles. Pay periods commonly fall on the 15th and end of each month.

The 13th month pay is mandatory in the Philippines under Presidential Decree No. 851. All rank-and-file employees who have worked for at least one month during a calendar year are entitled to receive their 13th month pay on or before December 24 of each year. It is calculated as one-twelfth (1/12) of the total basic salary earned within the year.

Employment contracts in the Philippines can be either fixed-term or regular (indefinite). While written contracts are not strictly required by law, they are strongly recommended to clearly define the terms and conditions of employment.

Essential contract elements include:

• Employee and employer identification
• Commencement date
• Job title and description
• Compensation and benefits
• Working hours and schedule
• Duration (for fixed-term contracts)
• Termination provisions

Contracts may be written in English or Filipino. Fixed-term contracts must have a valid reason for the fixed duration; otherwise, the employee may be deemed a regular employee.

The probationary period in the Philippines is a maximum of 6 months, unless covered by an apprenticeship agreement stipulating a longer period. The employer must inform the probationary employee of the reasonable standards for regularization at the time of engagement.

If the employee is not terminated or informed of non-regularization on or before the end of the 6-month probationary period, the employee is deemed a regular employee. Termination during probation must be for just cause or failure to meet the reasonable standards communicated at the start of employment.