legal Free Legal Advice

[miguel1969]

Hello Legal Gurus,

 

A close friend of mine is working for a multinational company (A). Her company had an email audit and saw an email which appears to be in violation of her company’s policy on conflict of interest.

 

When I asked my friend her side of the story, she said that she was planning to offer consulting services to one of her clients. However, the consultant she was planning to use for the engagement is a freelance consultant. Under their company policy, their organization cannot deal directly with a freelance consultant. So she looked for a workaround, the work around she did was to talk to a friend who owns a consulting company (. She will let her organization (A) coordinate with the consulting company ( and the consulting company will pay the freelance consultant.

 

The issue is, the consulting company asked for the consultant’s TIN number so that they can properly file the correct taxes. The freelance consultant, however, found this set-up “complicated”. The freelance consultant only wanted to deal with my friend directly (in short, my friend will be the one to give the consultant the money).

 

Since my friend wanted to provide her client with this service, she coordinated with the consulting company and emailed her TIN number instead. This is the email that audit saw.

 

Now, her company’s HR, Legal and Audit department wrote her telling her that her actions were in violation of the company policy and they are asking her to explain why she shouldn’t be terminated. Her company gave her until Monday to send the written explanation.

 

I have never seen my friend so down and I want to help her. Can her company terminate her given the “violation”? And if ever she is terminated, is she entitled to any severance package? Any advise you can give would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Miguel

[daredevil2k7]

pwede.

 

Tax evasion may be defined as the act of reducing taxes by illegal or fraudulent means. Common practices of Tax evasion include:

 

under-reporting of income, over-statement of expenses, use of fictitious receipts, the keeping of double sets of books, false or fictitious entries in books, fictitious transactions in the name of dummies, non-recording of sales, and others.

 

Tax avoidance, on the other hand, involves the legal re-arrangements of one's economic activities in order to lower the tax liability. This is done by moving capital or labor to areas, geographical or otherwise, where tax rates are lower and/or by manipulating the tax parameters through the legal means to spread or defer the tax liability over time thereby effectively reducing the tax rate.

 

 

kung required siya sa ilalim ng batas na mag-file ng income tax return, at di siya nag-file, ito ay ilegal kung kaya't maari nating sabihin na ito ay tax evasion.

 

Note: kung nag-withhold naman ang employer niya ng tamang halaga ng income tax mula sa commission niya, mukhang walang tax evasion dun, dahil di na siya required mag-file ng ITR

 

Ganun ba total of 6 months siya nagwork dun tapos wala na siyang work after that at ang alam ko may exception sa income tax kapag below something yun income mo. Siguro ang magiging kaso lang kung sakali ay hindi siya nagfile ng papers and not tax evasion. :goatee:

[rocco69]

Who Are The Individuals Required To File Income Tax Returns:

 

* Resident citizens receiving income from sources within or outside the Philippines

 

- individuals deriving compensation income from 2 or more employers, concurrently or successively at anytime during the taxable year

 

- employees deriving compensation income regardless of the amount, whether from a single or several employers during the calendar year, the income tax of which has not been withheld correctly (i.e. tax due is not equal to the tax withheld) resulting to collectible or refundable return

 

- employees whose monthly gross compensation income does not exceed P5,000 or the statutory minimum wage, whichever is higher, and opted for non-withholding of tax on said income

 

- individuals deriving other non-business, non-professional related income in addition to compensation income not otherwise subject to a final tax

 

- individuals receiving purely compensation income from a single employer, although the income of which has been correctly withheld, but whose spouse is not entitled to substituted filing

 

kung wala siya dito, di siya kailangan magfile ng ITR. Note that for the exception that you mention (yung mababa lang ang sweldo), ang tinitingnan hindi kung magkano ang kinita mo buong taon kundi ang "monthly income" mo. kung ito ay P5,000 or less in a month or below the statutory minimum wage in a month, di na niya kailangan magfile ng ITR.

 

kung malaman ng BIR na di siya nagfile, nasa BIR kung ano ang ifa-file nila (kung meron man) laban sa kaibigan mo. kaya nga sabi ko PWEDENG tax evasion ang kaso (kasi nga iligal ang di pagfile ng ITR at ang tax evasion ay iligal na pamamaraan na pagpababa ng bayaring buwis), maari din naman na ang habulin lang nila ay ang non-filing of ITR (sa dami din naman ng taxpayer, baka nga di na mapansin yan).

 

Ganun ba total of 6 months siya nagwork dun tapos wala na siyang work after that at ang alam ko may exception sa income tax kapag below something yun income mo. Siguro ang magiging kaso lang kung sakali ay hindi siya nagfile ng papers and not tax evasion. :goatee:

Edited January 15, 2010 by rocco69

[choydog]

*mga sirs: tulong naman...

 

My employer is about to terminate me because they found a signed blank document in my file cabinet. It's a long story why I had that document. But they only found out about it because they broke my right to privacy and searched my file cabinet without my permission and knowledge. is it a valid grounds for termination? even if they broke another company rule(right to privacy) in order to question my integrity? please advice... thanks.

[rocco69]

what company rule guarantees your right to privacy? how is this worded?

 

as it stands kasi, kung wala namang company rule saying that company file cabinets being used by employees cannot be searched by the company, your alleged "right to privacy" would depend on the Constitutional guarantee against unreasonable search and seizure as well as the privacy of communication and correspondence. kaugnay dito, sabi ng Korte Suprema sa Waterous Drug v. NLRC (280 SCRA 735 - labor case kung saan binuksan at tiningnan ang isang sulat na naka-address sa empleyado), na ang garantiyang ito ay nag-aaplay lang sa pamahalaan. In other words, ang kumpanya mo ay hindi nasasakop ng pagbabawal na ito. In fact, an employer, being the owner of the filing cabinets and other facilities in the workplace, has the exclusive right over these facilities and equipment, including the right to regulate their use (to include inspecting their contents).

 

note, however, that although they may not be held liable for violating your "right to privacy" under the Constitution, baka criminal or civil offense ito (ang pinaka-applicable na criminal offense ay Art. 390. Revised Penal Code, pero baka mahirapan kang patunayan ito kasi kailangan may intent to discover secrets dito. Sa civil naman, violation ng Art. 26, kaya lang sabi ko nga, may karapatan ang employer to regulate the use of file cabinets ng opisina kaya baka mahirapan ka ring ipanalo ito).

 

in conclusion, ang pag-asa mo na lamang ay kung may company rule on right to privacy at ito ay mas matimbang kesa sa violation mo. dun mo maaring i-invoke ang right to privacy mo. kung wala, me problema ka talaga.

 

moral lesson: wag magtago ng kung ano-anong bagay na maaring makasama sa iyo sa mata ng iyong employer sa opisina. also, wag gagamit ng company email sa mga bagay na ayaw mong malaman ng kumpanya, look at miguel1969's friend who used company e-mail in committing an act contrary to company policy, ayun, huling-dakip!

 

 

*mga sirs: tulong naman...

 

My employer is about to terminate me because they found a signed blank document in my file cabinet. It's a long story why I had that document. But they only found out about it because they broke my right to privacy and searched my file cabinet without my permission and knowledge. is it a valid grounds for termination? even if they broke another company rule(right to privacy) in order to question my integrity? please advice... thanks.

[lomex32]

Atty

 

Having mentioned the "(holidays, saturdays and sundays)" .. if someone get arrested on a Friday night, the policeman can release you Monday morning?

 

Once a person is arrested for committing a crime, a case against him must be filed in court within a certain period of time (12 hrs, 24 hrs, 48 hrs), depending on the gravity of the offense. The graver the offense, the longer the period.

 

This period, however, does not run on days where courts are not open (holidays, saturdays and sundays). Arbitrary detention occurs only when a police officer failed to file the necessary information in court against a person arrested when he COULD HAVE DONE SO.

 

In short, mali yung sinabi ng police sayo.

[choydog]

Sir, ito yung rule that i feel was violated. "Opening of company proprietary, confidential documents and/or personal documents or property belonging to another employee, e.g. pay slips, bills, personal mails, PA’s, disciplinary action records, without authority"....

 

Eto kasi nangyari, I was being asked for documents so I provided my manager those documents, when i left the office, they needed more so they took files from me without informing me or without my authorization. They said that they did that because I was being randomly audited, does that mean that there was an intent to find secrets when they took files from me? thanks sir.

[rocco69]

mukhang mahihirapan kang iinvoke ang rule na ito kasi, as worded, it seems to apply to an employee acting "without authority" FROM THE COMPANY. Siyempre, sasabihin nila na authorized sila by the management to get the files. Note also that the files belong to the company, not to you. Lumalabas na di na-violate yang rule na yan kaya mahihirapan ka talagang iinvoke ang "right to privacy" mo.

 

Sir, ito yung rule that i feel was violated. "Opening of company proprietary, confidential documents and/or personal documents or property belonging to another employee, e.g. pay slips, bills, personal mails, PA’s, disciplinary action records, without authority"....

 

Eto kasi nangyari, I was being asked for documents so I provided my manager those documents, when i left the office, they needed more so they took files from me without informing me or without my authorization. They said that they did that because I was being randomly audited, does that mean that there was an intent to find secrets when they took files from me? thanks sir.

[J888Cool]

Mga bossing ... need help po and advice for my friend.

 

Eto kasing friend ko - meron nakilalang girl. Bottomline, nag-inuman sila ... then nag-checkin sila sa isang motel with a lady friend. Next day, police took him dahil raw sa rape. Wala man lang warrant or anyone - e natakot friend ko kaya sumama sya.

 

Dinala sya sa isang police station sa Mandaluyong. Syempre, dali dali kaming pumunta dun ... pero he was suddenly transferred to Pasig. Right now e 2 nights na syand detained, and mukhang he will be spending the weekend in jail.

 

Honestly po, nakaka-awa kaibigan ko. Mabait po, magaling makisama - pero medyo manyak lang. Single father kasi - and sya nag-aalaga sa nanay nya. Syempre, he needs some companionship - pero eto nangyari sa kanya.

 

The help we're looking for e baka may ma-recommend kayong lawyer who could advice us/him on what to do.

Medyo low budget po kami - so baka may marecommend po kayo.

 

Yung lang po. Maraming salamat.

[choydog]

Okay thanks sir. I won't dwell on that matter then. So here's where we are at: It seems like they are focusing on the basis that I may use them in the future. Can they terminate someone based on assumption that I may use them in the future? I already admitted to negligence as to why I haven't thrown away those documents, and negligence = suspension, based on company rules.

 

 

 

mukhang mahihirapan kang iinvoke ang rule na ito kasi, as worded, it seems to apply to an employee acting "without authority" FROM THE COMPANY. Siyempre, sasabihin nila na authorized sila by the management to get the files. Note also that the files belong to the company, not to you. Lumalabas na di na-violate yang rule na yan kaya mahihirapan ka talagang iinvoke ang "right to privacy" mo.

[rocco69]

yan ang kalokohan! possible damage to the company IN THE FUTURE is speculative. Walang basehan to hold you liable, more so in this case, na wala nang possibility of future damage to the company dahil nakuha na nila yung document.

 

as for negligence, kung duty mo to get rid of the documents, baka sakali may liability ka (inamin mo na rin kasi na negligent ka kaya mahirap bawiin ito), altho kung di mo inamin at wala namang duty on your part to get rid of documents, pwede sanang ilaban yan. as it is, based on the rules, baka ma-suspend ka nga. anything more than that can be questioned by you.

 

Okay thanks sir. I won't dwell on that matter then. So here's where we are at: It seems like they are focusing on the basis that I may use them in the future. Can they terminate someone based on assumption that I may use them in the future? I already admitted to negligence as to why I haven't thrown away those documents, and negligence = suspension, based on company rules.

[Sideshow Bob]

hello lawyers! Labor Law inquiry po ito...

 

Na-regular napo ako sana yesterday (Friday) sa trabaho. Pero ang nangyari po, last Wednesday 4PM nagpatawag bigla ng meeting ang direct boss (manager) ko na kasama ang HR. Akala ko nung una, idi-discuss ang regularization ko. Yun pala ite-terminate ako effective Wednesday din 5PM. Ang grounds daw nila ay tardiness at incompetence.

 

May existing policy po ang company na kapag nag-extend ka in excess ng 5PM sa isang araw, pwede ka ma-late the following day provided hindi ka nagke-claim ng OT. Ganun po ang ginawa ko. Pero tardiness pa rin daw yun.

 

Related po yung incompetence sa extension ko. Ang trabaho ko po na naka-indicate sa contract ay mabilis ko na natatapos. Since ganun nga, feeling ng boss ko hindi sulit ang sweldo ko kaya dinagdagan niya ako ng reporting function na dapat ay trabaho naman niya in the 1st place. Hindi po ako bihasa sa function na ito kaya nagtatagal ako sa office na tipong nag-eextend ako at minsan kailangan ko pa bumalik sa office after ng night classes ko (hence the tardiness). "AdHoc Function" daw ito sabi ng animal kong boss kaya hindi daw siya pwede ireklamo.

 

So sabi sa akin ng HR after ng litanya ng boss ko, para daw hindi kahiya-hiya ang lumabas sa file ko, hihintayin daw nila ako na makagawa ng resignation letter effective that day. Since tuliro na ako at wala sa tamang kaisipan, ayun naman ako at gumawa agad ng resignation letter (dapat yata hindi ko ginawa ito)...

 

So, ang question ko po ngayon ay valid ba ang termination sa akin considering na walang due process na ginawa ang company? assuming na valid ang grounds for termination...

 

Sa NLRC ba ako dapat dumeretso or dapat may abugado ako? Hanggang kailan ako pwedeng mag protest?

 

Sinu-sino ang mga abugado na nagbibigay ng free legal service? Kailangan ko bang humingi ng abugado sa PAO o puntahan ko na lang ang Kilusang Mayo Uno para humingi ng payo?

 

Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng tulong niyo!

[miguel1969]

Hello Gurus,

 

According to Article 282 of the Labor Code, an employer may terminate an employment for any of the following causes:

 

(a) Serious misconduct or willful disobedience by the employee of the lawful orders of his employer or representative in connection with his work;

( Gross and habitual neglect by the employee of his duties;

© Fraud or willful breach by the employee of the trust reposed in him by his employer or duly authorized representative;

(d) Commission of a crime or offense by the employee against the person of his employer or any immediate member of his family or his duly authorized representatives; and

(e) Other causes analogous to the foregoing.

 

Questions:

1) Assuming that the employer was able to prove the cause, can the employer terminate the employee immediately? Or does our law state that the employee must be given 30 days before effectivity of termination?

2) Must the employer prove beyond reasonable doubt that the employee have committed any of the causes of Article 282? If the case is based only on prima facie and the employee is rebutting the accusations, does the employer still have the right to terminate the employee?

3) Breach of the trust is, somehow, a relative term. How are employees protected from this clause? As a layman, an employer can simply say that they no longer trust the person and hence, have the right to terminate him/her?

Edited January 17, 2010 by miguel1969

[rocco69]

1) Assuming that the employer was able to prove the cause, can the employer terminate the employee immediately? Or does our law state that the employee must be given 30 days before effectivity of termination?

 

unless there is a period for termination to take effect provided for under company rules, the termination can take effect immediately (ex. attempt to k*ll the employer = serious misconduct. bibigyan mo pa ba ng 30 days yan kung ikaw ang employer?)

 

the important thing to remember that due process in termination cases requires that there be two notices - first notice - to explain why he should not be terminated; and second notice - informing him that his explanation is unacceptable.

 

also, kung talagang may ground to terminate, failure to give notice only justifies the award of damages to the employee for violation of his right to due process (it does not make the dismissal invalid, kasi nga may ground for dismissal). as far as i know, damages for dismissal without following the twin-notice rule is now pegged at P30,000.

 

 

2) Must the employer prove beyond reasonable doubt that the employee have committed any of the causes of Article 282? If the case is based only on prima facie and the employee is rebutting the accusations, does the employer still have the right to terminate the employee?

 

ang termination ng employee ay hindi criminal case, kundi administrative case lamang. sa criminal cases lang required ang "proof beyond reasonable dount." sa admin. cases ang requirement lamang ay "substantial evidence". kahit dine-deny ng employee, kung may substantial evidence naman laban sa kanya (defined as " such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion"), pwede siyang i-terminate.

 

 

3) Breach of the trust is, somehow, a relative term. How are employees protected from this clause? As a layman, an employer can simply say that they no longer trust the person and hence, have the right to terminate him/her?

 

depende sa pwesto ang breach of trust, kailangan nasa pwesto ka kung saan mayroong pagtitiwala at kumpiyansa sa iyo ang employer. manager ka, may trust and confidence ang pwestong yan. pero kung ikaw ay rank and file, wala namang halos trust and confidence diyan kaya mahirap i-invoke ang ground na ito. example ng mga pwesto na may trust and confidence ay cashier, teller, security guard, manager, salesman, etc.

 

tapos, kailangan me basehan din yung pagkawala ng tiwala ng employer sa empleyado. di pwede yung sasabihin lang nila na di na sila nagtitiwala sa empleyado. kailangan patunayan nila (thru substantive evidence) na may pangyayari na nagbunsod sa pagkawala ng tiwala nila sa empleyado. otherwise, illegal dismissal yan

 

Hello Gurus,

 

According to Article 282 of the Labor Code, an employer may terminate an employment for any of the following causes:

 

(a) Serious misconduct or willful disobedience by the employee of the lawful orders of his employer or representative in connection with his work;

( Gross and habitual neglect by the employee of his duties;

© Fraud or willful breach by the employee of the trust reposed in him by his employer or duly authorized representative;

(d) Commission of a crime or offense by the employee against the person of his employer or any immediate member of his family or his duly authorized representatives; and

(e) Other causes analogous to the foregoing.

 

Questions:

1) Assuming that the employer was able to prove the cause, can the employer terminate the employee immediately? Or does our law state that the employee must be given 30 days before effectivity of termination?

2) Must the employer prove beyond reasonable doubt that the employee have committed any of the causes of Article 282? If the case is based only on prima facie and the employee is rebutting the accusations, does the employer still have the right to terminate the employee?

3) Breach of the trust is, somehow, a relative term. How are employees protected from this clause? As a layman, an employer can simply say that they no longer trust the person and hence, have the right to terminate him/her?

[rocco69]

1. valid ba ang termination sa akin considering na walang due process na ginawa ang company?

 

assuming na may policy na pwedeng magpa-late kung nag-extend ka the day before, hindi ka tardy.

 

assuming na di mo function yung reporting, di mo rin kasalanan ito, kaya lumalabas walang ground to remove you at parang may scheme para di ka maging regular. ino ther words, di valid ang termination mo.

 

Ang problema mo, lumalabas na di ka na-terminate kundi nag-resign ka, dahil may resignation letter kang ginawa. dito ka mahihirapan.

 

 

 

2. Sa NLRC ba ako dapat dumeretso or dapat may abugado ako? Sinu-sino ang mga abugado na nagbibigay ng free legal service? Kailangan ko bang humingi ng abugado sa PAO o puntahan ko na lang ang Kilusang Mayo Uno para humingi ng payo?

 

 

kung desidido kang magreklamo, pwede ka nang dumeretso sa NLRc. Punta ka sa PPSTA Building sa Banawe (kung galing kang Welcome, kaliwa ka mula Quezon Ave, pangalawa o pangatlong gusali sa kanan, nag-iisa namang malaking gusali ito at maraming taong nakakumpol sa harapan). may libreng abugado run sa Public Assistance (1st floor sa kanan, magtanong sa sekyu, alam na nila yun) at magfi-fill-up ka lang ng form para sa reklamo mo, kaya di mo na kailangang pumunta sa kung kani-kanino pa (trabaho talaga ng mga abugado ng PAO na naka-assign sa NLRC na tumulong sa mga walk-in employees na nagrereklamo dun).

 

yun lang, alalahanin mo na ang pag-asenso ng kaso mo ay nakasalalay sa ebidensya mo. kung wala kang ebidensya kundi salita mo lamang, baka nagsasayang ka lang ng oras at pamasahe mo (at oras ng PAO).

 

 

3. Hanggang kailan ako pwedeng mag protest?

 

dahil ito ay injury sa karapatan mo, meron kang 4 years para mag-reklamo. again, the longer it takes to file a complaint, mas kumikintal sa isipan ng tao na wala kang basehan para magreklamo, kasi nagtagal bago ka pumingol.

 

 

hello lawyers! Labor Law inquiry po ito...

 

Na-regular napo ako sana yesterday (Friday) sa trabaho. Pero ang nangyari po, last Wednesday 4PM nagpatawag bigla ng meeting ang direct boss (manager) ko na kasama ang HR. Akala ko nung una, idi-discuss ang regularization ko. Yun pala ite-terminate ako effective Wednesday din 5PM. Ang grounds daw nila ay tardiness at incompetence.

 

May existing policy po ang company na kapag nag-extend ka in excess ng 5PM sa isang araw, pwede ka ma-late the following day provided hindi ka nagke-claim ng OT. Ganun po ang ginawa ko. Pero tardiness pa rin daw yun.

 

Related po yung incompetence sa extension ko. Ang trabaho ko po na naka-indicate sa contract ay mabilis ko na natatapos. Since ganun nga, feeling ng boss ko hindi sulit ang sweldo ko kaya dinagdagan niya ako ng reporting function na dapat ay trabaho naman niya in the 1st place. Hindi po ako bihasa sa function na ito kaya nagtatagal ako sa office na tipong nag-eextend ako at minsan kailangan ko pa bumalik sa office after ng night classes ko (hence the tardiness). "AdHoc Function" daw ito sabi ng animal kong boss kaya hindi daw siya pwede ireklamo.

 

So sabi sa akin ng HR after ng litanya ng boss ko, para daw hindi kahiya-hiya ang lumabas sa file ko, hihintayin daw nila ako na makagawa ng resignation letter effective that day. Since tuliro na ako at wala sa tamang kaisipan, ayun naman ako at gumawa agad ng resignation letter (dapat yata hindi ko ginawa ito)...

 

So, ang question ko po ngayon ay valid ba ang termination sa akin considering na walang due process na ginawa ang company? assuming na valid ang grounds for termination...

 

Sa NLRC ba ako dapat dumeretso or dapat may abugado ako? Hanggang kailan ako pwedeng mag protest?

 

Sinu-sino ang mga abugado na nagbibigay ng free legal service? Kailangan ko bang humingi ng abugado sa PAO o puntahan ko na lang ang Kilusang Mayo Uno para humingi ng payo?

 

Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng tulong niyo!