On Friday, September 26, the Ministry of Labor issued a notice to employers and workers in the Greater Santo Domingo Area, the National District, and the provinces placed under red alert by the Emergency Operations Center (COE).
The Ministry called on employers to adopt flexible work schedules and to postpone non-essential commercial activities as a preventive measure in light of the tropical wave currently affecting the national territory.
It also requested that companies located in affected areas—and those that may be notified in the coming days—immediately implement all necessary internal measures to safeguard the safety of their personnel.
The Ministry reminded employers that these provisions include adjusting work hours and temporarily suspending non-priority activities until the alert level decreases and it is safe to resume normal operations.
The Ministry further clarified that none of these measures impact workers’ labor benefits, rights, or entitlements. The flexibility of work schedules must not, under any circumstances, be interpreted as a waiver or loss of vested rights.
Finally, the Ministry emphasized that these actions are in response to the warnings issued by the COE and are aimed at protecting the lives, safety, and rights of all workers in the country.
Please contact us if you have questions or require legal advice regarding this or any other labor matters.
