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.
Service Charges and CBA Terms: When Negotiated Contracts Are Exempt in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when service charges are due under a CBA, and how negotiated contracts and special rates are exempt.
Burden of Proof in Labor Disputes: Employers Must Substantiate Claims of Payment
Employers who claim they paid workers' wages and benefits must prove it with payroll records. Learn the rule from a 2014 Supreme Court case.
Finality of Judgments: The Binding Effect of Unchallenged Court Orders
A Supreme Court ruling on how an unchallenged labor decision becomes final, binding, and bars re-litigation of the same issues.
Business Closure vs Illegal Dismissal: Navigating Employee Rights in the Philippines
When is a resignation forced? Learn how Philippine labor law distinguishes voluntary resignation from illegal dismissal, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Labor Appeals and the Appeal Bond: Strict Rules on Timely Perfection in Philippine Law
A surety bond issued but not received on time means no perfected appeal—what employers must know about the 10-day rule.
Counsel Substitution and Appeal Perfection: Procedural Pitfalls in Labor Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling on how improper counsel substitution and missing non-forum shopping certifications can doom labor appeals.
Finality of Labor Awards and Attorney's Fees in Compromise Settlements
When a client settles a labor case behind counsel's back to avoid attorney's fees, the Supreme Court protects the lawyer's right to compensation.
When Business Downturns Lead to Employee Layoffs: Understanding Retrenchment Under Philippine Law
Learn the legal rules on retrenchment in the Philippines, including valid grounds, procedural requirements, and worker protections.
Protecting Marital Assets When Corporate Debt Cannot Seize Family Property
Supreme Court ruling on when corporate debts cannot reach family property, and the proper remedy for third-party claims in labor execution.
Voluntary Arbitration vs. Labor Arbiter: Philippine Labor Dispute Jurisdiction
When does voluntary arbitration prevail over Labor Arbiter jurisdiction? The Supreme Court clarifies in University of the Immaculate Conception v. NLRC.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Parent Companies Face Liability for Labor Violations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when parent companies can be held liable for subsidiaries' labor violations, explained for employees and businesses.
Conditional Settlement Agreements: Are They Binding in Philippine Labor Disputes?
The Supreme Court ruled on whether a "conditional" settlement of a labor judgment award is valid and binding, and its effect on pending appeals.
Illegal Strikes and Reinstatement: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities in Labor Disputes
Philippine law on illegal strikes and reinstatement: what workers and employers must know about protected concerted activity and its limits.
Burden of Proof in Labor Disputes: Employers Must Show Wage Compliance
In Dansart Security Force v. Bagoy, the Supreme Court ruled that employers bear the burden of proving payment of wages and monetary benefits to employees.
Gender Equality in Retirement: Challenging Discriminatory Collective Bargaining Agreements
When can a flight attendant challenge a discriminatory retirement age in court? The Supreme Court clarifies jurisdiction over CBA provisions.
Illegal Strikes and Unfair Labor Practices: When Employee Remedies Survive
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employees who joined an illegal strike may still claim backwages and separation pay for unfair labor practices.
Upholding Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal AND THE Limits OF Corporate Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Supreme Court affirms illegal dismissal ruling against Purefoods for union busting, clarifies corporate procedural rules in labor disputes.
Perfecting Appeals: Strict Observance of Timelines in Labor Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court enforces strict appeal deadlines in labor cases and why missing them is fatal to a party's cause.
Jurisdictional Boundaries Resolving Labor Disputes Involving Government Chartered Corporations
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that labor disputes in government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters fall under the Civil Service Commission, not the NLRC.
Certiorari vs Appeal: Choosing the Right Path for Legal Review in the Philippines
Learn when to file a petition for certiorari versus an appeal under Rule 45, explained through a Philippine Supreme Court labor case.
Amending Complaints: Balancing Procedural Rules and the Pursuit of Justice in the Philippines
Explore how Philippine courts balance strict procedural rules with substantive justice, as shown in Ogalisco v. Holy Trinity College.
Burden of Proof in Constructive Dismissal Cases Philippine Labor Law Explained
Understand the burden of proof in constructive dismissal cases under Philippine labor law, and how employees can establish illegal dismissal claims.
Suspension of Claims Against Corporations Under Rehabilitation: Philippine Law Explained
Learn how corporate rehabilitation suspends all claims, including labor cases, under Philippine law, based on the PAL v. Zamora ruling.
Prescription Periods in Labor Disputes: Why Filing on Time and in the Right Court Matters
A Supreme Court ruling on prescription of money claims in labor cases, and why filing in the wrong court can be fatal.