LaborLawRev - Fernandez vs. NLRC

Ricardo Fernandez vs. NLRC and DM Consunji, Inc. (1994, Nocon) FACT! Fernandez was hired by DM Consunji (November 1974). He wored !or "he #a""er un"i# Mar$h 19%&' when his em#oymen" was "ermina"ed on "he round "ha" "he roje$" roje$" "o whi$h whi$h he was assine assined d was a#ready a#ready $om#e"e $om#e"ed. d. He "hus "hus *#ed *#ed a $om#ain" !or i##ea# dismissa# wi"h "he +abor ,rbi"er.  -he +abor ,rbi"er (May 19) !ound "ha" Fernandez wored $on"inuous#y in various roje$"s ranin !rom / "o 0 years and be#oned "o a woroo# (i.e. his dismissa# was i##ea#). DM Consunji aea#ed' on "he round "ha" Fernandez was a roje$" em#oy em#oyee ee hired hired on a roje roje$"2 $"2"o2 "o2ro roje$ je$"" basis' basis' deend deendin in  on "he avai#a avai#abi# bi#i"y i"y o!  roje$"s. 3" oin"ed "o "he as in Fernandez em#oymen" his"ory "o show "ha" he was hired on an 5o62and2on basis.  -he N+8C N+8C (e"ember 199)' in view o! (1) #a$ o! eviden$e eviden$e "o rove "he $on"inuous $on"inuous em#oymen" o! Fernandez' Fernandez' and (0) "he in"ermi""en" na"ure o! "heir wor as shown by roje roje$" $" $on"r $on"ra$ a$"s' "s' ru#ed ru#ed "ha" "ha" Ferna ernande ndez z was was a roje roje$" $" em#oy em#oyee. ee. Fernan ernandez dez in"erosed a MF8 whi$h was denied !or #a$ o! meri" (:u#y 1991). -he N+8C a#so no"ed "ha" "he MF8 was *#ed on#y on :anuary 09' 199' whi$h was beyond "he 1d re#emen"ary re#emen"ary eriod !rom da"e o! re$ei" o! de$ision (November 1%' 199). ;i"hou" men"ionin "he denia# o! "he MF8' 8i$ardo Fernandez Fernandez *#ed a e"i"ion be!ore "he C' assai#in "he N+8C De$ision' aruin "ha" i" is more in eein wi"h "he in"en" and siri" o! "he #aw "o $onsider him as reu#ar em#oyees.

I"#! ;?ro$edura#@ -he yards"i$ "o measure "he "ime#iness o! a e"i"ion !or $er"iorari is "he reasonab#eness reasonab#eness o! "he dura"ion o! "ime "ha" had eAired !rom "he $ommission o!  "he a$"s $om#ained o! u "o "he ins"i"u"ion o! "he ro$eedins "o annu# "he same. Her Here' Ferna ernand ndez ez ne# ne#i ien en$e $e or indi indi6e 6erren$e en$e !or !or su$h su$h a #on #on eri eriod od o! "ime "ime (November 1%' 199 2 re$ei" o! De$isionB ,usu" 0' 1991 2 re$ei" o! denia# o! MF8B  :u#y 01' 1990 2 *#in o! e"i"ion !or $er"iorari) $er"iorari) has in "he mean"ime rendered rendered "he ues"ioned de$ision *na# and no #oner assai#ab#e. >ubs"an"ive@ DM Consunji resen"ed ma"eria# do$umen"s ($overin November /' 1974 2 Mar$h 0%' 19&) showin "ha" Fernandez was hired as a roje$" em#oyee wi"h "he se$i*$ da"es o! hirin' dura"ion o! hirin' da"es o! his #ay2o6s' and "he "ermina" "ermina"ion ion reor"s reor"s submi""ed submi""ed "o "he Minis"er Minis"er o! +abor +abor. u$h do$umen"s do$umen"s $#ear#y $#ear#y showed showed as o! mon"h
number o! roje$"s in whi$h "hey have been em#oyed by a ar"i$u#ar $ons"ru$"ion $omany.  -he roviso in "he se$ond ar. o! ,r". 0 (+C) (refer to your codal) deems as reu#ar em#oyees on#y "hose $asua# em#oyees who have rendered a" #eas" one year o!  servi$e reard#ess o! "he !a$" "ha" su$h servi$e may be $on"inuous or broen. 3" is N- a#i$ab#e "o roje$" em#oyees who are se$i*$a##y eAem" "here!rom. (Mercado vs. NLRC)E =8E $e o! a roviso is "o ua#i!y or modi!y on#y "he hrase immedia"e#y re$edin i" or res"rain or #imi" "he enera#i"y o! "he $#ause "ha" i" immedia"e#y !o##ows. , roviso is "o be $ons"rued wi"h re!eren$e "o "he immedia"e#y re$edin ar" o! "he rovision "o whi$h i" is a""a$hed' and no" "o "he s"a"u"e i"se#! or "o o"her se$"ions "hereo!. GCE ;here "he $#ear #eis#a"ive in"en" is "o res"rain or ua#i!y no" on#y "he hrase immedia"e#y re$edin i" ("he roviso) bu" a#so ear#ier rovisions o! "he s"a"u"e or even "he s"a"u"e i"se#! as a who#e. , $are!u# readin o! "he roviso dis$#oses "ha" "he same re#a"es "o em#oymen" where "he em#oyee is enaed "o er!orm a$"ivi"ies "ha" are usua##y ne$essary or desirab#e in "he usua# business or "rade o! "he em#oyer bu" has"ens "o ua#i!y "ha" roje$" em#oymen" is se$i*$a##y eAem"ed "here!rom.  -he N+8C $orre$"#y observed "ha" Fernandez !ai#ed "o $onsider "he reuiremen" in ?o#i$y 3ns"ru$"ion No. 0 "ha" "o ua#i!y as a member o! a wor oo#' "he worer mus" s"i## be $onsidered an em#oyee o! "he $ons"ru$"ion $omany whi#e in "he wor oo#. -here mus" be roo! "o "he e6e$" "ha" Fernandez was under an ob#ia"ion "o be a#ways avai#ab#e on $a## o! DM Consunji and "ha" he was no" !ree "o o6er his servi$es "o o"her em#oyers. However' Fernandez !ai#ed "o in"rodu$e su$h eviden$e durin "he "imes when "here were no roje$"s. +as"#y' Fernandez #ayo6 and "he "ermina"ion reor"s were du#y submi""ed "o "he Minis"er o! +abor in a$$ordan$e wi"h ?o#i$y 3ns"ru$"ion No. 0E Moreover' "he $omany is no" reuired "o ob"ain a $#earan$e !rom "he e$re"ary o! +abor in $onne$"ion wi"h su$h "ermina"ion. ;ha" is reuired o! "he $omany is a reor" "o "he neares" ?ub#i$ Gm#oymen" $e !or s"a"is"i$a# uroses. 3n o"her $ases' i" was uni!orm#y he#d "ha" "he !ai#ure o! "he em#oyer "o reor" "o "he neares" em#oymen" o$e "he "ermina"ion o! worers every"ime a roje$" is $om#e"ed roves "ha" "he em#oyees are no" roje$" em#oyees. Con"rariwise' "he !ai"h!u# and reu#ar e6or" o! DM Consunji in reor"in every $om#e"ion o! i"s roje$" and submi""in "he #ay2o6 #is" o! i"s em#oyees roves "he na"ure o! em#oymen" o!  "he worers invo#ved "herein as roje$" em#oyees. -hus' i" is $#ear "ha" Fernandez does no" be#on "o "he woroo# !rom whi$h DM Consunji wou#d draw worers !or assinmen" "o o"her roje$"s a" i"s dis$re"ion.