Book Three of the Labor Code sets the conditions under which work is performed and paid for. It runs from Article 82 to Article 161 and is the largest Book in the Code — three Titles, eleven chapters, covering hours of work, rest days, holidays, service incentive leave, the whole of wage law, and the special rules for women, minors, domestic workers, homeworkers and night workers.
Most everyday pay disputes in the Philippines are decided somewhere in this Book. Part of the Labor Code library.
Direct Answer
Book Three, titled Conditions of Employment, contains three Titles. Title I — Working Conditions and Rest Periods (Articles 82–96) sets the eight-hour day, meal periods, night shift differential, overtime, the weekly rest day, holiday pay, service incentive leave and service charges. Title II — Wages (Articles 97–129) defines a wage, delegates minimum wage-setting to the regional boards, governs how wages are paid, lists lawful and unlawful deductions, and gives DOLE its inspection and money-claim powers. Title III — Working Conditions for Special Groups (Articles 130–161) covers women, minors, househelpers, homeworkers and night workers.
Article 82 matters more than its position suggests: it excludes government employees, managerial employees, field personnel, family members dependent on the employer, domestic helpers, persons in the personal service of another, and workers paid by results from the whole of Title I. Before applying any hours, rest day or holiday rule, check whether the worker is covered at all.
The Three Titles
| Title | Articles | Covers | Full text |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title I — Working Conditions and Rest Periods | 82–96 | Hours of work, weekly rest periods, holidays, service incentive leave, service charges | Live |
| Title II — Wages | 97–129 | Definitions, minimum wage rates, payment of wages, prohibitions, wage determination, enforcement | Live |
| Title III — Special Groups of Employees | 130–161 | Women, minors, househelpers, homeworkers, night workers | Live |
Chapter Map
| Title | Chapter | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| I — Working Conditions and Rest Periods | I — Hours of Work | 82–90 |
| II — Weekly Rest Periods | 91–93 | |
| III — Holidays, Service Incentive Leaves, and Service Charges | 94–96 | |
| II — Wages | I — Preliminary Matters | 97–98 |
| II — Minimum Wage Rates | 99–101 | |
| III — Payment of Wages | 102–111 | |
| IV — Prohibitions Regarding Wages | 112–119 | |
| V — Wage Studies, Wage Agreements, and Wage Determination | 120–127 | |
| VI — Administration and Enforcement | 128–129 | |
| III — Special Groups | I — Employment of Women | 130–136 |
| II — Employment of Minors | 137–138 | |
| III — Employment of Househelpers (expressly repealed) | 139–150 | |
| IV — Employment of Homeworkers | 151–153 | |
| V — Employment of Night Workers | 154–161 |
What Has Changed in Book Three
Book Three carries the heaviest amendment load in the Code. Reading the statutory text alone will mislead you on several points, so these are worth knowing before you cite anything from it.
| Provision | Status | Governing law today |
|---|---|---|
| Article 94(c) — holiday list | Enumeration superseded | Sec. 26, Ch. 7, Book I of E.O. No. 292 as amended by R.A. No. 9849 (2009); Article 94 itself amended by E.O. No. 203 (1987) |
| Article 96 — service charges | Amended | R.A. No. 11360 (2019) — distributed in full, replacing the former 85/15 split |
| Article 99 — minimum wage | Amended | Sec. 3, R.A. No. 6727 (1989) — rates set regionally by the RTWPBs; no figure appears in the Code |
| Articles 106–109 — contracting | Implementing rules replaced | DOLE D.O. No. 174 (2017), superseding D.O. No. 18-A (2011) |
| Article 128(b) — visitorial power | Amended | R.A. No. 7730 (1994) |
| Former Articles 130–131 — night work ban for women | Repealed | R.A. No. 10151 (2011), which also inserted the night workers chapter — this is why Title III’s numbering shifts by two |
| Article 131 [133] — maternity leave | Superseded in practice | R.A. No. 11210 (2019), 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law |
| Chapter III, Articles 139–150 — househelpers | Expressly repealed | R.A. No. 10361 (2013), Batas Kasambahay — the Code text is still printed but is no longer the governing law |
| Minor employment provisions | Amended | R.A. No. 9231, strengthening the elimination of the worst forms of child labour |
Title III — Special Groups of Employees (Articles 130–161)
Read the full text of Title III, Articles 130 to 161 → Every article carries its current status, because this Title holds the Code’s most heavily amended material: a chapter that has been expressly repealed, a provision superseded by a later law, and article numbers that shifted because of a repeal.
The rules that actually govern these groups today are covered here:
- Women (130–136): Maternity leave — 105 days under R.A. No. 11210 · Leave benefits overview
- Minors (137–138): Apprentice · Internship
- Househelpers (139–150, repealed): Kasambahay rights — salary, rest days and benefits under Batas Kasambahay · Glossary: Kasambahay
- Night workers (153–161): Night shift differential · Glossary: Graveyard shift
Practical Guides to Book Three
Hours and schedules
The 8-hour day, 12-hour shifts and overtime · DOLE rules on overtime pay · Night shift differential · Undertime and the no-offset rule · Who qualifies as field personnel
Rest days, holidays and leave
Rest day rules · Premium pay · Holiday pay: regular vs special days · Holiday calendar and computation · Service incentive leave · Leave without pay
Wages
What counts as a wage (Article 97) · Minimum wage · Paid below minimum wage · Wage payment rules · Unauthorized salary deductions · Diminution of benefits (Article 100) · Labor-only contracting (Articles 106–109)
Enforcement
DOLE or NLRC: where to file · Which claims go directly to the NLRC · How to file SEnA
Not in Book Three: 13th month pay comes from Presidential Decree No. 851, a separate law — see 13th month pay.
Sources
- Department of Labor and Employment, Labor Code of the Philippines, as Amended and Renumbered (2022 edition), Book Three, pages 27–54, including DOLE’s own amendment and repeal footnotes. Official renumbered text: PDF. Accessed 1 September 2026.
- Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended — lawphil.net
- Republic Act No. 6727 (1989), Wage Rationalization Act; Republic Act No. 10151 (2011), Night Workers Act; Republic Act No. 10361 (2013), Batas Kasambahay; Republic Act No. 11360 (2019), service charges; Republic Act No. 11210 (2019), 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law
Sources rechecked as of: September 1, 2026
Last materially reviewed: September 1, 2026
Educational content, not legal advice. This page indexes statutory text for general educational and legal-information purposes. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. LaborCode.ph is independent and is not a government website, tribunal, or law firm. For advice on an actual situation, consult a Philippine labor lawyer, DOLE, or the NLRC.