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.
Illegal Dismissal: Proving Valid Cause and the Right to Reinstatement and Backwages
Learn the rules on illegal dismissal, valid cause, and the employee's right to reinstatement and backwages from this Philippine Supreme Court case.
Illegal Dismissal: Employer Bears Burden of Proving Just Cause and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer's burden to prove just cause and due process in illegal dismissal cases.
Seafarers Disability Claims: Weighing Company Doctor vs Independent Medical Opinion
Philippine Supreme Court rules on seafarer disability claims when company physicians and independent doctors disagree, favoring the worker's evidence.
Bonus Entitlement Discretion VS Contractual Right IN Employment Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when bonuses are discretionary and when they become contractual obligations of employers.
Illegal Dismissal and Employee Misconduct: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities in Employment Law
Learn how the Supreme Court balanced illegal dismissal claims against employee misconduct in Palteng v. United Coconut Planters Bank.
Defining Regular Employment: The Case of Dealco Farms and the Comboys
The Supreme Court clarifies the test for regular employment under Philippine labor law, emphasizing the employer's business nature and the employee's role.
Redundancy in Labor Law Justifying Employee Termination During Business Restructuring
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when business restructuring justifies termination and how regular employment status is determined under the four-fold test.
Medical Negligence: The Duty to Consider Existing Conditions During Treatment
Philippine Supreme Court rules on seafarer disability claims, company-designated physician assessments, and the duty to consider pre-existing conditions.
Independent Contractor or Employee: The Four-Fold Test in Philippine Labor Law
When is an insurance agent an employee, not an independent contractor? The Supreme Court explains the four-fold test and the crucial "control test" in Tongko v. Manulife.
The Perils of Untimely Appeals: Adherence to Procedural Rules in Philippine Courts
Explore how strict procedural rules shape Philippine labor cases, from appeal deadlines to due process in dismissals.
Breach of Trust and Qualified Theft: When Employee Misconduct Justifies Dismissal
The Supreme Court clarifies when an employee's theft against a co-worker constitutes a valid cause for termination under Philippine labor law.
Wage Order Enforcement: Prescription Rules for Money Claims vs Final Judgments
Learn the difference between the 3-year prescription for money claims and the 5-year period to enforce final judgments in Philippine labor law.
Freelance or Employee? The Test for Newspaper Columnists in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when a newspaper columnist is an independent contractor, not an employee, under the control test.
Gross Negligence and Project Employment: Protecting Employee Rights Against Unjust Dismissal
Learn how the Supreme Court defined gross negligence and project employment in Belle Corporation v. Macasusi, protecting employees from unjust dismissal.
Defining Confidential Employees: Balancing Labor Rights and Management Prerogatives in Collective Bargaining
Supreme Court ruling on confidential employees in bargaining units and acting capacity pay, balancing labor rights with management prerogatives.
Certiorari vs Appeal: Choosing the Right Path for Legal Review in the Philippines
Learn when to file a petition for certiorari versus an appeal under Rule 45, explained through a Philippine Supreme Court labor case.
Just Cause Without Due Process: When Dismissal Stands But Damages Follow
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a valid cause for dismissal does not excuse an employer from the two-notice rule, imposing nominal damages.
Breach of Trust in Employment: When a Demand Letter Leads to Dismissal
A managerial employee's demand letter against her employer can justify dismissal for breach of trust under Philippine labor law.
Abandonment vs Constructive Dismissal: Protecting Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the fine line between abandonment and constructive dismissal, and what employers must prove to justify termination.
When a Manager's Discretion Becomes Willful Disobedience in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine jurisprudence on insubordination: when a manager's refusal to follow company policy crosses the line into willful disobedience justifying termination.
Holiday Pay Divisor Method Prevails Over Literal CBA Interpretation
Supreme Court rules employers may prove holiday pay inclusion through salary computation methods, not just payroll line items.
Supervisory Employees and Overtime Pay: The Limits of Benefit Preservation in Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when overtime pay is a preserved benefit for supervisory employees under Article 100 of the Labor Code.
The Indispensable Appeal Bond in Illegal Dismissal Cases: A Lesson from Forever Security
Why failing to post an appeal bond in illegal dismissal cases is fatal, and what abandonment really requires under Philippine labor law.
Distinguishing Employees From Independent Contractors: The Control Test in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court explains the control test for distinguishing employees from independent contractors in labor law disputes.