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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Perfecting Appeals: The Indispensable Surety Bond in Labor Disputes
A late appeal bond means no appeal at all. This article explains why the surety bond is jurisdictional in labor cases.
Upholding DUE Process When CAN Labor Cases Overlook Technicalities
Breach of Trust and Employee Dismissal: When Is It Justified in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employee dismissal for breach of trust is justified, and why procedural rules yield to substantial justice in labor cases.
Perfecting Appeals in Labor Cases: The Strict Rule on Posting an Appeal Bond
A look at the Supreme Court's ruling that an employer's failure to post an appeal bond on time is fatal to an appeal, even if other requirements were met.
Perfecting Appeals in Labor Cases: The Indispensable Role of Appeal Bonds
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why posting an appeal bond on time is mandatory for perfecting an employer's appeal from a Labor Arbiter decision.
Compromise Agreements After Final Judgment: Party Autonomy in Labor Cases
The Supreme Court explains when workers may validly waive a final labor judgment through compromise, and what makes such waivers binding.
Trust Betrayed Balancing Employee Rights AND Employer Prerogatives IN Dismissal Cases
A columnist's dismissal raises the appeal bond rule in labor cases. The Supreme Court clarifies when strict compliance may be relaxed.
Finality of Factual Findings in Labor Cases: The Burden of Proving Payment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on finality of NLRC factual findings and the employer's burden to prove payment of wages in labor disputes.
When Substantial Justice Trumps Procedural Rigidity in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that substantial justice prevails over procedural rules in labor cases, but only when rights are not prejudiced.
Appeal Route Clarified: COSLAP Decisions Go to Court of Appeals, Not Directly to Supreme Court
Learn why COSLAP rulings on labor cases must be appealed to the CA first, based on a recent Supreme Court decision.
Finality of Judgment: When Labor Decisions Become Unchangeable
Learn when labor case decisions become final and unchangeable, and why courts require clear factual findings before ruling on employer liability.
When a Settlement Waives Reinstatement: PNOC-EDC v. Abella on Labor Compromises
The Supreme Court explains when a compromise agreement in a labor case bars claims for reinstatement and how management transfers may be valid.
Compromise Agreements in Labor Disputes: Validity and Employee Obligations
When a compromise settles a labor case, it binds the parties. Learn the rules on reinstatement, transfers, and insubordination.
Upholding Procedural Rules: How Counsel's Negligence Binds Clients in Labor Appeals
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a lawyer's failure to file a timely appeal binds the client, even in labor cases.
Forum Shopping Certification in Labor Cases: Substantial Compliance Protects Workers' Rights
Supreme Court rules substantial compliance with non-forum shopping certification suffices in labor cases, protecting workers from technical dismissal.
Perfecting Labor Appeals: The Mandatory Bond Requirement and Its Exceptions
Learn why posting an appeal bond is mandatory in labor cases, when exceptions apply, and how a motion to reduce bond affects the appeal period.
Breach of Trust: When Negligence Justifies Employee Dismissal in the Philippines
When does an employee's negligence justify dismissal for loss of trust and confidence? The Supreme Court explains in this Philippine labor case.
Illegal Dismissal and Abandonment: What Employers Must Prove in Philippine Labor Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies abandonment and due process requirements in illegal dismissal cases, protecting employee rights under the Labor Code.
The Final Word: Why Timely Appeals Are Critical in Labor Disputes
Learn why meeting appeal deadlines in labor cases is crucial, and how the Supreme Court treats late appeals.
Backwages Despite Just Cause Dismissal: When Procedure Matters in Labor Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on backwages for employees dismissed for just cause but denied due process, and the limits of certiorari.
Res Judicata in Labor Disputes: Final NLRC Decisions Cannot Be Relitigated
Final and executory NLRC decisions bar relitigation. The Supreme Court explains res judicata in labor cases.
Annulment of NLRC Judgments: Why the Court of Appeals Lacks Jurisdiction
Explore why the Court of Appeals cannot annul NLRC decisions and the risks of forum shopping in labor cases.
Upholding Termination: The Standard of Proof in Labor Cases Involving Employee Misconduct
Philippine Airlines vs. Tongson clarifies the substantial evidence standard employers must meet when dismissing employees for misconduct.
Balancing Technical Rules and Substantial Justice in Labor Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on liberal construction of verification and non-forum shopping rules in labor cases.