Digest-Francisco v. NLRC 170087

Francisco v NLRC (Labor Standards)

FRANCISCO vs. NLRC GR No. 170087 August 31, 2006 FACTS:  Angeln! F"!n#s#o F"!n#s#o $!s %"e& '( )!se )!se Co"*o"!ton Co"*o"!ton &u"ng t%e n#o"*o"!ton n#o"*o"!ton st!ge. S%e $!s $!s &esgn!te& !s !##ount!nt !n& #o"*o"!te se#"et!"( !n& $!s !ssgne& to %!n&le !ll t%e !##ountng nee&s o+ t%e #o*!n(. S%e $!s !lso &esgn!te& !s L!son O++#e" to t%e Ct( o+ -!nl! to se#u"e *e"ts +o" t%e o*e"!ton o+ t%e #o*!n(. In 16, s%e $!s &esgn!te& !s A#tng -!n!ge". -!n!ge". S%e $!s !ssgne& to % !n&le "e#"utent o+ !ll e*lo(ees !n& *e"+o" !n!geent !&nst"!ton +un#tons. In 2001, s%e $!s "e*l!#e& '( L/! Fuentes !s -!n!ge". )!se Co"*o"!ton "e&u#e& %e" s!l!"( to 2,00 *e" ont% $%#% $!s untl Se*te'e". S%e !se& +o" %e" s!l!"( 'ut $!s n+o"e& t%!t s%e $!s no longe" #onne#te& to t%e #o*!n(. S%e S%e && not !n(o"e "e*o"t to $o" sn#e s%e $!s not *!& +o" %e" s!l!"(. S%e +le& !n !#ton +o" #onst"u#tve &sss!l $t% t%e L!'o" A"'te". )!se Co"*o"!ton %o$eve" !ve""e& n ts &e+ense t%!t:  ettone" %!& no &!l( te "e#o"& !n& s%e #!e to t%e o++#e !n( te s%e $!nte&. T%e #o*!n( neve" nte"+e"e& $t% %e" $o" e4#e*t t%!t +"o te to te, t%e !n!geent $oul& !s %e" o*non on !tte"s "el!tng to %e" *"o+esson.  *ettone" $!s not !ong t%e e*lo(ees "e*o"te& to t%e 5IR, !s $ell !s ! lst o+ *!(ees su'e#t to e4*!n&e& $t%%ol&ng t!4 $%#% n#lu&e& *ettone". SSS "e#o"&s $e"e !lso su'tte& s%o$ng t%!t *ettone"s l!test e*lo(e" $!s Se Co"*o"!ton 9CISION OF LO9R CO;RTS: : &ene&. ?en#e, t%e *"esent *etton. ISS;9@S: =1> ON t%e"e $!s !n e*lo(e"e*lo(ee "el!tons%* 'et$een *ettone" *ettone" !n& *"v!te "es*on&ent )!se Co"*o"!ton !n& + n t%e !++"!tv !++"!tve, e, =2> ON *ettone" $!s lleg!ll( &ssse&. ?9L: =1> B9S. T%e #ou"t %el& t%!t n t%s u"s&#ton, t%e"e %!s 'een no un+o" test to &ete"ne t%e e4sten#e o+ !n e*lo(e"e*lo(ee "el!ton.

Gene"!ll(, #ou"ts %!ve "ele& on t%e so#!lle& RIG?T OF CONTROL T9ST $%e"e t%e *e"son +o" $%o t%e se"v#es !"e *e"+o"e& "ese"ves ! "g%t to #ont"ol not onl( t%e en& to 'e !#%eve& 'ut !lso t%e e!ns to 'e use& n "e!#%ng su#% en&. In !&&ton to t%e st!n&!"& o+ "g%to+#ont"ol, t%e e4stng 9CONO-IC CONITIONS R9AILING 59T99N T?9 ARTI9S, le t%e n#luson o+ t%e e*lo(ee n t%e *!("olls, #!n %el* n &ete"nng t%e e4sten#e o+ !n e*lo(e"e*lo(ee "el!tons%*.

T%e 'ette" !**"o!#% $oul& t%e"e+o"e 'e to !&o*t ! t$ote"e& test nvolvng: t%e *ut!tve e*lo(e"Ds O9R TO CONTROL t%e e*lo(ee $t% "es*e#t to t%e e!ns !n& et%o&s '( $%#% t%e $o" s to 'e !##o*ls%e& !n& =2> t%e un&e"l(ng 9CONO-IC R9ALITI9S o+ t%e !#tvt( o" "el!tons%*. 5( !**l(ng t%e #ont"ol test, t%e"e s no &ou't t%!t *ettone" s !n e*lo(ee o+ )!se Co"*o"!ton 'e#!use s%e $!s un&e" t%e &"e#t #ont"ol !n& su*e"vson o+ Se )!u"!, t%e #o"*o"!tonDs Te#%n#!l Consult!nt. It s t%e"e+o"e !**!"ent t%!t *ettone" s e#ono#!ll( &e*en&ent on "es*on&ent #o"*o"!ton +o" %e" #ontnue& e*lo(ent n t%e l!tte"Ds lne o+ 'usness. ;n&e" t%e '"o!&e" e#ono# "e!lt( test, t%e *ettone" #!n le$se 'e s!& to 'e !n e*lo(ee o+ "es*on&ent #o"*o"!ton 'e#!use s%e %!& se"ve& t%e #o*!n( +o" s4 (e!"s 'e+o"e %e" &sss!l, "e#evng #%e# vou#%e"s n&#!tng %e" s!l!"es@$!ges, 'ene+ts, 13t% ont% *!(, 'onuses !n& !llo$!n#es, !s $ell !s &e&u#tons !n& So#!l Se#u"t( #ont"'utons +"o August 1, 1 to e#e'e" 18, 2000 In Sevll! v. Cou"t o+ A**e!ls, t%e #ou"t o'se"ve& t%e nee& to #ons&e" t%e e4stng e#ono# #on&tons *"ev!lng 'et$een t%e *!"tes, n !&&ton to t%e st!n&!"& o+ "g%to+#ont"ol le t%e n#luson o+ t%e e*lo(ee n t%e *!("olls, to gve ! #le!"e" *#tu"e n &ete"nng t%e e4sten#e o+ !n e*lo(e"e*lo(ee "el!tons%* '!se& on !n !n!l(ss o+ t%e tot!lt( o+ e#ono# #"#ust!n#es o+ t%e $o"e". T%us, t%e &ete"n!ton o+ t%e "el!tons%* 'et$een e*lo(e" !n& e*lo(ee &e*en&s u*on t%e #"#ust!n#es o+ t%e $%ole e#ono# !#tvt(, su#% !s: =1> t%e e4tent to $%#% t%e se"v#es *e"+o"e& !"e !n nteg"!l *!"t o+ t%e e*lo(e"Ds 'usness =2> t%e e4tent o+ t%e $o"e"Ds nvestent n eEu*ent !n& +!#ltes =3> t%e n!tu"e !n& &eg"ee o+ #ont"ol e4e"#se& '( t%e e*lo(e" => t%e $o"e"Ds o**o"tunt( +o" *"o+t !n& loss => t%e !ount o+ nt!tve, sll, u&gent o" +o"esg%t "eEu"e& +o" t%e su##ess o+ t%e #l!e& n&e*en&ent ente"*"se =6> t%e *e"!nen#( !n& &u"!ton o+ t%e "el!tons%* 'et$een t%e $o"e" !n& t%e e*lo(e" !n& =7> t%e &eg"ee o+ &e*en&en#( o+ t%e $o"e" u*on t%e e*lo(e" +o" %s #ontnue& e*lo(ent n t%!t lne o+ 'usness. T%e *"o*e" st!n&!"& o+ e#ono# &e*en&en#e s $%et%e" t%e $o"e" s &e*en&ent on t%e !llege& e*lo(e"  +o" %s #ontnue& e*lo(ent n t%!t lne o+ 'usness. =2> B9S, s%e $!s lleg!ll( &ssse&. A &nuton o+ *!( s *"eu&#!l to t%e e*lo(ee !n& !ounts to #onst"u#tve &sss!l. Const"u#tve &sss!l s !n nvolunt!"( "esgn!ton "esultng n #ess!ton o+ $o" "eso"te& to $%en #ontnue& e*lo(ent 'e#oes *oss'le, un"e!son!'le o" unlel( $%en t%e"e s !

&eoton n "!n o" ! &nuton n *!( o" $%en ! #le!" &s#"n!ton, nsens'lt( o" &s&!n '( !n e*lo(e" 'e#oes un'e!"!'le to !n e*lo(ee

RATIO: In !++o"&ng +ull *"ote#ton to l!'o", t%s Cou"t ust ensu"e eEu!l $o" o**o"tuntes "eg!"&less o+ se4, "!#e o" #"ee&. 9ven !s $e, n eve"( #!se, !tte*t to #!"e+ull( '!l!n#e t%e +"!gle "el!tons%* 'et$een e*lo(ees !n& e*lo(e"s, $e !"e n&+ul o+ t%e +!#t t%!t t%e *ol#( o+ t%e l!$ s to !**l( t%e L!'o" Co&e to ! g"e!te" nu'e" o+ e*lo(ees. T%s $oul& en!'le e*lo(ees to !v!l o+ t%e 'ene+ts !##o"&e& to t%e '( l!$, n lne $t% t%e #onsttuton!l !n&!te gvng !4u !& !n& *"ote#ton to l!'o", *"ootng t%e" $el+!"e !n& "e!++"ng t !s ! *"!"( so#!l e#ono# +o"#e n +u"t%e"!n#e o+ so#!l ust#e !n& n!ton!l &evelo*ent.  You might also like: