On 19 March 2020, the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management issued Joint Circular (JC) No. 1, s. 2020, entitled “Interim Guidelines Governing Contract of Service (COS) and Job Order (JO) Workers in the Government for the Duration of the State of Calamity and Community Quarantine Due to the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19)”.

Among others, JC No. 1, s. 2020 provides that COS and JO workers who will be required to work from home shall be paid their corresponding salaries/wages during the community quarantine period. Further, COS and JO workers who will not be required to report for work due to work suspension and those who are not part of the agency skeletal workforce shall be paid their corresponding salaries/wages during the community quarantine period as exception to the “no work, no pay” principle but only for the duration of the community quarantine period due to the COVID-19.

Appropriate additional benefits may also be granted to COS and JO workers who will be part of the agency skeletal workforce and will be able to physically report for work during the quarantine period, as may be authorized by the Office of the President.