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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Malicious Prosecution: Holding Employers Accountable for Unjust Accusations
When employers file baseless criminal charges against workers, they may face damages for malicious prosecution. Learn from a Supreme Court ruling.
Project vs Regular Employment: Security of Tenure in Construction
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when construction workers are project employees and how employers prove project employment.
Protecting Workers Employers Faulty Systems Cannot Justify Employee Penalties
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled that employers cannot penalize workers for systemic failures beyond their control.
Illegal Dismissal and Abandonment: What Employers Must Prove and How Separation Pay Is Computed
Learn the requisites of abandonment as a defense to illegal dismissal, and how the Supreme Court computes separation pay in lieu of reinstatement.
Perfecting Appeals: The Strict Requirements for Employers in Labor Disputes
Employers must strictly comply with appeal bond and deadline rules under Article 223 of the Labor Code or risk losing their appeal entirely.
Reinstatement During Appeal: Employer Must Pay Wages Until Final Reversal
Employers must pay reinstatement wages during appeal until the NLRC reversal becomes final. Learn the rule from Smart Communications v. Solidum.
Upholding Employers Right TO Discipline Dishonesty AS Just Cause FOR Termination
Supreme Court rules that a nurse’s theft of hospital supplies is just cause for dismissal, reaffirming management prerogative to discipline dishonest employees.
Employer Liability: Proving Due Diligence in Employee Negligence Cases
Employers face liability for employee negligence unless they prove due diligence in selection and supervision. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
Employer Liability for Driver Negligence: R Transport v. Yu on Registered and Actual Owners
The Supreme Court holds employers directly and solidarily liable for a negligent driver's acts, even if another entity is the bus's registered owner.
When Business Closure Requires Separation PAY Employers Burden OF Proof
Seafarer Death Benefits After Contract Termination: What Employers Must Know
Supreme Court clarifies when death benefits apply under POEA contract—death must occur during employment term, not after pre-termination.
Employer Liability for Employee Negligence: Proving Diligence in Selection and Supervision
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employers can escape liability for employee negligence under Article 2180 of the Civil Code.
Closure Due to Losses: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations in the Philippines
Understand the rules on business closure due to losses in the Philippines—what employees are entitled to and what employers must do.
Minimum Wage vs Facilities: Employer Obligations for Fair Compensation and Workplace Standards
The Supreme Court clarifies when employers may count board and lodging as wages, protecting workers from minimum wage circumvention.
Loss of Trust and Confidence as a Just Cause for Dismissal: When Employers Can Terminate
Learn when Philippine employers may validly dismiss employees for loss of trust and confidence, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Bystander No More: Employers' Role in Certification Elections Under Scrutiny
The Supreme Court clarifies that employers are mere bystanders in certification elections, unable to block them based on pending union cancellation cases.
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.
Proving Wage Payment: Employer's Burden and the Cost of Missing Records
Employers must prove wage payment with payroll records. Missing records can defeat defenses and lead to liability for money claims.
Due Process in Termination: Employer's Duty to Ensure Fair Hearing and the Scope of Nominal Damages
Supreme Court clarifies employers' duty to observe procedural due process in dismissals and the proper basis for awarding nominal damages.
Termination Due to Illness in the Philippines: Balancing Employer Rights and Employee Protection
The Supreme Court clarifies when employers may validly terminate employees due to disease, and the procedural due process required under Philippine labor law.
Redundancy vs Retrenchment: Protecting Employees From Illegal Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between redundancy and retrenchment, and the rules employers must follow to avoid illegal dismissal.
Accrued Wages and Reinstatement: Employer's Obligation Despite Appeal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that employers must pay accrued wages when they delay reinstatement pending appeal, even if the dismissal is later upheld.
Burden of Proof in Illegal Dismissal: Employer's Duty vs Employee's Obligation
Who must prove what in illegal dismissal cases? A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the burden of proof for employers and employees.
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.