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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Dishonesty in the Workplace: Gauging Sufficient Evidence for Employee Termination
The Supreme Court clarifies the evidentiary standard for dismissing employees for dishonesty, distinguishing valid termination from illegal dismissal.
Overseas Workers Rights Illegal Dismissal and Fair Compensation in Maritime Employment
Understand the Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal of overseas Filipino workers and how compensation is computed under RA 8042.
Absence Due to Unjustified Detention: Employee Protection Against Illegal Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when an employee's absence due to detention does not constitute abandonment, protecting workers from illegal dismissal.
OFW Rights and the Employer's Burden of Proof in Illegal Dismissal Cases
Learn how Philippine courts protect overseas Filipino workers, and why employers carry the burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases.
Dismissal Disputes: Why Procedural Compliance and Employer Accountability Matter
Learn how Philippine courts decide illegal dismissal cases, the burden of proof, and why employees must prove dismissal first.
Strikes and Employee Rights: Understanding the Limits of Union Activities in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal, union busting, corporate veil piercing, and quitclaims in labor disputes.
Business Closure Due to Fire: Employer Prerogative vs. Employee Rights
When fire destroys a business, can employees claim illegal dismissal? The Supreme Court explains the rules on closure and separation pay.
Reinstatement and Full Backwages for Illegal Dismissal: What Employers Must Prove in Redundancy Cases
The Supreme Court explains when redundancy dismissals are illegal and why reinstatement with full backwages is the remedy.
Backwages in Illegal Dismissal: When the Employer’s Obligation Ends
Backwages in illegal dismissal accrue until actual reinstatement or payment of separation pay, per Mt. Carmel College v. Resuena.
Burden of Proof in Illegal Dismissal Cases: Employer's Duty to Certify Illness
In Duterte v. Kingswood Trading, the Supreme Court held the employer, not the worker, must prove that illness justified a dismissal.
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.
Retraction vs Initial Statements: Weighing Evidence in Illegal Dismissal Cases
When an employee is dismissed for serious misconduct, how should courts weigh a witness's retraction against initial statements? The Supreme Court clarifies.
Voluntary Resignation vs Illegal Dismissal: What the Supreme Court Said
When is a resignation voluntary and not forced? The Supreme Court explains the difference in Globe Telecom v. Crisologo.
Termination Disputes Defining the Scope of Voluntary Arbitration in Illegal Dismissal Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when voluntary arbitration applies in illegal dismissal cases and the rules on due process and nominal damages.
Immoral Conduct and Due Process in Termination Cases: Balancing Employer Rights and Employee Protection
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal clarifies labor arbiter jurisdiction, just cause requirements, and due process in termination disputes.
Admissibility vs Probative Value in Illegal Dismissal Cases: Burden of Proof on Employers
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that admissible evidence may still lack probative value in illegal dismissal cases, reaffirming employer's burden of proof.
Dismissal Disputes: Protecting Depositors From Illegal Dismissal Claims in Corporate Crises
The Supreme Court shields depositors who temporarily manage a distressed bank from personal liability for illegal dismissal claims, clarifying employer-employee relationships.
Protecting Seafarer Rights: Why Proper Documentation Is Key in Illegal Dismissal Cases in the Philippines
Learn how proper documentation protects seafarer rights in illegal dismissal cases, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Employer-Employee Relationship and Due Process in Labor-Only Contracting Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer-employee relationships, probationary employment, and the twin requirements of notice and hearing in illegal dismissal cases.
Piercing the Sole Proprietorship Veil: Personal Liability for Business Debts in Illegal Dismissal Cases
Learn when Philippine courts hold sole proprietors personally liable for business debts, including illegal dismissal claims, and how to protect personal assets.
Redundancy and Release: Examining the Validity of Dismissal and Waiver in Philippine Labor Law
A look at when redundancy dismissals are valid and when quitclaims bar illegal dismissal claims, based on a PLDT case.
Abandonment vs Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Workers' Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between abandonment and illegal dismissal, protecting workers who file complaints after being reprimanded.
Abandonment vs Illegal Dismissal: Proving Intent to Abandon Employment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the two requisites for valid dismissal due to abandonment, emphasizing employer's burden of proof.
Prescription Period in Illegal Dismissal Cases: When Does the Clock Start Ticking
Learn when the prescriptive period for illegal dismissal claims begins, based on Philippine Supreme Court rulings and the Labor Code.