termination

An HR professional might wonder where all those offenses detailed in the company’s code of conduct would fall since they do not specifically belong to the enumeration in Article 297. This is where the catchall provision of “other causes analogous to the foregoing” comes into play. Such other causes must be analogous to any of […]

Promotion is an upward movement of an employee. This is usually done due to the display of good performance. Hence, it does not seem to be in accord with the decision of the management to charge an employee for loss of trust and confidence after he was being promoted. The promotion of an employee who […]

Security of tenure guarantees that an employee cannot be dismissed from employment, except for just or authorized cause. There are forms of employment where employees hold limited security of tenure. In the case of a managerial employee who is faced with investigation for willful breach of trust, he gives up the guarantee considering the rule […]

Fraud exists only when, through insidious words or machinations, the other party is induced to act and without which, the latter would not have agreed to. Fraud is never presumed. It must be proved. It cannot be based on nebulous facts. Fraud and misrepresentation are, therefore, never presumed; it must be proved by clear and […]

Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL) is a ground for disciplinary action. AWOL in itself is not a ground for dismissal. However, AWOL can lead to abandonment of work. This happens when the employee being directed to report for work after being on AWOL refuses to report for work. Thus, the employer usually escalates the violation […]

The contention that the phrase “poor performance” would mean the same as gross and habitual neglect by an employee of his duties is unavailing. The fact that an employee’s performance is found to be poor or unsatisfactory does not necessarily mean that the employee is grossly and habitually negligent of his duties. Gross negligence implies […]

Another ground for dismissal under Article 297 is insubordination or willful disobedience of lawful orders of the employer or his representatives. A common situation involving this ground is when a superior gives an order to a subordinate but the latter refuses to comply. However, for insubordination to arise, the order given must be lawful. There […]

As provided under Article 297, the misconduct referred to must be serious in nature. The Supreme Court defines misconduct as follows: “Misconduct is improper or wrong conduct. It is the transgression of some established and definite rule of action, a forbidden act, a dereliction of duty, willful in character, and implies wrongful intent and not […]

Just cause is a legal terminology used in Article 297 of the Labor Code which provides the grounds or reasons for dismissal arising from the conduct of an employee. It presupposes that the employee has committed an offense against the company, person of the employer or his representative. It also covers gross and habitual neglect […]

Sample templates are provided, with discussion of the rules to guide employers, HR Managers, and business owners of the right procedure in terminating employees who committed dismissible offense against the company. “Dismissible offense” means violation of company rules where the penalty is dismissal from service. Under the law and rules, this requires observance of procedural […]