Cotabato Rep. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza has asked the House committee on labor and employment to inquire into the enforcement of the Labor Code provision that requires shops to provide seats for their mostly female sales attendants, a press release from her office said.

She said Article 132 of the Labor Code clearly requires department stores, supermarkets and other retailers to provide seats for sales personnel, to be used during working hours, as long as they could still efficiently perform their duties.

She said this law is meant to protect the mostly female workers in retail trade and other industries from the health risks of prolonged standing at work, the press release said.

There are several studies showing that workers forced to stand long hours on the job are at greater risk of occupational health problems, she also said.

The ailments linked to prolonged standing on the job include varicose veins, swelling in the feet and legs, foot problems, lower limb disorders, fatigue and pain due to inadequate blood circulation, joint compression and damage, and even pregnancy difficulties, she said in the same press release.

Taliño-Mendoza also said she is totally behind the House bill seeking to raise to 120 days or four months the existing 60-day paid maternity leave benefit, the press release said.

She also cited the need for Congress to add teeth to the law compelling private and public offices to establish daycare centers and nursing rooms for working mothers, the press release added.*

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