Who is a caregiver?
Any person 18 years of age who renders caregiving services to clients. The term includes licensed health care professionals who listed themselves with DOLE as caregivers and those assessed and certified by TESDA.
Who is client?
A newborn, an infant, toddler, preschooler, school children, adolescent, adult, elderly, and people with special needs.
What are the duties of a caregiver (caregiving services)?
- Help clients with their daily activities and mobility restrictions
- Provide some basic health-related services, such as checking the client’s vital signs including pulse rate, temperature, respiration rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation
- Assist clients with simple and safe exercises taught by a duly licensed rehabilitation science specialist
- Assist in the administration of home medications as prescribed by the physician
- Advise clients and their families on cleanliness and household tasks
- Accompany clients to appointments with doctors or on other errands related to health care, support, and assistance
- Assist in housekeeping tasks related to health care, support, and assistance with client’s room
- Assist in the preparation of the client’s food in accordance with health-related needs, and
- Other tasks directly related to health care, support and assistance to clients
How long is a caregiver’s working hours?
Depends on the employment contract, but work beyond 8 hours will entitle the caregiver to overtime pay. For night shift, the caregiver is also entitled to night shift differential.
What is the minimum wage of a caregiver?
The same as the applicable minimum wage in the region.
Is a caregiver entitled to 13th month pay?
Yes, if the caregiver has rendered at least 1 month of service. The 13th month pay must be paid not later than December 24th.
Are caregivers covered by SSS, Philhealth, Pag-Ibig?
Yes.
Are caregivers entitled to leave benefits?
Yes. A caregiver who has rendered at least one year of service is entitled to an annual service incentive leave of 5 days with pay.
Are caregivers bound by duties of confidentiality?
Yes. All information and communication pertaining to the client, employer, or members of the household shall be treated as privileged and confidential, and shall not be publicly disclosed by the caregiver at any time during and after employment without the consent of the client, employer, or members of the household.
When can an employer terminate the contract of a caregiver?
The following are grounds for termination of a caregiver’s services:
- Misconduct or willful disobedience by the caregiver of the lawful order of the employer in connection with the caregiver’s work
- Gross or habitual neglect or insufficiency in the performance of duties
- Fraud or willful breach of the trust reposed by the employer
- Commission of crime or offense by the caregiver
- Violation of terms and conditions of the employment contact by the caregiver
- The caregiver having any disease prejudicial to the health of the client, any member of the household, employer or his/her representative
- Other causes analogous to the above
When can caregivers terminate their contract with an employer?
Caregivers may terminate their employment contracts for any of the following reasons:
- Verbal or emotional abuse by the client, any member of the household, employer or his/her representative (exemption: in cases when the client is suffering from mental illness)
- Inhumane treatment including physical abuse against the caregiver by the client, any member of the household, employer or his/her representative
- Commission of a crime or offense against the caregiver by the client, any member of the household, employer or his/her representative
- Violation of the terms and conditions of the employment contract by the employer
- The client, any member of the household, employer or his/her representative having any disease prejudicial to the health of the caregiver
- Other causes analogous to the above
For more information, please read Republic Act 11965.
