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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DOLE Compliance Orders and Jurisdictional Limits in Labor Disputes
Explains when DOLE regional directors may issue compliance orders exceeding P5,000, and why annulment cannot replace a lost appeal.
Prescription Periods in Labor Disputes: Why Filing on Time and in the Right Court Matters
A Supreme Court ruling on prescription of money claims in labor cases, and why filing in the wrong court can be fatal.
SEC Suspension Orders and Labor Disputes: What the Rubberworld Case Means
The Supreme Court clarifies that SEC suspension orders in rehabilitation cases automatically stay labor claims, making any labor ruling void.
Double Jeopardy in Labor Disputes: Res Judicata and Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines
Learn how res judicata bars relitigation of illegal dismissal claims, using the Supreme Court's ruling in Williams v. Days Hotel.
Certiorari Establishing Grave Abuse OF Discretion IN Labor Disputes
Illegal Strikes Balancing Workers Rights AND Employer Protection IN Labor Disputes
Employee Status Under the Control and Economic Reality Tests in Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies how the control test and economic reality test determine employee status in Philippine labor law.
Substantial Justice Prevails When Philippine Courts Relax Procedural Rules IN Labor Disputes
Philippine courts may relax procedural rules to achieve substantial justice, as shown in this administrative case against a judge.
Strikes and Lockouts: Balancing Workers' Rights and Employer Interests in Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on illegal strikes, work slowdowns, and the distinct penalties for union officers versus ordinary members.
Nominal Damages in Labor Disputes: When Courts Can Reduce the Award
Philippine Supreme Court explains when and how courts may reduce nominal damages awarded to employees in illegal dismissal cases.
Gocc Labor Disputes: Jurisdiction and Corporate Veil in Illegal Dismissal Cases
Learn how Philippine courts decide illegal dismissal cases involving voluntary resignation, burden of proof, and corporate liability.
Philippine Retrenchment Navigating Layoffs AND DUE Process TO Avoid Costly Labor Disputes
Understand Philippine retrenchment rules from TPI v. Cajucom: valid authorized cause, proper notice, and separation pay requirements.
Finality of Supreme Court Decisions: Understanding Res Judicata in Philippine Labor Disputes
Learn how the doctrine of res judicata bars relitigation of final labor rulings, with practical guidance for employers and employees.
Independent Contractor OR Employee Philippine Supreme Court Clarifies Control Test IN Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the control test distinguishing independent contractors from employees in labor disputes, protecting worker rights.
Fresh Period Rule Clarifying Timelines FOR Filing Certiorari Petitions IN Labor Disputes
Substantial Justice vs Procedural Rules: When Courts Relax the 60-Day Rule in Labor Cases
The Supreme Court explains when a late petition for certiorari may be excused, balancing procedural rules against substantial justice in labor disputes.
Upholding the Primacy of Administrative Remedies When to Seek Court Intervention in Labor Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling reminds litigants that a denied motion to dismiss in a labor case must go through the NLRC first, not straight to the Court of Appeals.
Business Closure vs Retrenchment: Defining Employers' Rights in Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when retrenchment is valid, when it becomes illegal dismissal, and how quitclaims affect employee rights.
Quitclaims in Labor Disputes: When Voluntary Settlements Are Valid and Binding
The Supreme Court clarifies when quitclaims in labor disputes are valid, emphasizing voluntary agreement and reasonable settlement over mere allegations of coercion.
Employer Status and Return-to-Work Orders: PLDT v. MKP on Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court rules on the limits of the Labor Secretary's power to exclude redundant workers from return-to-work orders under Article 263(g).
Perfecting Appeals: The Indispensable Surety Bond in Labor Disputes
A late appeal bond means no appeal at all. This article explains why the surety bond is jurisdictional in labor cases.
Union Legitimacy and the Law of the Case in Labor Disputes
When a union's legal personality is finally settled, parties cannot relitigate it. This case explains the law of the case doctrine.
Appeal Bonds in Labor Disputes: Ensuring Workers' Claims Are Secured
Learn how appeal bonds protect workers' monetary claims in labor disputes, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seasonal employment.
Finality of Factual Findings in Labor Cases: The Burden of Proving Payment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on finality of NLRC factual findings and the employer's burden to prove payment of wages in labor disputes.