labor standards - case digests atty. magsino

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Biboso et al, v. Victorias Milling &OP / GR No. L44360 / 3.31.77 / Groups of Employees - Probationary Employees 282 / Fernando, J p: F: Ps assails the decision of Jacobe (OP Pres’l EA), declaring that as Probationary Employees, they are not covered by the mantle of labor protection as guaranteed by the Constitution. Ps are teachers in PRs school, who serves in a Year-to-Year basis, signing new contracts each year, stipulated as ‘temporary as and when required until…’ making Ps as probationary employees. Ps argues that they were subjected by PR to unfair labor practice. PR on the other hand argues otherwise. NLRC favoured Ps, OP PRs, hence this. The Labor Code does not set the maximum probationary period at six months. Under the Labor Code, the probationary period is the period required to learn a skill, trade, occupation or profession. In other words, the Labor Code recognizes the policy of the Bureau of Private Schools settling the maximum probationary period for teachers at three years.' I: WON the OP was correct. R: The petition, as noted at the outset, cannot prosper. What is decisive is that petitioners were well aware all the time that their tenure was for a limited duration. Upon its termination, both parties to the employment relationship were free to renew it or to let it lapse. It was the decision of private respondent that it should cease. There is no question here, as noted in the assailed order of Presidential Executive Assistant Clave, that petitioners did not enjoy a permanent status. During such period they could remain in their positions and any circumvention of their rights, in accordance with the statutory scheme, subject to inquiry and thereafter correction by the Department of Labor. Thus there was the safeguard as to the duration of their employment being respected. To that extent, their tenure was

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Case Digest from a Student of Atty. Magsino

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Biboso et al, v. Victorias Milling &OP / GR No. L44360 / 3.3.!! /Gro"#s o$ %lo'ees ( Probationar' %lo'ees )*) / +ernan,o, -#.F: Ps assails thedecisionof Jacobe(OPPresl EA),declaringthat asProbationaryEmployees, theyarenot coveredbythemantleof laborprotectionasgaranteedbythe!onstittion"Ps areteachersinP#sschool, $hoservesina%ear&to&%earbasis,signingne$contractseachyear, stiplated as 'temporary as and $hen re(ired ntil) ma*ing Ps asprobationaryemployees" Psargesthatthey$eresb+ectedbyP#tonfair labor practice" P#ontheother handarges other$ise" ,-#!favored Ps, OP P#s, hence this"/0e Labor 1o,e ,oes not set t0e &a2i&"& #robationar' #erio, atsi2 &ont0s. 3n,er t0e Labor 1o,e, t0e #robationar' #erio, is t0e#erio, re4"ire, to learn a s5ill, tra,e, occ"#ation or #ro$ession.6not0er 7or,s, t0eLabor 1o,erecogni8es t0e#olic'o$ t0eB"rea"o$ Private9c0oolssettlingt0e&a2i&"robationar'#erio, $or teac0ers at t0ree 'ears.: 6. ;ON t0e OP 7as correct.#: .he petition, as noted at the otset, cannot prosper" ;0at is ,ecisiveis t0at #etitioners 7ere 7ell a7are all t0e ti&e t0at t0eir ten"re7as $or a li&ite, ,"ration./pon its termination, both parties to theemployment relationship $ere free to rene$ it or to let it lapse" 0t $as thedecision of private respondent that it shold cease" .here is no (estion here, as noted in the assailed order of PresidentialE1ectiveAssistant !lave, that petitionersdidnot en+oyapermanentstats"?6nt. 1at0olic Migration 1o&&ission >61M1? v. NLR1 & Galang / GRNo. !)))) / .30.*@ / Gro"#s o$ %lo'ees ( Probationar'%lo'ees )*) / +ernan, - #.F: 0!@!, non&proAt refgee org, hired P#as a Probationary cltralorientation teacher" 8 months in the Pro;, he $as advised orally and in$riting that she failed here evalation, therefore she is being terminated,thereafter she acted strangely to the point that she $as hospitaliBed C Ptoo* care of her and $as given her beneAts" On D"EE"D8 she sed P forillegal dismissal, nfair labor practice, npaid $ages and reinstatement" P!ontered, that she coldnt claim sch becase she $as terminated forfailre to (alify as a reglar employee as prescribed by her employer" -Adismissedthecomplaint bt orderedpayment of her $ages for thenconsmed 8 months, ,-#! a2rmed on ma+ority decision" 6. ;ON PR is entitle, to 0er salar' $or t0e "ne2#ire, #ortion o$0er si2 &ont0.#: ,ot entitled" FeAndnmeritorios, therefore, pblic respondent9sargmentthatthesecrityoftenreofprobationaryemployees$ithinthe period of their probation, as in the case of herein private respondent,+stiAed the a$ard of salary for the ne1pired portion of her probationaryemployment" .he termination of private respondent predicated on a +stcase negates the application in this case of the prononcement in thecase of ;iboso v" 3ictorias @illing !o", 0nc", 5E on the right of secrity oftenre of probationary employees" #ecords sho$that privaterespondent $as fondbypetitioner tobedeAcient in classroommanagement, teacher&stdent relationship andteachingtechni(es"+ail"reto4"ali$'asareg"lar elo'eeinaccor,ance 7it0 t0e reasonable stan,ar,s o$ t0e elo'er is a="stca"se$orter&inatinga#robationar'elo'ees#eciAcall'recogni8e, "n,er Brticle )*) >no7 Brticle )*? o$ t0e Labor 1o,e .he legal basis of pblic respondent is erroneos"B#robationar'elo'ee, as "n,erstoo, "n,er Brticle )*) >no7 Brticle )*? o$t0eLabor1o,e,isone70oisontrial b'anelo'er,"ring70ic0 t0e elo'er ,eter&ines 70et0er or not 0e is 4"aliAe, $or#er&anent elo'&ent. B #robationar' a##oint&ent is &a,e toaCor, t0eelo'erano##ort"nit'toobserve t0eAtness o$a#robationer 70ile at 7or5, an,toascertain 70et0er 0e 7illbeco&e a #ro#er an, eDcient elo'ee./0e 7or,E#robationar'E,as"se,to,escribet0e#erio,o$elo'&ent,ilies t0e #"r#ose o$ t0e ter& or #erio,, b"t not its lengt0. E/0e rig0t o$ a laborer to sell 0is labor to s"c0 #ersons as 0e &a'c0oose is, in its essence, t0e sa&e as t0e rig0t o$ an elo'er to#"rc0ase labor $ro& an' #erson 70o& it c0ooses./0e elo'eran, t0e elo'ee 0ave t0"s an e4"alit' o$ rig0t g"arantee, b't0e1onstit"tion. 6$ t0eelo'ercancoel t0eelo'eeto7or5 against t0e latter:s 7ill, t0is is servit",e. 6$ t0e elo'eecan coel t0e elo'er to give 0i& 7or5 against t0e elo'er:s7ill, t0is is o##ression.EVer B"iser, Bc"Fa & 6ntengan v. Leogar,o >MOL%? & Gen/ele#0one )*? / 1r"8, - #.F: Jonasan P# $as hired as an OJ., after $Gc, as an Pro; for Hmos" M days(55"D"65) before the end of her Pro; she $as dismissed on the grondthat she had not come p to the standards of the P Jotel" 4ing, -A fonddismissal+stiAed, appealing, ,-#! fond her to had become a reglaremployee then, hence this"6. ;ON P 0a, beco&e a Reg"lar %lo'ee.#: Iismissed"On t0e iss"e o$ illegal ,is&issal, 7e An, t0atJonasan7as#lace,b't0e#etitioneron#robationt7ice,Arst,"ring 0er on(t0e(=ob training $or t0ree 7ee5s, an, ne2t ,"ringanot0er #erio, o$ si2 &ont0s, ostensibl' in accor,ance 7it0Brticle)*. Jer #robationclearl'e2cee,e,t0e#erio,o$ si2&ont0s #rescribe, b' t0is article.%ven i$ it be s"##ose, t0at t0e#robation ,i, not en, 7it0 t0e t0ree(7ee5 #erio, o$ on(t0e(=obtraining, t0ere is still no reason 70' t0at #erio, s0o"l, not beincl",e, in t0e sti#"late, si2(&ont0 #erio, o$ #robation. Jonasan$as accepted for on&the&+ob training on April 5N, 5665" Assming that herprobationcoldbee1tendedbeyondthat date, it nevertheless coldcontine only p to October 5N, 5665, after the end of si1 months fromtheearlierdate" /nderthismorelenientapproach, shehadbecomeareglar employee of Joliday 0nn and ac(ired fll secrity of tenre as ofOctober 5N, 5665"Art" E76" 4ecrityof .enre=0ncases of reglar employment, theemployer shallnot terminate the services of an employee e1cept for a+st case or $hen athoriBed by this .itle" An employee $ho is n+stlydismissedfrom$or*shall beentitledtoreinstatement $ithotlossofseniority rights and other privileges and to his fll bac*$ages, inclsive ofallo$ances, and to his other beneAts or their monetary e(ivalentcompted from the time his compensation $as $ithheld from him p tothe time of his actalreinstatement" .he gronds for the removalof areglar employeeareenmeratedinArticleEDE, ED8andEDMof the-abor!ode" .heprocedreforschremoval isprescribedin#leO03,;oo* 3 of the Omnibs #les 0mplementing the -abor !ode".hese rles$ere not observed in the case at bar as Jonasan $as simply told that herservices $ere being terminated becase they $ere fond to bensatisfactory" ,o administrative investigation of any *ind $asnderta*en to +stify this grond"/0e #olic' o$ t0e 1onstit"tion is to give t0e "t&ost #rotection tot0e 7or5ing class 70en s"b=ecte, to s"c0 &ane"vers as t0e oneattete,b't0e#etitioners. /0is1o"rtis$"ll'co&&itte,tot0at #olic' an, 0as al7a's been 4"ic5 to rise in ,e$ense o$ t0erig0ts o$ labor, as in t0is case.PRs? / GR No. 06)46 / @..@4 / Gro"#s o$%lo'ees N Reg"lar %lo'ees >)*0? / P"no, - #.F: P#s are employees of P varying from5Pmos to M"N yrs, givenpermanency on 7"58"DD" P has a !;A $ith the employees /nion grantingits reglar employees aP8NPincreaseintheir $ages fromM"5"D7C8"85"6P" Amongthee1ceptions$erePro;s" P#s$eredeniedof theirdemand" After the e1piration of the !;A, P#s sed" -A dismissed, ,-#!reversed, assailingthatP#sareentitledtotheincreasebecasetheybecame #eglar Employees (#Es) H months after hiring" P claimsprescription" Jence this"6. ;ON PRs are covere, b' t0e increase.#: PetitionIismissed" Petitioner deniedtheir demandcontendingthate1cldes ?temporary or probationary employees " " " "? #eading ArticlesEDP and ED5 of the -abor !ode, providing for reglar and casalemployment respectively,it cannot be ,enie, t0at #rivateres#on,ents attaine, t0e stat"s o$ reg"lar elo'ees evenbe$ore @**.+irstl', t0e' #er$or& activities 70ic0 are necessar'or ,esirable in t0e "s"al b"siness o$ t0e #etitioner as an electriccoo#erative. /0e' are &eter ins#ectors, PBBO o#erators, "tilit'&en, ,isconnectors, line&en, &essengers, secretaries, cler5s,t'#ists, #l"&bers, &ec0anics, ,ra$ts&en, JR< #ersonnel,collectors an, electricians. 6n,ee,, t0eir a##oint&ents 7o"l, not0ave been reg"lari8e, i$ t0eir =obs 7ere not in,is#ensable in t0e,ail' o#eration o$ t0e #etitioner:s b"siness.9econ,l', t0e' 0a,7or5e, $or #etitioner $or &ore t0an si2 >6? &ont0s be$ore t0e'7ere given reg"lar a##oint&ents. /0e' 0a, been 0ire, onvario"s ,ates starting $ro& @*4.Brticles )*0 an, )* o$ o"r Labor 1o,e, s"#ra, #"t an en, to t0e#ernicio"s#racticeo$ &a5ing#er&anent cas"also$ o"r lo7l'elo'ees b' t0e sile e2#e,ient o$ e2ten,ing to t0erobationar' a##oint&ents, a, inAnit"&./0"s,Brticle )*,s"#ra, #lace, a ceiling on #robationar' elo'&ent, i.e., not toe2cee, si2 >6? &ont0s $ro&t0e ,ate t0e elo'ee starte,7or5ing. On t0e ot0er 0an,, Brticle )*0, s"#ra, ,eAne, 70en anelo'&ent s0all be reg"lar not7it0stan,ing an' 7rittenagree&ent to t0e contrar'. 6n ot0er 7or,s, t0e gra,"ation o$ anelo'ee $ro&cas"al or #robationar' to reg"lar ,oes not,e#en, on t0e arbitrar' 7ill o$ 0is elo'er. )*0? / Regala,o, - #.F: P# !o" e1ected a 8yr !;A $ith /Q!E/P.KFO (.ransport and KeneralFor*ersOrg) $Gce1piredonH"8P"DH, dringthenegotiationsfor therene$al of their !;A, PQO $as established, PQO applied for certiAcation,P# !o and PQO did not ob+ect, bt ob+ected on the proposition of PQO toinclde contractal $or*ers fromP##@" Pendente certiAcation, PQOstri*ed$henP!odismissedthecontractal $or*ers" OnH"E"DHthecertiAcation$as granted, andmovedfor election, /Q!E/P.KF$on"QimberlyP!ochallengedthevotesofHMcasal $or*ersallegingthatthey are not employees" PQO protested and motioned to inclde the votesof the !Es, P !o" opposed" -A Finally declared sch !asals as #Es, P !o"motioned, @O-E 4ec" Irilon a2rms, hence this" 6. ;ON t0e 1%s are reg"lars. #: A2rmed" .he Art" EDP of the -abor !ode ths provides for t$o *inds ofreglar employees, namely: (5) those $ho are engaged to performactivities $hich are sally necessary or desirable in the sal bsinessor trade of the employerR and ()? t0ose 70o 0ave ren,ere, at leastone 'ear o$ service, 70et0er contin"o"s or bro5en, 7it0 res#ectto t0e activit' in 70ic0 t0e' are elo'e,./0e in,ivi,"al#etitioners 0erein 70o 0ave been a,=",ge, to be reg"larelo'ees $all "n,er t0e secon, categor'. /0ese are t0e&ec0anics, electricians, &ac0inists, &ac0ine s0o# 0el#ers,7are0o"se 0el#ers, #ainters, car#enters, #i#eAtters an, &asons.6t is not ,is#"te, t0at t0ese 7or5ers 0ave been in t0e elo' o$P6MB%RLQ $or &ore t0an one 'ear at t0e ti&e o$ t0e Aling o$ t0e#etition $or certiAcation election b' P6L39BN(OLBL6B. O7ing tot0eir lengt0 o$ service 7it0 t0e coan', t0ese 7or5ers beca&ereg"lar elo'ees, b' o#eration o$ la7, one 'ear a$ter t0e' 7ereelo'e, b' P6MB%RLQ t0ro"g0 RBNP. /0e la7 is e2#licit. Bs longast0eelo'ee0as ren,ere, at leastone 'earo$service,0ebeco&es a reg"lar elo'ee 7it0 res#ect to t0e activit' in 70ic00e is elo'e,./0e la7 ,oes not #rovi,e t0e 4"aliAcation t0att0e elo'ee &"st Arst be iss"e, a reg"lar a##oint&ent or &"stArst be $or&all' ,eclare, as s"c0 be$ore 0e can ac4"ire a reg"larstat"s. Obvio"sl', 70ere t0e la7 ,oes not ,isting"is0, no,istinction s0o"l, be ,ra7n.As a conse(ence of their stats as reglar employees, those $or*ers notperforming +anitorial and yard maintenance service $ere perforce entitledto the payment of salary diLerential, cost of living allo$ance, 58th monthpay, and sch other beneAts e1tended to reglar employees nder the!;A, from the day immediately follo$ing their Arst year of service in thecompany" .hesereglaremployeesareli*e$iseentitledtovoteinthecertiAcation election held in Jly 5, 56DH" +erroc0ro&e P0ils, 9c0olsnagel & ;eber v. NLR1 & Bartsc0 >PR? /GR No. 0II3* / @.I.@4 / Gro"#s o$ %lo'ees N Reg"lar%lo'ees >)*0? / P"no, - #.F: P# $as initially employed as consltant&engineer, and is deployed to #Pas sch for P for 8 mos, e1tendable if agreed" After the 8 months, $Go anycontract, his services $ere still being engaged" On 7"DD P# $as diagnosed$G Psychological Iisorder, P then granted a vacation leave, from 6"ED"DD,he retrned on 5P"5"DD, assmed his position" Je $as dismissed, $G intentto reemploy on 5"8P"D6" P# sed, -A dismissed citing that after the end ofhis contract, he $as only engaged by P as a contractalon a monthlybasis, ,-#! reversed, hence this"6. ;ON PR beca&e an R%, t0"s t0ere 7as illegal ,is&issal.#:Bs,eAne,"n,ert0ela7, anelo'&ents0all be,ee&e,reg"lar i$ t0e elo'ee #er$or&s activities "s"all' necessar' or,esirable in t0e "s"al b"siness an, tra,e o$ t0e elo'er OR i$t0eelo'ee0as ren,ere,at least one>? 'ear o$ service,70et0er t0e service be contin"o"s or bro5en" B##l'ing t0ese t7o>)? tests, 7e An, t0at contrar' to t0e s"##ositions o$ #etitioner,Bartsc0 7as a reg"lar elo'ee o$ t0e latter.G;0ile t0e,esignationo$ colainant int0eservice is ,eno&inate,as1ons"ltant %ngineer, 'et t0e ,escri#tiono$ 0is ,"ties statesot0er7ise.H>/?0e colainant "n,er t0e ,eAnition o$ 0is #o7eran, ,"ties 0as been consigne, to an, relegate, to t0e categor'o$ anor,inar'tec0nical staCelo'ee..heterm9consltant9 ismerelymoreofamatterof nomenclatreasheisre(irednderthecontract to observe reglar o2ce hors" 0t therefore precldes the hiringof a mere 9consltant9 $ho is spposed to render part&time service to theprincipal employer"#espondents (petitioners herein) cold have terminated complainant fromthe service after the lapse of the three (8) months period stiplated in the!ontract of Employment" ;t management fond itself in dire need of thee1pertiseof complainantthatitdecidedtoe1tendtheservicesof thelatter for an indeAnite period$hich lasted ntil Febrary 58, 56D6 $henoneF" Feber representingrespondents deliveredtocomplainant theletteroftermination datedJanary8P,56D6"Fhen he $as terminatedfromtheservice, complainanthadmorethan(aliAedtobeareglaremployee" (/?0e e2tent o$ colainant:s services 7it0 res#on,entcover>e,? s"bstantiall' a #erio, o$ one >? 'ear, &ore or less, asa,&itte,b'res#on,entsint0e>ter&ination?lettero$-an"ar'30, @*@ . . . 70en it state,.:;e 7is0 it >sic? to t0an5 'o" $or'o"r val"able contrib"tion ,"ring t0e #ast ) &ont0s an, 0o#et0at 7ecanres"&easi&ilarl'$r"it$"l coo#eration70eno"r#ro=ectsarerea,'E . . . 0asinveste,in0i&t0estat"so$ areg"lar elo'ee "n,er t0e secon, #aragra#0 o$ Brticle )*0 o$t0eLabor 1o,e, as a&en,e,.;eingareglar employee, privaterespondent is entitledtosecrityof tenreandhis services maybeterminated only for cases provided by la$"9inger 9e7ing Mac0ines v. LVNPict"res, 6nc. v. P0ili##ineM"siciansG"il,, 91RB3)L@6M?..heplainlangageof theagreement reveals that thedesignationas collectionagent does notcreate an employment relationship and that the applicant is to beconsidered at alltimes as an independent contractor".his is consistent$ith the Arst rle of interpretation that the literal meaning of thestiplations in the contract controls (Article 587P, !ivil!odeR -a 4erte!igar and !igarette Factory v" Iirector of ;rea of -abor #elations, 5E84!#AH76S56D8T)"Nos"c07or,sasEto0irean,elo'E are#resent. Moreover, t0eagree&ent ,i,not A2 ana&o"nt $or7ages nor t0e re4"ire, 7or5ing 0o"rs. 1oensation is earne,onl'ont0ebasiso$ t0etangibleres"lts#ro,"ce,, i.e., totalcollections &a,e(4arra v" Agarrado, 5HH 4!#A HEN S56DDT)"/0ecollection agent ,oes 0is 7or5 E&ore or less at 0is o7n #leas"reE7it0o"tareg"lar,ail'ti&e$ra&eiose,on0i&(0nvestmentPlanning !orporation of the Philippines v" 4ocial 4ecrity 4ystem, E5 4!#A6EM S56H7TR 4ee also 4ocial 4ecrity 4ystem v" !ort of Appeals, 8P 4!#AE5P S56H6T)".he follo$ing elements are generally considered in the determination ofthe employer&employee relationshipR ?(5) the selection and engagementof the employeeR (E) the payment of $agesR (8) the po$er of dismissalRand (M) the po$er to control the employee9s condct"ArticleEDPis not theyardstic* for determiningthee1istenceof anemployment relationshipbecaseit merelydistingishesbet$eent$o*indsof employees, i"e", reglaremployeesandcasal employees, forprposes of determining the right of an employee to certain beneAts, to+oin or form a nion, or to secrity of tenre" Article EDP does not apply$here the e1istence of an employment relationship is in dispte"Magsalin & 1oca 1ola v. NO;M et al. / GR No. 4*4@) / [email protected] /Gro"#s o$ %lo'ees N Reg"lar %lo'ees / Vit"g, - #.F: P!O hired P#s as $or*ers for a limited period, as sbstitte to reglar$henever navailable, after that they $ere hired on a day&to&day basis,P#s have $or*ed for atleast a year as sales rote helpers, they $ere laterdismissed, sing" P!O arges thatthe $or* assigned to P#4 $asUpostprodction activitiesV, $hich $as not indispensable in themanfactring, -A dismissed, !A reversed, hence this" 6. ;ON PRs ac4"ire reg"larit' o$ elo'&ent 7/ P1O.#: A2rmed, argment npersasive"/0e nat"re o$ t0e 7or5#er$or&e, &"st be vie7e, $ro& a #ers#ective o$ t0e b"siness initsentiret'an,notonaconAne,sco#e.Jere, t0e1o"rt0el,t0at t0e re#eate, re0iring o$ res#on,ent 7or5ers an, t0econtin"ing nee, $or t0eir services clearl' atteste, to t0enecessit' or ,esirabilit' o$ t0eir services in t0e reg"lar con,"cto$ t0e b"siness o$ #etitioner 1oan'. ;hile it pheld the legality ofa A1ed&termemployment, it has done so, ho$ever, $ith a sternadmonitionthat $herefromthecircmstancesit isapparent that theperiod has been imposed to preclde the ac(isition of tenrial secrityby the employee, then it shold be strc* do$n as being contrary to la$,morals, good cstoms, pblic order and pblic policy"0t is distingished from a speciAc nderta*ing that is divorced from thenormal activities re(ired in carrying on the particlar bsiness or trade";t, althogh the $or* to be performed is only for a speciAc pro+ect orseasonal, $here a person ths engaged has been performing the +ob forat least one year, even if the performance is not continos or is merelyintermittent, thela$deemstherepeatedandcontiningneedfor itsperformance as being s2cient to indicate the necessity or desirability ofthat activity to the bsiness or trade of the employer" .he employment ofschpersonisalsothendeemedtobereglar $ithrespect toschactivity and $hile sch activity e1ists"Bn' obvio"s circ"&vention o$ t0e la7 cannot be co"ntenance,./0e $act t0at res#on,ent 7or5ers 0ave agree, to be elo'e, ons"c0 basis an, to $orego t0e #rotection given to t0e& on t0eirsec"rit'o$ten"re,,e&onstratenot0ing&oret0ant0eserio"s#roble&o$ioveris0&ento$ so&an'o$ o"r#eo#lean,t0eres"lting"nevennessbet7eenlaboran,ca#ital. Bcontracto$elo'&ent is iresse, 7it0 #"blic interest. /0e #rovisions o$a##licablestat"tesare,ee&e,7rittenintot0econtract,an,Et0e #arties are not at libert' to ins"late t0e&selves an, t0eirrelations0i#s$ro&t0eiacto$laborla7san,reg"lationsb'sil' contracting 7it0 eac0 ot0er.E