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.
Employer-Employee Relationship and the Control Test: Lessons from Villa v. NLRC
The Supreme Court's ruling in Villa v. NLRC clarifies the control test in employer-employee relationships and the rules on evidence in illegal dismissal cases.
Proportionality in Employee Discipline: When Dismissal Is Too Harsh in the Philippines
Philippine labor law requires penalties to fit the offense. Learn when dismissal is disproportionate and how the Supreme Court applies this rule.
Meal Breaks Outside Company Premises Do Not Constitute Abandonment of Post
Philippine Airlines v. NLRC clarifies that employees may take meal breaks outside company premises without being guilty of abandonment of post.
Wage Distortion In The Philippines Understanding Collective Bargaining And Legal Remedies
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies wage distortion, collective bargaining rights, and legal remedies for employees facing demotion or illegal dismissal.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor: The Four-Fold Test Under Philippine Law
Philippine courts use the four-fold test to distinguish employees from independent contractors. Control is the key factor.
Security of Tenure for Private School Teachers: The NAMAWU v. San Ildefonso College Ruling
When do private school teachers gain permanent status, and what does illegal dismissal mean? The Supreme Court's ruling in NAMAWU v. San Ildefonso College provides clear answers.
Voluntary Resignation vs. Constructive Dismissal: When Management Prerogative Is Not Harassment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when an employee's resignation is voluntary, and why management directives are not necessarily harassment.
Retrenchment Rules in the Philippines: When Business Losses Justify Employee Dismissal
Learn the strict rules for valid retrenchment in the Philippines, including proof of serious losses, notice requirements, and quitclaim limits.
Falsification of Public Documents: Upholding Integrity in Philippine Public Service
A Supreme Court ruling on a court interpreter's dismissal for forging a judge's signature, underscoring integrity in public service.
Employee Status in Outsourcing: Key Lessons from the Supreme Court on Separation Pay
Learn when a resigning employee may claim separation pay under Philippine law, based on a landmark Supreme Court ruling on company practice.
Regular Employment After One Year of Service Prevails Over Fixed-Term Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when repeated fixed-term contracts cannot defeat an employee's right to regular employment and security of tenure.
Solidary Liability in Overseas Employment: How Surety Bonds Protect Filipino Workers
Learn how surety bonds make recruitment agencies and their sureties solidarily liable for overseas workers' monetary claims.
Retrenchment in the Philippines: Avoiding Illegal Dismissal Claims
The Supreme Court explains the substantive and procedural requirements for valid retrenchment in the Philippines, and why weak evidence leads to illegal dismissal.
When Self Defense Becomes Homicide: Treachery and Unlawful Aggression in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a claim of self-defense fails and why a killing is homicide, not murder, absent treachery.
Valid Dismissal for Insubordination: Employee Rights and Company Discipline in the Philippines
Understand when a strike is legal and dismissal valid under Philippine labor law, based on a Supreme Court ruling on employee rights.
When Workplace Fear Leads to Constructive Dismissal: Philippine Seafarers' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on constructive dismissal for seafarers who quit due to well-founded fear for their safety at work.
Volunteer or Employee? The Control Test in Philippine Labor Law
Learn how the control test determines employee status in the Philippines, using the landmark Filipinas Broadcasting v. NLRC case.
Upholding Integrity: Why Government Employee Absenteeism and Dishonesty Lead to Dismissal in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how habitual absenteeism and dishonesty by a court employee warranted dismissal from service with forfeiture of benefits.
Transferee Recruitment Agency Liability: Protecting Overseas Workers
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a transferee recruitment agency can be held liable for illegal dismissal of an overseas worker.
Employee vs. Partner in the Philippines: The Villaruel Case on Proof of Partnership
When is a worker an employee, not a partner? The Villaruel case clarifies the burden of proof and protects workers' labor rights.
Illegal Recruitment in the Philippines: Employer Duties and Employee Rights
Understand illegal recruitment in the Philippines, employer responsibilities, and employee rights based on a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Illegal Dismissal: Proving Regular Employment and Due Process in Termination
Learn how the Supreme Court protects employees from illegal dismissal when employers fail to prove just cause and observe due process.
Project vs Regular Employee: What Brahm Industries Teaches About Valid Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies the difference between project and regular employees, and the due process required for lawful dismissal in the Philippines.
Voluntary Resignation and Bonus Entitlement: What Philippine Employees Should Know
Learn when resigned employees lose their right to CBA bonuses under Philippine law, based on a Supreme Court ruling.