Relaxation of the Rules on Prescribed Office Attire and Allowing the Wearing of Wash Day Clothes from 7 to 31 December 2022

December 6, 2022

SUPREME COURT MEMORANDUM

 

Factual Antecedents

On 4 March 2022, Your Honor approved this Committee's recommendation to adopt the following guidelines on the wearing of appropriate office attire, in view of the ongoing COVID-19 situation in the country:

(1) STRICT IMPLEMENTATION of the Guidelines on the Wearing of Appropriate Office Attire as provided in Administrative Circular No. 42-2013 in areas placed under Alert Level 1 or are no longer under any IATF Alert Level;

(2) RELAXATION of the Guidelines on the Wearing of Appropriate Office Attire as provided under Administrative Circular No. 42-2013 in areas placed under Alert Level 2 or higher, Provided, that all employees shall wear DECENT and PRESENTABLE ATTIRE while on official duty, subject to the strict observance of the following:

1. Skirts should be at least knee-length (one inch above the knee is allowed).

2. Appropriate footwear shall mean closed formal shoes; however, mules, sling back shoes and peep-toe shoes are allowed.

3. The following are prohibited office attire when performing official functions:

a. Gauzy, transparent, or net-like blouses or shirts;

b. Sando, sleeveless, strapless or spaghetti-strapped blouses, tank top (unless worn as undershirts), blouses with over-plunging necklines;

c. Collarless t-shirts; however, collarless blouses are allowed;

d. Micro-mini skirts, walking shorts, cycling shorts, leggings, tights, jogging pants, and pedal pushers;

e. Sandals and step-ins exposing the toes;

f. Rubber sandals, slippers, and bakya; and

g. Wearing of t-shirt or pins, caps, or any other similar election paraphernalia bearing the names of the candidates or political party except as authorized by the Commission of Elections, pursuant to Joint COMELEC and CSC Circular No. 001, Series of 2016.

4. The sporting of long and unkempt hair, as well as wearing of earrings and other body ornaments by male judges and court personnel, is not allowed.

5. The Identification Card (I.D.) forms part of the official uniform/appropriate office attire. Thus, it must be worn at all times while on official duty, regardless of IATF Alert Levels; and

(3) The foregoing shall be observed by all court employees, except personnel of the (1) Maintenance Division, Office of Administrative Services, (2) Security Division, Office of Administrative Services, (3) Medical and Dental Services, and (4) Philippine Judicial Academy Training Center (PTC), who shall wear the prescribed work attire suited for their respective duties (i.e., cargo pants, scrub suits, PPE, security personnel attire, PTC attire, etc.) regardless of IATF Alert Levels;

(4) For Friday or for last working day of the work week, even if not falling on a Friday, the employees of the Supreme Court, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, and all trial courts are hereby allowed to wear denim or "maong" pants, rubber shoes, sandals, and step-ins, pursuant to Paragraph IV (B) [B.3] of Administrative Circular No. 42-2013, in relation to Paragraph II of the 6 December 2018 Guidelines on the Wearing of Appropriate Office Attire; Provided, that collarless t-shirts for men shall not be allowed even on Fridays or the last working day of the work week.

Supreme Court Employees Association

In a letter dated 1 December 2022, 1 Mr. Erwin D. Ocson, President of SCEA, requested that the Court relax the rules on the wearing of appropriate office attire thus:

In behalf of the Supreme Court Employees Association (SCEA) member-employees, may I respectfully request that the Court relax the rules on the wearing of prescribed office attire, by allowing us to wear wash day clothes starting December 7, 2022, in time for the holding of parties and various activities in celebration of the Christmas season until the last working day of 2022.

Prior to the receipt of this Committee of the letter of SCEA, it has received a number of requests from offices in the Supreme Court requesting that the employees of their office be allowed to wear wash day clothes during the celebration of the Christmas Party of their office. The members of the Committee further pointed out that considering that in-person celebration of Christmas Parties are now allowed, it is to be expected that numerous letter-requests will be received by the Committee requesting authorization to wear wash day clothes during the celebration of various Christmas Parties in the different offices of the Supreme Court and the Lower Courts.

The foregoing considered, the Committee found that the relaxation of the wearing of the prescribed office uniform for the remainder of December 2022 will allow the officials and employees of the Supreme Court and the trial courts to freely schedule their respective Christmas parties at a time that will not hamper the efficiency of the functioning of their respective offices without having first securing prior authorization from this Committee to allow them to wear wash day clothes. Thus, it resolved to recommend to Your Honor to allow the relaxation of the rules of the wearing of prescribed office uniforms for the remaining working days of December 2022. In effect, this will allow all the employees of the Supreme Court, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, and the Lower Courts to wear wash day clothes every working day for the remainder of 2022.

Should Your Honor approve the present recommendation of this Committee, the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), through the Court Management Office (CMO), shall forthwith issue a Circular to notify all the Judges and personnel of all trial courts nationwide of the relaxation of the guidelines on the wearing of appropriate office attire for 7 to 31 December 2022.

Recommendation

IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, the Committee on Office Uniforms for the Supreme Court, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal and Lower Courts, respectfully recommends that:

(1) the request of the Supreme Court Employees' Association (SCEA) to allow the relaxation of the Guidelines on the Wearing of the Prescribed Office Uniforms beginning 7 December 2022 until the last working day of 2022 be APPROVED; and

(2) the Guidelines on the Wearing of Appropriate Office Attire be RELAXED thereby allowing employees of the Supreme Court, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, and the Lower Courts to wear denim or "maong" pants, rubber shoes, sandals, and step-ins, pursuant to Paragraph IV (B) [B.3] of Administrative Circular No. 42-2013, in relation to Paragraph II of the 6 December 2018 Guidelines on the Wearing of Appropriate Office Attire; EFFECTIVE 7 DECEMBER 2022 UNTIL 31 DECEMBER 2022, Provided, that the following shall continue to be prohibited: (1) collarless t-shirts for men; and (2) ripped pants/jeans, Provided, further, that all court employees shall wear DECENT and PRESENTABLE ATTIRE while on official duty.

For Your Honor's consideration and approval, please.

(SGD.) MARIA REGINA ADORACION FILOMENA M. IGNACIOChairperson

(SGD.) MARIA CARINA A. MATAMMU-CUNANANVice-Chairperson

did not participate in the deliberationsCORAZON G. FERRER-FLORESMember

(SGD.) MARIA TERESA O. DEMESA-RAZALMember

(SGD.) NASHMYLEEN A. MAROHOMSALICMember

(SGD.) DONNA LYNN U. ARICHETAMember

on leaveEMMA B. IGNACIOMember

(SGD.) IRENE D. VALONESEx-Officio Member (SCALE)

(SGD.) SUSAN M. DORONIOEx-Officio Member (SCEA)

(SGD.) MA. CRISTINA CARMELA I. JAPZONEx-Officio Member (PACE)

APPROVED

(SGD.) ALEXANDER G. GESMUNDOChief Justice

FOR YOUR HONOR'S CONSIDERATION

(SGD.) MARIFE M. LOMIBAO-CUEVASClerk of Court

Footnotes

1. Annex A.