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.
Illegally Dismissed? Your Rights and Remedies Under Philippine Labor Law
Know your rights if illegally dismissed in the Philippines: reinstatement, full backwages, and how to file a labor complaint.
Separation Pay in the Philippines: How to Compute It Correctly
Learn how separation pay is computed in the Philippines under the Labor Code, who qualifies, and what employees are entitled to receive.
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.
Probationary Employment in the Philippines: Rules, Limits, and Regularization
Know your rights during probationary employment in the Philippines, including the legal limits on probation periods and the rules for regularization.
When Do Employees Become Regular in the Philippines? The 6-Month Rule Explained
Learn the 6-month regularization rule under the Labor Code of the Philippines, how probationary employment works, and when an employee becomes a regular employee.
Just Cause vs. Authorized Cause: The Two Legal Ways to Terminate an Employee
Understand the difference between just cause and authorized cause for employee termination in the Philippines under the Labor Code.
Constructive Dismissal in the Philippines: What It Is and How to Prove It
Constructive dismissal in the Philippines occurs when an employer makes work conditions unbearable, forcing resignation. Learn how to prove it.
Retrenchment vs. Redundancy in the Philippines: Authorized-Cause Terminations Explained
Retrenchment vs redundancy in the Philippines: both are authorized causes for termination, but they differ in reason, procedure, and requirements.
OFW Rights in the Philippines: Legal Protections Under the Migrant Workers Act
Know your OFW rights in the Philippines under the Migrant Workers Act, including legal assistance, money claims, and protection from illegal recruitment.
OFW Placement Fees: What Recruiters May and May Not Charge
Learn what placement fees OFWs may legally be charged, what recruiters cannot collect, and how to fight illegal charges.
OFW Employment Contract Philippines: POEA Rules and Standard Terms Explained
Understand the OFW employment contract Philippines POEA rules require, including standard terms, illegal recruitment, and worker protections under Philippine law.
Premarital Pregnancy and Employee Rights: Illegal Suspension in the Philippines
Supreme Court rules suspending a teacher for premarital pregnancy is illegal; secular morality governs employment discipline in the Philippines.
Labor-Only Contracting vs Legitimate Job Contracting: Key Distinctions and Employer Responsibilities
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between labor-only contracting and legitimate job contracting, and the employer liabilities that follow.
Unlawful Termination Employer Liability FOR Extended Business Suspension AND Retrenchment Requirements
When a business suspension exceeds six months and retrenchment rules are ignored, employers face illegal dismissal liability. Learn the rules.
Illegal Dismissal: Employer Liability After a Prolonged Business Suspension
When a business suspension exceeds six months, employers must validly terminate or recall workers. Learn the rules from a 2023 Supreme Court ruling.
OFW Illegal Dismissal: Philippine Labor Laws Protect Workers Abroad
Philippine labor laws protect OFWs from illegal dismissal, even abroad. Learn the rules on retrenchment, due process, and remedies.
Project vs Regular Employment: Defining Job Security in the Philippines
Understand the Supreme Court's distinction between project and regular employment, and what it means for job security under Philippine labor law.
Redundancy and Management Prerogative: Balancing Business Needs and Employee Rights in Terminations
The Supreme Court clarifies when redundancy is a valid ground for dismissal and what employers must prove to avoid illegal dismissal claims.
Illegal Dismissal and Substantial Evidence: The Padsing v. Lepanto Case
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Padsing v. Lepanto underscores that employers must prove just cause for dismissal with substantial evidence.
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.
Regular vs. Fixed-Term Employment: Key Lessons from Site for Eyes v. Daming
The Supreme Court ruled that repeated fixed-term contracts cannot defeat regular employment status. Learn the key lessons from this landmark case.
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.
Proving Illegal Dismissal: The Burden of Substantial Evidence in Philippine Labor Cases
Learn how the Supreme Court defines the employee's burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases, based on the Jarabelo ruling.
Navigating Employee Dismissal: Just Cause and Procedural Due Process in the Philippines
Learn the two-part test for lawful dismissal in the Philippines—substantive just cause and procedural due process—from a recent Supreme Court ruling.