Labor cites 46% complaints closure rate

The Department of Labor has cited a 46-percent closure rate for labor complaints this year.

Alfred Pangelinan, in his remarks during the first annual workforce development summit held Thursday, said there were 4,417 total complaints filed from 1997 to 2006.

A total of 2,151 of these complaints remained as of January this year.

As of Oct. 30, 2006, he said that the department has solved 997 of these cases.

“The new administration inherited 2,151 pending labor complaints from 1997 to 2006. There were 997 cases closed in the 10-month period. This is a 46-percent closure ratio,” said Pangelinan.

Further, he told the audience, consisting mainly of employers, that the processing of applications “is now more consistent with the requirements of the law.”

He said the Fitial administration inherited a backlog in processing of contracts, including those filed one year and six months ago.

To date, he said that the department is reviewing October 2006 applications.

The processing delay, he said, has been caused by the lack of personnel in the department.