Calalang v.

Williams, 70 Phil 726

Social Justice as the aim of Labor Laws
Social justice is "neither communism, nor despotism, nor atomism, nor anarchy," but the humanization
of laws and the equalization of social and economic forces by the State so that justice in its rational and
objectively secular conception may at least be approximated. Social justice means the promotion of the welfare
of all the people, the adoption by the Government of measures calculated to insure economic stability of all the
competent elements of society, through the maintenance of a proper economic and social equilibrium in the
interrelations of the members of the community, constitutionally, through the adoption of measures legally
justifiable, or extra-constitutionally, through the exercise of powers underlying the existence of all governments
on the time-honored principle of salus populi est suprema lex.
Feati University v. Bautista and Feati University Faculty Club, G.R. No. L-21287, December 27, 1966
Employer-Employee Relationship
The elements of an employer-employee relationship are: (1) selection and engagement of the employee;
(2) payment of wages; (3) power of dismissal; and (4) employer's own power to control employee's conduct.
The existence of such a relationship is essentially a factual question.
Asian Center for Career and employment Services, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Commission and
Mediales, G.R. No. 131656, October 12, 1998
Migrant Workers Act
Under Section 10 of R.A. 8042, a worker dismissed from overseas employment without just, valid or
authorized cause is entitled to his salary for the unexpired portion of his employment contract or for three (3)
months for every year of the unexpired term, whichever is less.
Manila Water Co. v. Pena, G.R. No. 158225, July 8, 2004
Labor-only contracting
In labor-only contracting, the statute creates an employer-employee relationship for a comprehensive
purpose: to prevent a circumvention of labor laws. The contractor is considered merely an agent of the principal
employer and the latter is responsible to the employees of the labor-only contractor as if such employees had
been directly employed by the principal employer.
Mafinco Trading Corporation v. Ople, National Labor Relations Commission, et al., G.R. No. L-37790,
March 25, 1976
Independent contractor
A contract whereby one engages to purchase and sell soft drinks on trucks supplied by the manufacturer
but providing that the other party (peddler) shall have the right to employ his own workers, shall post a bond to
protect the manufacturer against losses, shall be responsible for damages caused to third persons, shall obtain
the necessary licenses and permits and bear the expenses incurred in the sale of the soft drinks is not a contract
of employment.
Meycauayan College v. Drilon, G.R. No. 81122, May 7, 1990
Statutory benefits are apart from contractual benefits
Non-compliance with the mandate of a standards law or decree may give rise to an ordinary action for
recovery while violation of a collective bargaining agreement may even give rise to a criminal action for unfair
labor practice. And while the relief sought for violation of a standards law or decree is primarily for restitution
of an unpaid benefits, the relief sought for violating a CBA is ordinarily for compliance and desistance.

National Waterworks Sewerage Authority v. National Waterworks Sewerage Authority Consolidated

Unions, 11 SCRA 766
Offset overtime
The philosophy behind the exemption of managerial employees from the 8-Hour Labor Law is that such
workers are not usually employed for every hour of work but their compensation is determined considering their
special training, experience or knowledge which requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment,
or perform work related to management policies or general business operations along specialized or technical
lines. For these workers it is not feasible to provide a fixed hourly rate of pay or maximum hours of labor.
Kwok v. Philippine Carpet Manufacturing Corporation, G.R. No. 102132, March 19, 1993
Sick leave
The general rule is that, in the absence of authority from the board of directors, no person, not even its
officers, can validly bind a corporation. A corporation is a juridical person, separate and distinct from its
stockholders and members, 'having xxx powers, attributes and properties expressly authorized by law or
incident to its existence. The power and the responsibility to decide whether the corporation should enter into a
contract that will bind the corporation is lodged in the board, subject to the articles of incorporation, by-laws, or
relevant provisions of law.
International School Alliance of Educators v. Quisumbing, et al, G.R. No. 128845, June 1, 2000
Equal pay for equal work
The local-hires perform the same services as foreign-hires and they ought to be paid the same salaries as
the latter. For the same reason, the dislocation factor and the foreign-hires limited tenure also cannot serve as
valid bases for the distinction in salary rates. The dislocation factor and limited tenure affecting foreign-hires
are adequately compensated by certain benefits accorded them which are not enjoyed by local-hires, such as
housing, transportation, shipping costs, taxes and home leave travel allowances.
Marcos, et al. v. National Labor Relations Commission and Insular Life Assurance Co., Ltd., G.R No.
111744, September 8, 1995
Exceptions to the minimum wage
A bonus is not a gift or gratuity, but is paid for some services or consideration and is in addition to what
would ordinarily be given. The term "bonus" as used in employment contracts, also conveys an idea of
something which is gratuitous, or which may be claimed to be gratuitous, over and above the prescribed wage
which the employer agrees to pay.
Makati Haberdahsery, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Commission, G.R. No. 88380-81, November 15,
1989
Employer-Employee relationship
Piece-rate workers, being paid at a fixed amount for performing work irrespective of time consumed in
the performance thereof, are entitled to minimum wage, cost of living allowance, and 13 th month pay, but not to
service incentive leave pay.
St. Josephs College v. St. Josephs College Workers Association, G.R. No. 1555609, January 17, 2005
Teachers share in tuition fee increase

The law plainly states that 70 percent of the tuition fee increase shall be allotted for the teaching and the
nonteaching personnel; and that the payment of other costs of operation, together with the improvement of the
schools infrastructure, shall be taken only from the remaining 30 percent.
Zialcita v. Philippine Airlines, RO4-3-2298-76, February 20, 1977
Employment of women
Although Article 132 enjoins the Secretary of Labor to establish standards that will ensure the safety and
health of women employees and in appropriate cases shall by regulation require employers to determine
appropriate minimum standards for termination in special occupations, such as those of flight attendants, it is
logical to presume that, in the absence of said standards or regulations which are yet to be established, the
policy of PAL against marriage is patently illegal.
Apex Mining Co. Inc. v. National Labor Relations Commission, G.R. No. 94951, April 22, 1991
Employment of househelpers
The foregoing definition clearly contemplates such house helper or domestic servant who is employed in
the employer's home to minister exclusively to the personal comfort and enjoyment of the employer's family.
The definition cannot be interpreted to include house help or laundrywomen working in staff houses of a
company.
The criteria is the personal comfort and enjoyment of the family of the employer in the home of said
employer. While it may be true that the nature of the work of a house helper, domestic servant or laundrywoman
in a home or in a company staff house may be similar in nature, the difference in their circumstances is that in
the former instance they are actually serving the family while in the latter case, whether it is a corporation or a
single proprietorship engaged in business or industry or any other agricultural or similar pursuit, service is being
rendered in the staff houses or within the premises of the business of the employer. In such instance, they are
employees of the company or employer in the business concerned entitled to the privileges of a regular
employee.
Raro v. Employees Compensation commission, G.R. No. 58445, April 27, 1989
Employees compensation and state insurance fund
The law, as it now stands, requires the claimant to prove that the illness was caused by employment.
Iloilo Dock and Engineering Corporation v. Workmens Compensation Commission, et al., G.R. No. L26341, November 27, 1978
Employees compensation and state insurance fund
The general rule in workmen's compensation law known as the "going & coming rule," simply stated, is
that "in the absence of special circumstances, an employee injured in, going to, or coming from his place of
work is excluded from the benefits of workmen's compensation acts." This rule, however, admits of four wellrecognized exceptions, to wit: (1) where the employee is proceeding to or from his work on the premises of his
employer; (2) where the employee is about to enter or about to leave the premises of his employer by way of the
exclusive or customary means of ingress and egress; (3) where the employee is charged, while on his way to or
from his place of employment or at his home, or during his employment, with some duty or special errand
connected with his employment; and (4) where the employer, as an incident of the employment, provides the
means of transportation to and from the place of employment.
Lazo v. Employees Compensation Commission, G.R. No. 78617, June 18, 1980
Employees compensation and state insurance fund

Where an employee, after working hours, attempted to ride on the platform of a service truck of the
company near his place of work, and, while thus attempting, slipped and fell to the ground and was run over by
the truck, resulting in his death, the accident may be said to have arisen out of or in the course of employment,
for which reason his death is compensable. The fact standing alone, that the truck was in motion when the
employee boarded, is insufficient to justify the conclusion that he had been notoriously negligent, where it does
not appear that the truck was running at a great speed.
Menez v. Employees Compensation Commission, G.R. No. L-48488, April 25, 1980
Employees compensation and state insurance fund
Republic Act 4670, otherwise known as the Magna Charta for Public School Teachers, recognized the
enervating effects of these factors (duties and activities of a school teacher certainly involve physical, mental
and emotional stresses) on the health of school teachers when it directed in one of its provisions that Teachers
shall be protected against the consequences of employment injury in accordance with existing laws. The effects
of the physical and nervous strain on the teachers' health shall be recognized as compensable occupational
diseases in accordance with laws.
Vicente v. Employees Compensation Commission, G.R. No. 85024, January 23, 1991
Disability benefits
Optional retirement is allowed only upon proof that the employee-applicant is already physically
incapacitated to render sound and efficient service.
Suanes v. Workmens Compensation Commission, G.R. No. 42808, January 31, 1989
Provisions common to income benefits
The burden of proving non-compensability of the cause of death is shifted to the employer.