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.
Sleeping on the Job: When Can Philippine Employers Terminate for Just Cause?
Philippine employers may terminate employees for sleeping on duty if company rules are violated, but due process and proportionality still matter.
Poor Performance vs Neglect: Defining Just Cause for Employee Termination in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when poor work performance justifies termination and when it does not, explaining the legal distinction.
Due Process in Retrenchment: Balancing Employer Prerogative and Employee Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between just and authorized causes in dismissal, and the penalties for violating notice requirements.
Habitual Neglect of Duty Is Just Cause for Termination Despite Mitigating Factors
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when habitual neglect of duty justifies dismissal, and when mitigating factors cannot save an employee.
Strikes and Due Process: Balancing Labor Rights and Employer Prerogatives in the Philippines
Explore how Philippine labor law balances workers' right to strike against employer prerogatives, with due process at the core.
Annulment of NLRC Judgments: Why the Court of Appeals Lacks Jurisdiction
Explore why the Court of Appeals cannot annul NLRC decisions and the risks of forum shopping in labor cases.
Employer-Employee Relationship and Illegal Dismissal: The Control Test in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the control test for employer-employee relationship and rules on illegal dismissal due to disease in Sy v. Court of Appeals.
Union Registration Validity and Challenges in Philippine Labor Context
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a registered union's legal personality cannot be collaterally attacked in certification election cases.
When Do Labor Tribunals Have Jurisdiction Over Employer Claims? Esico v. Alphaland
The Supreme Court clarifies when labor tribunals, not regular courts, hear employer claims for damages arising from an employee's resignation.
Management Prerogative in Reorganization: Upholding Business Needs in Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when demotions during corporate reorganization are valid and when they constitute illegal dismissal under Philippine labor law.
GOCC vs. Private Corporation: Labor Jurisdiction and the Philippine National Red Cross Case
Learn how the Supreme Court's charter test determines whether an employer is a GOCC and which tribunal—CSC or NLRC—has jurisdiction over labor disputes.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor: The Four-Fold Test Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court's ruling in Corporal v. NLRC clarifies when workers are true employees, not independent contractors, under Philippine labor law.
Jurisdictional Boundaries Resolving Employer Employee Damage Claims IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that labor arbiters, not regular courts, have exclusive jurisdiction over employer damage claims arising from employment.
When Can an Employer Terminate an OFW Due to Illness? The Medical Certificate Rule
Philippine law requires a medical certificate from a competent public health authority before an employer can validly terminate an OFW due to illness.
Who Pays for an Illegal Strike? National Union Liability Under Philippine Law
When a local union stages an illegal strike, can the national union be held liable for damages? The Supreme Court clarifies agency and responsibility.
Fishermen Are Not Field Personnel: Service Incentive Leave for Sea-Based Workers
Supreme Court ruling clarifies that supervised fishermen are not "field personnel" and are entitled to service incentive leave under Philippine law.
MSF Tire v. CA: When a Company Cannot Claim "Innocent Bystander" Status in Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a company with ties to a business in a labor dispute cannot claim "innocent bystander" status to obtain an injunction against picketing.
Managerial vs. Supervisory Employees: Unionization Rights Under Philippine Labor Law
Learn how Philippine law distinguishes managerial from supervisory employees and why misclassification can block unionization rights.
When Can Your Boss Transfer You? Understanding Lawful Orders and Insubordination in Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court explains when a transfer is a valid management prerogative and when refusing it becomes insubordination.
Philippine Security of Tenure: Why Fixed-Term Employment Can't Sidestep Regularization
The Supreme Court strikes down a fixed-term contract scheme that blocked an employee's regularization, reaffirming constitutional security of tenure for Philippine workers.
Unfounded Misconduct Claims: Protecting Public Servants From False Accusations
Learn how Philippine jurisprudence protects employees from baseless misconduct allegations and requires employers to prove just cause for dismissal.
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.
When Managerial Discretion Becomes Defiance: Willful Disobedience in Philippine Labor Law
Explore when a manager's independent judgment crosses the line into willful disobedience, a valid ground for dismissal under Philippine labor law.
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.