Good Afternoon!

a. Work Stoppage and Suspension of Work can be used interchangeably in

so far as cessation of work is needed due to calamities or other fortuitous
event.
a.1 Work Suspension is just the usual term used when the government
orders suspension of work may it be due to holidays or occurrence of
natural disasters or calamities. Other than that, the two aforementioned
terms have the same concept.

b. The Principle of No Work No Pay, for work stoppage declaration by the

company, cannot be applied to Project Employees. The company cannot
single out Project Employees.
b.1 The IRR of Occupational Safety Law provides that the State shall
ensure a safe and healthful workplace for all working people by affording
them full protection against all hazards in their work environment and
the State shall also protect every worker against injury, sickness or
death through safe and healthful working conditions.
b.2 The Occupational Safety Law applies to all establishments, projects
and sites and all other places where work is being undertaken in all
branches of economic activity including a workplace wherein the
presence of hazard or potential hazard within the company may affect
the safety and/or health of workers.
b.3 The IRR of the said law also provides that as a preventive measure,
the safety officer may, following his/her own determination and without
fear of reprisal, implement a work stoppage or suspend operations in
cases of imminent danger. The employer or safety officer cannot require
the workers to return to work where there is a continuing imminent
danger. A worker may also refuse to work until the lifting of the Work
Stoppage Order (WSO) after implementing the appropriate corrective
measures. Workers affected by the existence of an imminent danger
situation may be temporarily assigned to other areas within the
workplace provided there is no impending issue with safety and health.
b.4 Hence, the Work Stoppage Declaration due to the existence of
imminent danger to the health and safety of workers in the workplace
is compensable.
c. For Emergency Leave Policy, you may have it implemented provided
that it shall not affect the employees’ current salary/wage and other
benefits.