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.
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Illegal Dismissal and Wage Claims: Lessons from Lusabia v. Super K Drug Corporation
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies abandonment of employment, the employer's burden of proof in wage disputes, and remedies for illegally dismissed workers.
Understanding Illegal Dismissal When Mistakes Dont Justify Firing
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when retrenchment is illegal dismissal, requiring proof of losses and fair selection criteria.
Reinstatement and Length of Service: Employee Rights in Illegal Dismissal Cases
When illegally dismissed employees return to work, does their service clock reset? The Supreme Court clarifies the reckoning point for length of service.
Illegal Dismissal of Seafarers: Due Process and Contract Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the twin notice rule and monetary awards for illegally dismissed seafarers under Philippine law.
Regular vs Fixed-Term Employment: Know Your Rights as a Philippine Employee
Understand the difference between regular and fixed-term employment in the Philippines, and learn how courts protect employees from illegal dismissal.
Understanding Illegal Dismissal and Due Process Rights in Philippine Workplaces
The Supreme Court clarifies the twin requirements of substantive and procedural due process in employee termination cases.
Reinstatement in Illegal Dismissal: The Strained Relations Doctrine Explained
Illegal dismissal entitles workers to reinstatement and backwages. The strained relations doctrine is a narrow exception—learn how courts apply it.
Understanding Illegal Dismissal When Production Quotas Cross the Line
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when imposing production quotas becomes illegal dismissal, citing bad faith and unattainable targets.
Illegal Dismissal and Contractual Rights for Seafarers: Key Lessons from Loadstar v. Erispe
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies seafarers' rights on illegal dismissal, vacation leave, overtime pay, and medical expense claims under the POEA-SEC.
Understanding Procedural Missteps in Philippine Legal Appeals: The Gallego Case
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when procedural lapses in appeals may be relaxed in favor of substantive justice, especially in illegal dismissal cases.
Seafarer Rights in Maritime Employment: Illegal Dismissal and Prescription Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies seafarer illegal dismissal claims, prescription periods, and termination pay under POEA-SEC in Gallego v. Wallem Maritime.
Understanding Constructive Dismissal and Management Prerogatives in Philippine Employment Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a seafarer's cause of action for illegal dismissal accrues, and the limits of management prerogative in terminating overseas employment contracts.
Seafarer Claims After Illegal Dismissal: Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies what benefits illegally dismissed seafarers can claim, and the strict rules on overtime pay and medical reimbursement.
Regular vs Project Employee: When Rehiring Without a Fixed Term Creates Security of Tenure
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a project employee becomes regular, securing tenure and protection from illegal dismissal.
Constructive Dismissal and Management Prerogative: When a Transfer Is Not Illegal Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies when an employee transfer amounts to constructive dismissal, balancing management prerogative against tenurial security.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: Holding Affiliate Companies Liable for Illegal Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when affiliate corporations can be held solidarity liable for illegal dismissal and monetary awards in labor cases.
Union Busting and Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Workers' Right to Organize
A look at how the Supreme Court protected union members from employer retaliation and enforced due process in dismissals.
Illegal Dismissal: Probable Cause Alone Does Not Justify Termination
Supreme Court clarifies that probable cause for qualified theft does not automatically justify an employee's dismissal; substantial evidence is required.
Illegal Dismissal of Probationary Employee: When Performance Ratings Are a Subterfuge
Supreme Court affirms illegal dismissal ruling where probationary employee's poor rating was a sham, entitling him to backwages and damages.
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.
Reinstatement vs Strained Relations: Clarifying Rights in Philippine Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when strained relations justify dismissal instead of reinstatement in illegal dismissal cases.
Illegal Dismissal of OFWs: Full Contract Pay Upheld by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court reaffirms that illegally dismissed OFWs are entitled to their full salaries for the unexpired portion of their contracts, striking down the three-month cap.
Constructive Dismissal: When a Demotion and Diminished Responsibilities Amount to Illegal Dismissal
When a reorganization demotes an employee in rank, duties, and salary, it can amount to constructive dismissal. Learn from a Supreme Court ruling.
Employment Status and Control Test in Illegal Dismissal Cases: A Guide
Explaining how Philippine courts determine employment status and jurisdiction in illegal dismissal cases, using the Loreche-Amit v. CDMC ruling.