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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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.
Breach of Trust When Misrepresentation Justifies Termination in Employment
Supreme Court clarifies when misrepresentation and tampering with records justify dismissal for loss of trust and confidence under Philippine labor law.
Emergency vs Employment: Gauging Just Cause for Dismissal in the Philippines
When can an employee be validly dismissed? The Supreme Court explains the elements of just cause and why a single emergency absence was not enough.
Seafarers Right TO Compensation Injury During Employment Overrules Accident Requirement
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.
Seafarers Disability Claim Strict Compliance With Reporting Requirements
A seafarer's disability claim fails when he skips the mandatory post-employment exam within three working days from repatriation.
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.
Breach of Trust in Employment: When a Supervisor's Actions Undermine Confidence
A nurse supervisor's dismissal for taking hospital supplies without recording was upheld. Learn the rules on loss of trust and confidence.
Regular vs Project Employment: Security of Tenure in Philippine Labor Law
Supreme Court clarifies when project employment becomes regular employment, protecting workers' security of tenure under Philippine law.
Upholding Just Cause in Employment Termination: The Boundaries of Company Policy and Due Process
The Supreme Court clarifies when dismissal for fraud is valid and when company rules must be followed for just cause.
Breach of Trust Defining Just Cause for Termination in Philippine Employment Law
Philippine law requires breach of trust to be work-related, serious, and proven by substantial evidence before employers may validly terminate employees.
Regular Seasonal vs Regular Employment: What the Supreme Court Says About Worker Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when "regular seasonal" workers become regular employees, protecting their rights under Philippine labor law.
Probationary Employment Standards and Contractual Obligations in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies probationary employment rules, contract of adhesion principles, and the need for employee signatures in Philippine labor law.
Piece-Rate Workers Are Regular Employees Entitled to Security of Tenure
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that piece-rate payment does not negate regular employment, and abandonment requires proof of intent.
Fixed Term vs Project Employment: Protecting Workers' Security of Tenure
Philippine law on fixed-term and project employment, and how the Supreme Court protects workers' security of tenure against circumvention.
Work-Related Injury: Defining Course of Employment in Seafarer Disability Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer death benefits, work-related illness presumption, and employer duties under POEA-SEC.
Regular Employment vs Contractual Work: Defining Employer-Employee Relationships in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts determine regular employment, labor-only contracting, and employer liability using the Coca-Cola bottlers case.
Regular Employment and Labor-Only Contracting: Lingat v. Coca-Cola Bottlers
Supreme Court clarifies when agency-hired workers are regular employees of the principal employer, and the limits of labor contracting.
Regular Employment in Poultry Farms: Length of Service and Necessity of Work
Supreme Court clarifies when maintenance workers in poultry farms become regular employees under Philippine labor law.
Work-Related Death Benefits for Seafarers: Proving Causation Under the POEA Contract
A seafarer's heirs must prove work-related death and death during employment to claim benefits. This case explains the rules.
Project Employment in Construction: Defining Scope and Tenure in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when construction workers are project employees, not regular employees, and what benefits they retain.
Mental Fitness in Public Service: When Illness, Not Misconduct, Ends Employment
Explaining when mentally unfit government employees may be dropped from the rolls, and why such separation is non-disciplinary.
When Probationary Employment Becomes Regular: The Umali v. Hobbywing Rule
Explore when a probationary employee becomes regular by operation of law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Umali v. Hobbywing Solutions.