COURTS nationwide will now be open 10 hours daily from Monday to Friday following the implementation by the Supreme Court (SC) of a 4-day workweek for all court officials and employees.
This as the high court recently announced through a circular that it will be implementing the new work scheme amid the country’s current public health situation due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In Administrative Circular 62-2020, officials and employees of the high court will work with fixed office hours from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or 10 hours per day, for four days (40 hours) in a week.
On the other hand, the offices of the Chief Justice and Associate Justices shall operate in accordance with the respective discretions of the Chief Justice and Associate Justices.
All other offices and services of the court shall be physically opened and shall operate with not less than 80 percent from Monday to Friday.
The total number of employees in the office will be divided into five groups. Each group comprising of 20 percent employees will be assigned a weekday’s off from work. The office shall continue to operate and be open five days a week with not less than 80 percent in attendance.
The rendition of overtime services in different offices and services in the SC except in the Office of the Chief Justice and Associate Justices shall be suspended. Flexible time schedules shall likewise be suspended in the meantime.
The Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, the Court of Tax Appeals, and the lower courts were told to prepare and submit their own guidelines for a 4-day workweek to Peralta’s office for approval.
The circular was signed by Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta.
