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.
13th Month Pay Computation Philippines: Who Gets It and How It Works
Learn the 13th month pay computation in the Philippines, who is entitled to receive it, and how to calculate it correctly.
Final Pay in the Philippines: What It Includes and the 30-Day Deadline
Final pay in the Philippines must be released within 30 days of separation. Learn what it includes and the rules on payment.
Resignation Notice Period Philippines: Rules on Rendering 30 Days
Resigning in the Philippines? Learn the 30-day notice rule, employer waivers, and what you're entitled to before your last day.
Retirement Pay in the Philippines Under R.A. 7641: Who Qualifies and How It's Computed
Learn who qualifies for retirement pay in the Philippines under R.A. 7641, how the half-month salary is computed, and what the compulsory retirement age is.
Appeal Bond for Labor-Only Contractors: Solidary Liability and NLRC Appeals
When must a labor-only contractor post an appeal bond? The Supreme Court clarifies solidary liability and appeal perfection rules.
Solidary Liability in Labor Standards: Protecting Employee Wage Claims
When a contractor fails to pay wages, the principal employer can be held solidarily liable. The Supreme Court clarifies the rules.
Understanding Regular Employment Status and Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a worker becomes a regular employee and what constitutes illegal dismissal, using a truck driver's case.
Understanding Employee Entitlements: The Right to 13th Month Pay for Commission-Based Workers in the Philippin
A clear guide to the 13th month pay rule for commission-based employees, citing the latest Supreme Court interpretation.
The Four-Fold Test in Philippine Labor Law: A Guide to Employment Status
Learn how the four-fold test determines employee status in the Philippines, with insights from a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Indispensable Parties in Labor Cases: Lessons from TESDA v. Abragar
Learn why impleading all indispensable parties is critical in labor disputes, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in TESDA v. Abragar.
Determining Employee Status: The Fine Line Between Employment and Partnership in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when workers are employees, not partners, and the legal consequences for dismissal in the Philippines.
Procedural Pitfalls in Labor Disputes: Lessons from Mariano v. G.V. Florida Transport
A Supreme Court ruling on valid dismissal for serious misconduct but liability for procedural due process lapses, unpaid wages, and 13th month pay.
Understanding Constructive Dismissal When Preventive Suspension Becomes Unlawful Termination
The Supreme Court clarifies when a reduced work assignment is valid management prerogative and when a subsequent dismissal becomes illegal.
Minimum Wage Law Exemption: Employers Must Apply and Prove Payment
Employers cannot claim minimum wage exemption without applying to the Regional Board; payrolls must be original to prove payment.
Finality of Judgment vs Supervening Events: Computing Backwages and Separation Pay in Illegal Dismissal Cases
Learn how Philippine courts compute backwages and separation pay when reinstatement becomes impossible due to supervening events after judgment finality.
Project Employment in Construction: Defining Scope and Tenure in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when construction workers are project employees, not regular employees, and what benefits they retain.
Project Employment vs Regular Employment: Security of Tenure in Construction
The Supreme Court clarifies when construction workers are project employees, not regular employees, and their rights to wages and benefits.
Loss of Trust and Confidence as Ground for Dismissal: What Employers Must Prove
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when loss of trust and confidence justifies employee dismissal, requiring willful breach proven by substantial evidence.
Protecting Workers: Illegal Dismissal and the Rights of Pakyaw Employees in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that pakyaw workers are regular employees entitled to security of tenure, holiday pay, and service incentive leave pay.
Retaliatory Dismissal: Protecting Employees Who Assert Their Rights
The Supreme Court affirms that firing workers for filing labor complaints violates security of tenure and constitutes illegal dismissal.
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.
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.
Fixed-Term Employment vs Regular Employment: Security of Tenure and Illegal Dismissal
When a fixed-term contract expires but the employee keeps working, regular employment and security of tenure may arise. Illegal dismissal rules apply.
Separation Pay After Valid Dismissal: When Social Justice Does Not Apply
The Supreme Court clarifies when a validly dismissed employee may still receive separation pay, and when social justice arguments fail.