Tired of dealing with difficult clients as a freelancer? The House has approved a bill for your protection
Most freelancers, at some point, have probably gotten frustrated for getting paid late or dealing with difficult clients.
If you can relate, you’d be happy to know that a bill aiming to protect you has just been approved on 3rd and final reading by the House of Representatives on Thursday, March 25 with a 195-0 vote and no abstentions.
House Bill No. 8817, or the proposed Freelance Workers Protection Act, “aims to advance the rights and welfare of freelancers and ensure humane working conditions and a proper living wage,” as per the Philippine News Agency.
Apart from required contracts between the hiring party and the freelancer, it also states that “the hazard pay granted to freelancers shall be equivalent to at least 25% of the total payment for the period of work deployment unless there is a more favorable fee stipulated in the contract.”
Additionally, freelance workers who need to be physically present in the office or take on field assignments "shall be paid a night shift differential of not less than 10% of one's regular compensation for each hour of work performed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., unless there is a more favorable fee stipulated in the contract."
Paying freelancers 15 days after the agreed payment period is among the unlawful practices in the bill, which defines a freelance worker as any individual registered as self-employed with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, “hired or retained to provide services in exchange for compensation."
Failure to comply with the proposed measure could result in a fine between P50,000 and P500,000.