COVID-19 PANDEMIC AS A FORCE MAJEURE FOR MASSIVE LAYOFFS

Abstract

The fact of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemics was often made as a reason by a lot of companies to conduct massive layoffs (PHK) in Indonesia. The regulation about force majeure to do massive layoffs (PHK) could only be found in Article 164 Act No. 13 Year 2003 about employment and it is not that specific about what kind of condition which could be categorized as force majeure that enables companies to conduct massive layoffs PHK. The statement of problem of this research is the spread of Covid-19 a condition categorized as force majeure that could become the reason to do a massive layoffs and how is the legal protection of worker toward the layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemics? This is normative research with constitutional and conceptual approach. The result from the observation and analysis indicated that the Covid-19 pandemics could be qualified as a force majeure but to conduct massive layoffs the companies need to experience loss or disadvantage and already closed permanently or massive layoffs is conducted for efficiency as what has been regulated by Article 164 point (1) and (3) Act No. 13 Year 2003 about employment by doing some steps in advance as stated in Minister Hand-outs No. SE-907/MEN/PHI-PPHI/X/2004, 28th October 2004 and the decision of the Supreme Court No. 19/PUU-IX/2011, 20th June 2012.