Short answer. No. Republic Act No. 8972, the Solo Parents' Welfare Act, forbids an employer from discriminating against a solo parent employee in the terms and conditions of employment because of that status. Treating you worse at work simply for being a solo parent is prohibited. Note that the law was later expanded by Republic Act No. 11861.
What the law says
No employer shall discriminate against any solo parent employee with respect to terms and conditions of employment on account of his/her status.
RA 8972, Section 7 — No Discrimination At Work. Read the full provision →
Solo parents are protected from workplace discrimination
The law does not allow a worker to be penalised at work merely for being a solo parent. Republic Act No. 8972, the Solo Parents' Welfare Act, states that no employer shall discriminate against any solo parent employee with respect to terms and conditions of employment on account of his/her status. Being a solo parent, raising a child largely on one's own, cannot lawfully be used as a reason to treat an employee less favourably. The protection recognises that solo parents already carry a heavier load and should not face added disadvantage in their jobs because of it.
What terms and conditions covers
The prohibition reaches the terms and conditions of employment broadly. That phrase covers matters such as pay, benefits, work assignments, opportunities for advancement, and other conditions attached to the job. An employer may not single out a solo parent for worse treatment in these areas simply because of the employee's solo-parent status. The focus is on the reason for the differential treatment: what the law forbids is disadvantage imposed on account of the employee being a solo parent, as opposed to legitimate, status-neutral employment decisions.
How the protection works in practice
For an employee, the significance is that being a solo parent is a protected circumstance, not a liability the employer can hold against you. Denials of benefits, unfavourable assignments, or lost opportunities that trace back to your solo-parent status run against the Act. The sensible steps are to keep a record of the treatment and how it connects to your status, since the prohibition targets exactly that connection. Employers, for their part, should ensure that employment decisions rest on legitimate grounds rather than on an employee's solo-parent status.
Is this still the current law?
This protection comes from Republic Act No. 8972, and it remains the anchor for the anti-discrimination rule. In 2022, however, Republic Act No. 8972 was expanded by Republic Act No. 11861, the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act, which broadened who qualifies as a solo parent and enlarged the benefits available. The core protection against workplace discrimination on account of solo-parent status carries through, but the current definitions and the full set of benefits now come from the expanded law and its implementing rules. Confirm the present details under Republic Act No. 11861 before relying on them.