Chapter

4
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

WORKING HOURS
A. Office Hours: Full Flexitime Schedule

Pursuant to RA 1880 (the Forty-Hour Work Week Law), all officials and employees of government
are required to render at least forty (40) hours of service a week, exclusive of time for lunch.
Under Office Circular No. 002-97, dated 14 April 1997, as revised under Office Circulars No. 012004 and 01-A-2004, dated January 13, 2004 and June 23, 2004, the full-flexitime policy is being
observed in the NEDA in recognition to the need to adopt more humane policies on work hours.
Hereunder are the policies and guidelines for the implementation of the full-flexitime schedule:
1. Coverage
The full-flexitime schedule covers all career and noncareer personnel in the NEDA. However,
drivers and security guards responsible for nondesk work, including other personnel who are observing
special work-week (e.g. personnel attending classes and those who, by the nature of their jobs, may have
to work during Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) are not covered by the flexitime schedule. Instead,
they are required to observe a schedule suited to the nature of their work.
2. Flexible Working Hours for NEDA
The responsiveness, productivity and efficiency of NEDA operations is paramount at all times.
Therefore, a NEDA employee can start and end work at a time convenient to him provided that the same
shall not be prejudicial to the prompt and efficient delivery of service and shall not in any way disrupt the
daily operations of the office where he is assigned.
Work hours in the NEDA is from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thus, he may opt to start working anytime
between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. provided the core working hours are observed.
The core working hours start from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, during which he is
required to be in the office. If he reports later than 9:30 a.m., he is considered tardy and if he leaves
earlier than 4:00 p.m., he is considered on undertime and such period of time is accordingly deducted
from his leave credits.
He is required to render at least 40 hours in a week and must be present during the core working
hours on regular days from Monday to Friday. Any deficiency in his hours of work in a week cannot be
compensated the following week and is therefore deducted from his leave credits otherwise, the money
value of the said deficiency shall be deducted from his salary.

He is entitled to a period of time for lunch but not to exceed one hour which shall be from 12:00
noon to 1:00 p.m.
3. Role of Staff/Regional Director
It is the primordial responsibility of the Director to ensure unhampered operations in the office.
When the interest of the service so requires, and as an exception to the general rule, he may require any
employee to report for work outside the core working hours on such days specified on a written
memorandum. He may also require any employee to render overtime work in the exigency of the service.
The Director and his Assistant Director, including Chiefs of Divisions, are responsible in monitoring
the attendance of personnel based on Staff logbooks and locator charts, as well as Weekly Reports of
Attendance generated through the Computerized Time Recording System (CTRS)-delete and the bundy
clocks. Likewise, the Daily Time Records of employees are shared on a read-only status via the NEDA
intranet for them to be able to view their attendance records for a given period.
The Director, at all times, takes the necessary steps to advise concerned personnel of the
implications of the violations of established rules on attendance. He should provide assistance at an
early stage, utilizing dialogue, memos, counseling, among other means, before applying sanctions on
attendance.

B. Recording and Monitoring of Attendance

Attendance of employees is recorded through the CTRS or bundy clock, whichever is applicable, as
these are the NEDA's official systems for recording of attendance. In the CO, whenever the CTRS is nonoperational, [the bundy clock is used to record the attendance of personnel delete] employees shall log
their attendance on the PAIS logbook. In the case of officials who are Presidential appointees, they are
exempted from recording their attendance through the CTRS/bundy clock, however their [attendance
delete] absences should also be properly recorded.
Swiping a chronolog card or punching a bundy card is purely a personal act of the employee and it
cannot be delegated to somebody. Letting somebody else swipe someone's chronolog card is an act of
falsification of attendance records which is a ground for summary removal from the service.
Hereunder are the policies to be observed in recording and monitoring attendance under the Full
Flexitime Policy per the O.C. cited earlier:
a. A NEDA personnel who come in office after 9:30 a.m. is considered tardy, and if he ends work
before 4:00 p.m., he is considered undertime;
b. Failure to record his attendance through the CTRS/bundy clock in the morning and/or in the
afternoon shall mean that he is considered absent;
c.

In cases when he fails to use his chronolog card, i.e. misplaced or unable to bring his chronolog
card, he should immediately to the lobby guards station or to PAIS to register his time-in or timeout for that day in the PAIS logbook. The actual time that he/she reports shall be recorded as his
time in or time out as the case maybe. However, if he fails to use his chronolog card for reasons
stated earlier and failed to register his time-in or out in the PAIS logbook, he can only be credited
workhours rendered during the core working hours of 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m He then
accomplishes the NEDA Personnel Attendance Form (NPAF),Annex 5, available at the
Administrative Staff, and ensures that this is approved and validated by his Director during the
day or the following day in case he fails to swipe in the afternoon. [However, he can only be

credited workhours rendered during the core working hours of 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; - delete]
and
d. When his chronolog card is lost, he should report this in writing to the Administrative Staff with an
affidavit of loss. In case his chronolog card is damaged, he should also report this to the
Administrative Staff by presenting the damaged card. He shall be allowed to use the bundy
clock until a new card is issued.
The Administrative Staff shall secure a replacement chronolog card only for the first instance
of loss or damage of chronolog card by the employee concerned. For subsequent cases of
lost/damaged chronolog card by the same employee, he shall personally secure a replacement
chronolog card.
Drivers, security guards responsible for nondesk work and who are observing the special
workshift who lost their bundy cards are required to submit an affidavit of loss to the
Administrative Staff. A replacement bundy card shall be issued and be used while the
replacement chronolog card is being secured. The entries in the bundy card [and entries in the
Staff's logbook and Weekly Report of Attendance - delete] shall be the bases of their attendance
for the period. These records must be certified by the Chief of Division/Staff Director concerned.

C. Official Business/Fieldwork
Whenever there is a need for an employee to go out of the premises of NEDA on official business
during office hours, he should accomplish a Personnel Pass (Annex 6) indicating the purpose and time of
departure and time of arrival. The form can be obtained from the Administrative Staff. It is accomplished
in two (2) copies and signed by the immediate supervisor and next higher official. One copy of the pass
should be submitted to the Administrative Staff not later than the deadline set [attached to the Weekly
Report of Attendance] and the other copy should be submitted to the security guard.
In case of fieldwork requiring attendance for more than one day and held outside Metro Manila, a
Local Travel Order (LTO) is required, copy of which is to be submitted to the Administrative Staff not later
than the deadline set [attached to the Weekly Report of Attendance for submission to the Administrative
Staff]. Approval of LTO is as follows per OC 9-96, dated 26 September 1996:
1. The DDG concerned, or in his absence, any of the DDGs immediately available is authorized to
sign LTOs of ADGs. In the case of any DDGs, his Order is signed by another DDG, or in their
absence, by any of the ADG concerned. For all other personnel whose travel will last from seven
(7) calendar days up to one (1) month, the DDG/ADG concerned;
2. The ADG concerned approves LTOs of the Directors in his office. In his absence, it is signed by
the DDG concerned or his duly designated Officer-In-Charge. The Staff Director approvesLTOs of
his Assistant Director and all other personnel under his supervision, for travel that will last for
seven (7) calendar days and below. The Regional Director aproves LTOs of his personnel that
will not last for more than one calendar;
3. LTOs that will last for more than one calendar month is approved by the President of the
Philippines, or official duly authorized by him pursuant to Executive Order 248.

D. Personal Business
In accordance with Rule X, item c of RA 6713, otherwise known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical
Standards for Public Officials and Employees, an employee is prohibited to engage in the private practice

of his profession, if such practice will conflict or tend to conflict with his official duties. Transacting
personal matters during office hours is not also allowed. It is regarded to be improper and unethical if
employees attend to personal affairs during said period as they are supposed to serve their clientele who
pay their taxes from which salaries are drawn. Office hours no longer belong to employees but to the
people whom they serve or the government in general.
However, if unavoidable circumstances occur, like going to the doctor for emergency treatment or
other instances of emergency cases, an employee may be allowed to attend to these and when one goes
outside the NEDA premises within office hours, he is required to swipe/punch out and do the same when
coming back.
Permission from immediate supervisors should be sought when attending to less pressing personal
matters, i.e. withdraw cash from the bank, paying due amortizations, treating friends, etc. Granting
personnel permission to attend to personal concern is discretionary on the part of NEDA officials. The
interest of the office should always prevail.
All employees going out of NEDA premises for personal business are also required to accomplish
the Personal Business Pass Slip (PBPS) and seek the approval of the same from their immediate
supervisor.

E. Computation of Work Hours Rendered in a Week

Work rendered by NEDAns under the flexitime schedule is computed on an hourly basis. Absence
for one full day corresponds only to absence during the core working hours, equivalent to 5 1/2 hours,
provided the employee rendered at least 34 1/2 hours of work during the week. Any deficiency in the
hours of work in a week cannot be compensated the following week and is therefore deducted from his
leave credits, or salary in the absence of the former.

F. Reports of Attendance
Employees' transactions, i.e., their time in/out for the previous week are accumulated in the
Chronolog Time Recorder and are uploaded to the Attendance Monitoring System the following week. [to
to generate the Weekly Report of Attendance (WRAs). The generated WRAs are then forwarded to
concerned Offices/Staffs for verification of the entries therein.] The Daily Time Records of employees are
shared on a read-only status via the NEDA intranet for them to be able to view their attendance records
for a given period. In case of blank entries in attendance record due to leave of absence, official or
personal business pass, special order, foreign travel order, local travel order, etc. concerned employee
shall be responsible to submit said documents to the Administrative Staff not later than the deadline set
so that the necessary updates could be made. [The validated WRAs and duly signed by concerned
employees, with complete attachment, such as: approved Leave Applications, Official Business Forms
(OBs), Special Orders (SOs), Local Travel Orders (LTOs), NEDA Personnel Attendance Forms (NPAFs),
etc. are returned to the Administrative Staff five (5) days after receipt of said WRAs as basis in the
preparation of the Staff's Monthly Daily Time Records (DTRs). Ballpen entries for time in and out in the
Weekly Report of Attendance (WRA) are not allowed.]
DTRs for the previous month [, together with the Staff's Monthly Summary Report of Attendance
based on the WRAs and other pertinent documents,] are prepared and issued to concerned Staffs/Offices
every 15th of the following month for signature and information. The salary of any employee who fails to
submit back his DTR for a specific month is not paid starting on the second payday of the ensuing
month until such DTR is so submitted per item 21 of OC 06-89, dated 18 August 1989.

After the issuance of the monthly DTRs, the individual Leave Credit Balances (Sick Leave and
Vacation Leave Credits) of the employees are updated. Notices of Salary Deduction are then issued to
employees who incurred Leaves Without Pay (LWOP), Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL) and
Negative Leave Credit Balances (NLCB).
Semi-Annual Notices of Leave Credits are likewise issued to every employee one month after each
semester for information and reference.

G. Work Hours for Studying Personnel

To encourage self-development in the NEDA, an employee who is enrolled in any school, college or
university recognized by the government and in a course relevant to the Office/Staff as determined by the
Staff/Office head, may be authorized to observe a special work week if the schedule of his classes does
not allow him to observe the Full Flexitime Schedule, subject to the following conditions pursuant to the
same OC cited earlier:
a. That such authority is covered by a Special Order (S.O.) approved/signed by the DDG of the
office concerned in the CO and Regional Director in the NROs;
b. That the hours of work per day under the special workshift is set in agreement between the
employee concerned and his Director;
c.

That the employee is required to render 40 hours of service for a week and any deficiency
thereof shall be deducted from his leave credit or salary in the absence of the form;

[d. That the employee concerned shall use the bundy card during the duration of the special
workshift;]
e. That office work takes precedence over class schedules;
f.

That the employee concerned shall not use the special workshift as an excuse for refusing to
accept urgent assignments or to render overtime service;

g. That at the end of every semester/trimester, the employee concerned shall submit to the
Administrative Staff for CO and Operations Division for NROs, for records/verification purposes,
copies of his report of grades or a certification of attendance by the Registrar; and
h. That upon termination of the special workshift, he shall inform the Administrative Staff/Operations
Division of the suspension of such privilege. [, and that he shall thereafter use the Computerized
Time Recording System (CTRS) to record his attendance.]

H. Overtime Service
Hours of work in excess of 40 hours in a week is considered overtime service provided it is
authorized by proper authority (OC 2-97 dated 14 April 1997) and paid in accordance with Budget
Circular No. 10, s. 1996. Overtime cannot be used to offset undertime/tardiness. An employee who has
not rendered the minimum working hours for the week may be allowed to claim overtime pay provided he
has sufficient leave credits (GAAM, section 285).

Personnel rendering overnight overtime service shall swipe out at 11:59 p.m. [12:00 midnight] and
swipe in at 12:00 a.m.

I.

High Frequency OF Absenteeism and Tardiness/Undertime

Pursuant to item 22 of Office Circular 2-97 dated 14 April 1997 on the Guidelines for the
Implementation of the Full Flexitime in the NEDA, personnel with high frequency of tardiness, absences
and/or undertimes is taken out of the payroll for a particular month and is paid for actual services
rendered upon submission of request and supporting documents therefor.
High frequency of absences means absenting oneself more than the allowable leave credit per month
which is 2.5 days. [In case of tardiness/undertime, it means that the frequency of tardiness/undertime is
more than 50 percent of the total working days for a given month.]
J. Habitual Absenteeism and Tardiness/Undertime
Habitual absenteeism and tardiness/undertime are considered grave and light offenses, respectively,
per CSC MC No. 19, s. 1998. However, habitual tardiness could either be a grave offense under Rule
IV, Section 52, Paragraph (A), No. (17), Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, or
light offense under Rule IV, Section 52, Paragraph (C), No (4), of the same Rules, depending on the
frequency of its commission, depravity, and its effects to the general service.
An employee is considered habitually absent if he incurs unauthorized absences exceeding the
allowable 2.5 days monthly leave credit under the leave law for at least three (3) months in a semester or
at least three (3) consecutive months during the year.
On the other hand, he is considered habitually tardy/undertime if he incurs tardiness/undertime,
regardless of the number of minutes, 10 times a month for at least two months in a semester or at least
two (2) consecutive months during the year.
The following sanctions are imposed for violation of the above guidelines pursuant to CSC MC No.
19, s. 1998:

1ST Offense
(after due proceedings)

2nd Offense
3rd Offense
(after due proceedings)

HABITUAL ABSENTEEISM HABITUAL TARDINESS/

UNDERTIMES
Six (6) months and one (1)
REPRIMAND
day to one (1) year
suspension
DISMISSAL

1 day to 30 day suspension

DISMISSAL

Based on the reports of attendance issued by the Administrative Staff, the employee concerned,
through his Director or Unit Head, shall submit to the Administrative Staff his written justification why he
should not be charged administratively for violation of the policies on punctuality and attendance. The
Administrative Staff shall forward the said justification and other pertinent documents to the Legal Staff.
The latter shall study and evaluate the matter and initial legal action against concerned employee who is
habitually tardy, undertime and/or absent.

[The Legal Staff, upon the recommendation of the Staff/Regional Director concerned and based on the
reports of attendance issued by the Administrative Staff/Operations Division, initiates legal action against
concerned NEDA personnel who are considered habitually absent and tardy/undertime.]