Solo On and Off Duty: Challenges of Selected Solo Parent Employees in Call Center Companies and the Implication of Republic Act 8972

Abstract

The study aims to unravel the challenges that solo parent workers face in their workplace while simultaneously exploring their struggles beyond their career or profession. The implementation of Republic Act No. 8972, also known as the “Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000” Section 6 (Flexible Work Schedule) and Section 8 (Parental leave) were also assessed by the proponents on randomly selected BPO companies in the Philippines. The purpose of this study is to create a narrative based on the stories of solo parents and how the implementation of the stated legislation affects them. This study revealed different narratives on how solo parents face challenges, how the people around them affect them, and the instances they consider as the most challenging as a solo parent. In addressing the challenges faced by solo parent employees, it was emphasized that both companies and the government has its role to play. In the perspective of the offices concerned with the mentioned sector, implementing the legislation for solo parents will be favorable for the company because it can improve their solo parent employees’ productivity since they can exert more focus on their job. Moreover, it is conspicuous that most solo parent participants are not that knowledgeable regarding the other provisions of the law. Motions in the Congress about the amendments of the said law are mentioned as well. The study was completed with the intention to benefit solo parent workers, company’s productivity together with its human resource department that exercises the legislation’s virtue efficiently.