ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Enero 18, 2024
Dear Chief Acosta,
Nais ko lamang magtanong kung posible bang separation pay na lamang ang igawad sa halip na reinstatement? Parang mahirap na rin kasi na bumalik ako sa dati kong pinaglilingkuran dahil mahigit sa sampung taon na ang pinaglabanan naming kaso at wala pang ipinapalabas na desisyon. – Iva
Dear Iva,
Ang iyong katanungan ay sinagot ng Korte Suprema sa kasong Salvador Dela Fuente vs. Marilyn E. Gimenez (G.R. No. 214419, 17 November 2021), na isinulat ni Kagalang-galang na Kasamang Mahistrado Rodil V. Zalameda. Sang-ayon sa Korte Suprema, ang karaniwang remedy o award kung mapatunayan na may illegal dismissal ay reinstatement na walang pag-aalis ng seniority rights at backwages na tinatala mula sa punto ng pagkakatanggal sa trabaho. Ngunit kung hindi na ‘feasible’ o maisasagawa ang reinstatement sa isang empleyado ay maaaring maggawad ng ‘separation pay in lieu of reinstatement’:
“The consequences of a finding of illegal dismissal are reinstatement without loss of seniority rights, and payment of backwages computed from the time compensation was withheld up to the date of actual reinstatement. Where reinstatement is no longer viable as an option, separation pay equivalent to one (1)-month salary for every year of service should be awarded as an alternative. The payment of separation pay is in addition to payment of backwages.”
Dagdag dito, inilatag din ng Korte Suprema ang mga pagkakataon, kung saan maaaring masabi na hindi na ‘feasible’ ang reinstatement. Ayon sa Korte Suprema sa parehong kaso:
“In this wise, We have ruled that reinstatement is no longer feasible when: (a) the former position of the illegally dismissed employee no longer exists; or (b) the employer’s business has closed down; or (c) the employer-employee relationship has already been strained as to render the reinstatement impossible. We likewise deem reinstatement to be nonfeasible because a “considerable time” has lapsed between the dismissal and the resolution of the case. Indeed, the Court considers "considerable time," which includes the lapse of eight (8) years or more (from the filing of the complaint up to the resolution of the case) to support the grant of separation pay in lieu of reinstatement.”
Dito ay malinaw na isinaad na isa sa mga maaaring ikonsidera na dahilan upang maggawad ng separation pay in lieu of reinstatement ay ang paglipas ng mahabang panahon mula sa paghahain ng kaso at pagkakaroon ng resolusyon o desisyon dito.
Sa kasong nabanggit sa taas ay maglalabing-anim na taon na ang lumipas kaya nagdesisyon ang Korte Suprema na gawaran na lamang ng separation pay in lieu of reinstatement ang nasabing empleyado:
“Given that about sixteen (16) years had passed from the time that Gimenez filed her complaint against petitioners with the NLRC on 06 October 2005, then, her reinstatement is no longer practicable. Thus, instead of reinstatement, the Court grants her separation pay of one month for every year of service until the finality of this Resolution, with a fraction of a year of at least six (6) months being counted as one (1) whole year. She is also entitled to receive full backwages, which include allowances and other benefits due her or their monetary equivalent, computed from the time her compensation was withheld up to the finality of this Resolution.”
Gaya sa kaso mo, maaaring ikonsidera ng korte ang paglipas ng matagal na panahon upang gawaran ka na lamang ng separation pay sa halip na ikaw ay muli pang ibalik sa trabaho. Ito ay dahil ‘considerable time’ na rin na maituturing ang mahigit sampung taon na iyong hinintay upang magkaroon ng pinal na resolusyon/desisyon ang iyong kaso.
Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.
Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.
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