Question availment of compensatory time off whiule on training

There are cases when employees are on official attending HRD activities such as training, seminars that falls on holidays or saturdays. Can they avail of compensatory time off?

This refers to your query regarding an official activity such as training or seminars that falls on a Saturday or holiday and if the participant employee can avail of compensatory time-off.

Please be informed that as a matter of policy, the Commission refrains from rendering an opinion on matters that may be brought before it in the future by way of a complaint or an appeal.

However, under Civil Service Commission-Department of Budget and Management (CSC-DBM) Joint Circular (JC) No. 02-04, October 4, 2004 (Non-Monetary Remuneration for Overtime Services Rendered) compensatory time-off (CTO) refers to the number of hours or days an employee is excused from reporting for work with full pay and benefits. It is a non-monetary benefit provided to an employee in lieu of overtime pay.

Procedures for the availment of CTO are enumerated under Section 6 of the same joint circular, thus:

xxx

“6.0 Procedure

“The following procedures shall be observed in the rendition of overtime services and availment of compensatory time off:

‘6.1 The Head of Office/authorized official issues an Office Order authorizing the rendition of overtime services and indicating the tasks to be completed and the expected time of completion.

‘6.2 The employee renders overtime services as stipulated in the Office Order.

‘6.3 The Human Resource Management Office prepares a summary of overtime services rendered in a month, and computes the equivalent COCs, for the purpose of the issuance of the COC Certificate.

‘6.4 The Head of Office issues the Certificate of COCs, specifying the number of COCs earned in a month.

‘6.5 The employee requests approval from the Head of Office on the schedule of CTO.

‘6.6 The employee avails of the CTO.” (Underscoring for emphasis)



Based from the foregoing provision, there must be an Office Order specifically authorizing the rendering of overtime services with the corresponding tasks to be completed and the timeline for its completion. Thus, in the absence of the express grant by the head of office that the tasks to be completed entitles the employee/participant of a CTO.

As regards your query, there must be a prior express declaration by your head of office that the time to be spent for the completion of the activity will entitle the employees/participants to the equivalent CTO. The grant cannot be given after the completion of the activity. In the absence of the prior express grant of entitlement of a CTO, you and the other employees cannot claim CTO equivalent to the time spent on your Program Assessment cum Team Building even portion of which was held on a Saturday.


We hope we have enlightened you on the matter.

AO24