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 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.
Navigating Employment Status: Contract of Service vs Regular Employment in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when workers in government-owned corporations are contract of service workers, not regular employees entitled to security of tenure.
Misclassified Employee or Domestic Worker? Key Lessons from Gaspar v. M.I.Y. Real Estate
The Supreme Court clarifies when a worker is a regular employee versus a domestic worker under Philippine law.
Independent Contractor vs. Employee: The Control Test in Philippine Labor Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a "freelancer" is really a regular employee under Philippine labor law, using the control test.
Independent Contractor vs Employee: Proving Employment Status in Illegal Dismissal Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies how courts distinguish independent contractors from regular employees in illegal dismissal disputes, emphasizing the burden of proof on claimants.
Unmasking Labor Only Contracting Regular Employment Rights Prevail
Supreme Court clarifies labor-only contracting rules, affirming that workers performing core tasks for a principal are regular employees entitled to full protection.
Regularization Standards Failure To Inform Converts Probationary Employee To Regular Status
Failure to inform probationary employees of regularization standards converts them to regular employees by operation of law, with full backwages.
Challenging Labor Only Contracting: Regular Employment Rights Affirmed
Supreme Court affirms that DOLE registration alone does not prove legitimate job contracting; workers performing principal business tasks are regular employees.
Determining Employer-Employee Relationship: The Indispensability of a Worker's Role in Business Operations
When does a worker become a regular employee? The Supreme Court clarifies the test under Article 295 of the Labor Code.
Employment Contracts and Project Employee Status: Key Lessons from Steelweld v. Echano
A look at how unsigned contracts and continuous work affect regular employee status in Philippine labor law.
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.
Labor-Only Contracting: When a Contractor Becomes a Mere Agent of the Employer
The Supreme Court clarifies labor-only contracting rules in Ortiz v. Forever Richsons, protecting regular employees from illegal dismissal.
Employee vs Independent Contractor: Landmark Ruling on Regular Employment
Supreme Court clarifies when fixed-term contracts are invalid and workers become regular employees entitled to security of tenure.
Understanding Regular vs Fixed-Term Employment: Insights From a Landmark Supreme Court Ruling
A landmark ruling clarifies when fixed-term contracts are valid and when workers become regular employees entitled to security of tenure.
Understanding Regular Employment: How the Nature of Work Determines Employee Status in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when construction workers become regular employees entitled to security of tenure, not merely project-based hires.
Regular vs Project Employment: What the Supreme Court Requires of Employers
A 2019 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when construction workers are regular employees, not project employees, and what employers must prove.
Regular Seasonal vs Regular Employment: What the Supreme Court Says About Worker Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies when "regular seasonal" workers become regular employees, protecting their rights under Philippine labor law.
Piece-Rate Workers Are Regular Employees Entitled to Security of Tenure
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that piece-rate payment does not negate regular employment, and abandonment requires proof of intent.
Regular Employee Status: Distinguishing Independent Contractors From Labor-Only Contracting
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when workers are regular employees despite agency transfers, distinguishing independent contractors from labor-only contracting.
Regular Employment in Poultry Farms: Length of Service and Necessity of Work
Supreme Court clarifies when maintenance workers in poultry farms become regular employees under Philippine labor law.
Regular Employment and Labor-Only Contracting: Lingat v. Coca-Cola Bottlers
Supreme Court clarifies when agency-hired workers are regular employees of the principal employer, and the limits of labor contracting.
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.
Regular Employment vs Independent Contractor: The Control Test in Philippine Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when construction workers are regular employees, not independent contractors, using the four-fold test and control test.