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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When Courts Can Take Judicial Notice of Industry Practice in Labor Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies judicial notice limits, independent contractor tests, and abandonment rules in South Davao Development Co. v. Gamo.
Challenging Voluntary Arbitration Awards: The Right Remedy for Labor Disputes
Learn the correct legal remedy for appealing voluntary arbitration awards in Philippine labor disputes, from the Supreme Court ruling in Samahan ng mga Manggagawa sa Hyatt.
Certification Elections: No Forum Shopping Certificate, Union Legitimacy Rules
Supreme Court clarifies that certification election petitions need no non-forum shopping certificate and explains union legitimacy rules in labor disputes.
Finality OF Judgement Claim Prescription AND Compromise Agreements IN Labor Disputes
Due Process and Service of Summons in Labor Disputes: Ensuring Fair Notice
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when service of summons in labor cases is complete, even if mail is unclaimed.
Perfecting Appeals: The Indispensable Bond in Labor Disputes
Learn why posting a cash or surety bond is a mandatory requirement for perfecting an appeal from the Labor Arbiter to the NLRC.
Upholding Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal AND THE Limits OF Corporate Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Supreme Court affirms illegal dismissal ruling against Purefoods for union busting, clarifies corporate procedural rules in labor disputes.
Substantial Compliance Upholding Justice Over Strict Procedural Rules in Labor Disputes
In Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation v. Garchitorena, the Supreme Court ruled that substantial compliance with procedural rules can prevent outright dismissal of appeals.
Compromise Agreements in Labor Disputes: When Settlements Are Final and Binding
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on enforceability of compromise agreements in labor cases, even without counsel present, and limits on lawyer's authority.
Closure vs. Retrenchment: Proving Losses in Philippine Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a business closure is treated as retrenchment, requiring proof of substantial losses.
Independent Contractor vs Employee: The Four-Fold Test in Philippine Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the four-fold test distinguishing independent contractors from employers in labor disputes involving job contracting arrangements.
Res Judicata in Philippine Labor Disputes: When Prior Rulings Bar Relitigation
Explaining res judicata in labor cases through Garcia v. PAL, where a final ruling on employer-employee relationship barred a later illegal dismissal claim.
Perfecting Appeals: Strict Observance of Timelines in Labor Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court enforces strict appeal deadlines in labor cases and why missing them is fatal to a party's cause.
Jurisdictional Boundaries Resolving Labor Disputes Involving Government Chartered Corporations
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that labor disputes in government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters fall under the Civil Service Commission, not the NLRC.
Res Judicata and Illegal Dismissal: Requisites for Dismissal of Labor Disputes in the Philippines
Learn the four requisites of res judicata in illegal dismissal cases, explained through a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Extortion in Labor Disputes: Upholding Termination Based on Substantial Evidence
SC ruling on Mitsubishi Motors v. Simon clarifies that substantial evidence, not proof beyond reasonable doubt, suffices to justify dismissal for serious misconduct.
Motion for Reconsideration: The Indispensable Step Before Certiorari in Labor Cases
Learn why exhausting remedies like a motion for reconsideration is vital before filing a certiorari petition in Philippine labor disputes.
Solidary Liability in Labor Disputes: When Principals and Contractors Share Responsibility
The Supreme Court clarifies when a principal is solidarily liable with an independent contractor for labor claims, and when it is not.
Jurisdiction Over Labor Disputes: The Decisive Moment of Filing Claims
A Supreme Court ruling on why filing the wrong remedy — or the right one too late — can end a labor case before the merits are ever reached.
Jurisdiction Limits When Labor Disputes Overshadow Regular Court Actions In Property Disputes
When can a regular court hear a property dispute that stems from a labor case? The Supreme Court settles the jurisdictional boundary.
Strikes and Employee Rights: Understanding the Limits of Union Activities in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal, union busting, corporate veil piercing, and quitclaims in labor disputes.
Independent Contractor vs Employee: The Control Test in Philippine Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the control test distinguishing independent contractors from employees in labor disputes, using a restroom concessionaire case.
When Counsel's Negligence Binds the Client: Lessons from Pfizer v. Galan
A 2007 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a lawyer's procedural lapse binds the client in labor disputes and when courts may relax the rules.
Procedural Lapses and Employee Reinstatement: Balancing Justice and Technicalities in Labor Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling on how procedural lapses in labor cases should not defeat substantive justice, and the rules on immediate reinstatement pending appeal.