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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Prescription of Seafarer Claims: Labor Code Prevails Over Standard Employment Contract
Supreme Court rules 3-year Labor Code prescription governs seafarer money claims, but death benefits require death during contract effectivity.
Safeguarding Employee Rights: The Imperative of Due Process in Termination Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Genesis Transport clarifies preventive suspension limits, valid dismissal, and illegal wage deductions under the Labor Code.
Retrenchment Proving Business Losses To Justify Employee Termination Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the stringent standards employers must meet to validly retrench employees under Article 283 of the Labor Code.
Sleeping on the Job: When Serious Misconduct Justifies Termination in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when sleeping during work hours constitutes serious misconduct justifying termination under the Labor Code.
When Heated Words Lead to Illegal Strikes: Balancing Free Speech and Order in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on gross negligence, serious misconduct, and due process in employee dismissal cases under the Labor Code.
Independent Contractor vs Employee: Employer Obligations for Medical Staff
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when nurses are independent contractors versus employees under Article 157 of the Labor Code.
Regular Employee Status, Security of Tenure, and Retirement Rights Under Philippine Labor Law
SC ruling on regular employment, illegal dismissal, and retirement rights under Article 302 of the Labor Code.
Retrenchment vs Retirement: When Separation Pay Bars Retirement Benefits
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when retrenched employees can claim retirement benefits on top of separation pay under the Labor Code and CBA.
Large Scale Illegal Recruitment: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Learn how Philippine courts convict illegal recruiters in large scale, the elements of the crime, and the penalties under the Labor Code.
Regular Employee Status from Intermittent Work: Security of Tenure Under the Labor Code
Intermittent reliever nurse deemed regular employee after one year of service; dismissal without just cause and due process ruled illegal.
Supervisory Employees and Overtime Pay: The Limits of Benefit Preservation in Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when overtime pay is a preserved benefit for supervisory employees under Article 100 of the Labor Code.
Regular Employee Status: When a CBA Confers Tenure Beyond the Labor Code
A reliever stevedore denied regularization under the Labor Code was declared regular via the CBA's six-month accumulated service rule.
Prescription Period in Illegal Dismissal Cases: When Does the Clock Start Ticking
Learn when the prescriptive period for illegal dismissal claims begins, based on Philippine Supreme Court rulings and the Labor Code.
Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Reinstatement and Backwages Explained
Understand the rights of illegally dismissed employees in the Philippines—reinstatement, full backwages, and other benefits under Article 279 of the Labor Code.
Regular Employment by Operation of Law: The PLDT v. Arceo Case
When does a casual employee become regular? The Supreme Court explains the rules on regular employment under Article 280 of the Labor Code.
When Valid Dismissal Means No Separation Pay: Serious Misconduct Under Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when validly dismissed employees lose separation pay due to serious misconduct under Article 282 of the Labor Code.
Breach of Trust and Loss of Confidence as Grounds for Employee Dismissal in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when loss of trust and confidence justifies dismissing a supervisor or managerial employee under the Labor Code.
When Supervisors Abuse Authority: Labor Code Grounds for Valid Dismissal
A supervisor who made subordinates work at his house and lent money at high interest was validly dismissed for breach of trust under Article 282 of the Labor Code.
Prescription of Claims in Maritime Employment: Time Limits and Legal Recourse
When POEA contracts expire, seafarers may fall under Labor Code rules. Learn how Delos Santos v. Jebsen Maritime clarifies rights.
POEA Contract or Labor Code: Which Governs Seafarer Rights in Domestic Waters?
Supreme Court clarifies when a POEA-approved seafarer contract ends and the Labor Code takes over for domestic voyages.
NLRC vs Regular Courts: Where to File Damages Claims in Dismissal Cases
Learn when illegal dismissal damages claims belong to the NLRC labor arbiter, not regular courts, under Article 217 of the Labor Code.
Breach of Trust Justifies Dismissal: Equitable PCIBank vs. Caguioa
The Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a bank manager found to have secretly profited from unauthorized check discounting, citing breach of trust under the Labor Code.
CBA Separation Pay for Voluntary Resignation: When Contractual Stipulations Prevail
Philippine Supreme Court rules that a CBA can grant separation pay to voluntarily resigning employees, even if the Labor Code does not require it.
Project Employees vs Regular Employees: Security of Tenure Under the Labor Code
When is a construction worker a project employee rather than a regular one? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on tenure and illegal dismissal.