Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
Due Process and Employee Dismissal: Balancing Just Cause With Procedural Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies that dismissal without just cause is illegal even if procedural notice was given, entitling the employee to backwages and separation pay.
Retirement Benefits: Labor Code Prevails Over Inferior Company Plans
Philippine Supreme Court rules company retirement plans cannot provide benefits lower than the Labor Code's minimum under Article 287.
Verbal Agreements vs Written Contracts: When a Lease or Workplace Transfer Can Be Modified
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when verbal notices and transfer orders are invalid, protecting employee security of tenure.
Reinstatement After Illegal Dismissal: Employee Rights in Corporate Reorganizations
When a company reorganizes, employees still have rights. The Supreme Court explains illegal dismissal and reinstatement in NPC v. Cabanag.
Regular vs Project Employment: Employer Must Prove Employee Status at Hiring
Supreme Court clarifies that employers bear the burden of proving project employment status, requiring clear notice at the time of hiring.
Regular vs Project Employment: What the Supreme Court Requires of Employers
A 2019 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when construction workers are regular employees, not project employees, and what employers must prove.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Are Corporate Officers Personally Liable in Labor Cases?
The Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers can be held personally liable for labor claims, emphasizing the need for clear allegations and proof of bad faith.
Finality of Settlement Agreements Barring Future Claims Despite Quasi-Delict Allegations in Seafarer Death Cas
SC rules valid settlement agreements bar seafarers' heirs from filing quasi-delict claims after accepting death benefits.
Government Lawyer's Suspension for Neglect of Duty and Improper Conduct Explained
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a government employee's oversight becomes simple neglect versus conduct prejudicial to the service.
Project vs Regular Employment: Security of Tenure and Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between project and regular employment, and the security of tenure rights of employees.
Upholding Employers Prerogative Valid Suspension FOR Employee Misconduct
Supreme Court affirms that employers may validly suspend employees for misconduct, even when guest complaints are not firsthand testimony.
Upholding Company No-Gift Policies: Employee Dismissal and Management Prerogative
Supreme Court upholds dismissal of employee who accepted gifts in violation of company's no-gift policy, affirming management prerogative.
Default Judgments and Due Process: Reclaiming Rights After a Missed Court Appearance
Learn how the Supreme Court protects due process rights when a party misses a court appearance and faces a default judgment.
False Notarization Upholding Integrity in Legal Documents
The Supreme Court rules on the importance of impleading indispensable parties in correction of birth certificate cases.
Minimum Wage Law Exemption: Employers Must Apply and Prove Payment
Employers cannot claim minimum wage exemption without applying to the Regional Board; payrolls must be original to prove payment.
Government Control vs Corporate Structure: Defining Audit Jurisdiction in the Philippines
The Supreme Court rules that government control, not corporate form, determines COA audit jurisdiction over corporations in the Philippines.
Reassignment vs. Transfer: What Public School Teachers Should Know
The Supreme Court clarifies when a public school teacher can be reassigned without consent, and how security of tenure applies.
Executing a Labor Judgment Does Not Bar Certiorari: Due Process in Labor Disputes
Forced compliance with a writ of execution does not waive an employer's right to challenge a labor ruling via certiorari, the Supreme Court held.
Loss of Trust and Confidence: When a Supervisor's Single Mistake Justifies Dismissal
Supreme Court ruling on when a nurse supervisor's unauthorized taking of hospital supplies justifies dismissal for loss of trust and confidence.
Common Carriers and Stolen Goods: The Extraordinary Diligence Standard in the Philippines
Philippine law holds common carriers liable for stolen goods unless theft involved grave threat or irresistible force. Learn the extraordinary diligence standard.
CNA Incentive Disallowance Upholds the Primacy of MOOE in Government Spending
The Supreme Court affirms COA's disallowance of CNA Incentive paid from EAO savings, clarifying that only MOOE may fund such incentives.
When GSIS Rules Fail: The Publication Requirement and the Limits of Agency Power
The Supreme Court nullified GSIS PPG No. 171-03 for lack of publication, reaffirming that legislative rules need notice and effectivity.
Absence Without Leave: Upholding Public Service Standards in the Philippine Judiciary
Court personnel who go AWOL face dropping from the rolls. Learn the rules and consequences from a 2019 Supreme Court ruling.
Unexcused Absence and Termination: When Is an Employee Considered AWOL
Learn when an employee is considered AWOL and can be dropped from the rolls, based on a 2019 Supreme Court ruling.