GMA Network v. Pabriga, Arias, et al. G.R. No. 176419 : November 27, 2013 FACTS: Private respondents were engaged b petitioner !or t"e #atters operations in t"e FACTS: Private $e%"ni%a# $ e%"ni%a# &perations &perations 'enter 'enter as $ransmitter() ransmitter()$R $R men, as *aintenan%e *aintenan%e sta+ and as 'ameramen. &n -# 19 1999 d-e to t"e miserab#e woring %onditions private respondents respondents were !or%ed to /#e a %omp#aint against petitioner be!ore t"e NR' Regiona# rbitration ran%" No. ) 'eb- 'it. Private respondents respondents /#ed an amended %omp#aint raising t"e !o##owing additiona# iss-es o! 1 5n!air abor Pra%ti%e 2 ##ega# dismissa# and 3 amages and ttornes !ees. n ami%ab#e sett#ement between t"e parties was set b-t t"e same proved to be !-ti#e. $"e abor rbiter rbiter dismissed dismissed t"e %omp#aint %omp#aint o! respondents respondents !or i##ega# i##ega# dismissa# dismissa# and -n!air -n!air #abor pra%ti%e, b-t "e#d petitioner #iab#e !or 13t" mont" pa. $"e NR' NR' reversed reversed t"e e%ision e%ision o! t"e abor abor rbiter, and "e#d t"at t"at a ## %omp#ainants are reg-#ar emp#oees wit" respe%t to t"e parti%-#ar a%tivit to w"i%" t"e were assigned, -nti# it %eased to e8ist. s s-%", t"e are entit#ed to pament o! separation pa %omp-ted at one 1 mont" sa#ar !or ever ear o! servi%e b $"e are not entit#ed to overtime pa and "o#ida pa and % $"e are entit#ed to 13t" mont" pa, nig"t s"i!t di+erentia# and servi%e in%entive #eave pa. "en Petitioner e#evated t"e %ase to t"e ' via a Petition !or 'ertiorari, it rendered its e%ision dening t"e petition !or #a% o! merit. ;en%e, t"is present Petition !or Review on 'ertiorari. ISSUES: "et"er or not 1 t"e ' erred in /nding t"e respondents as reg-#ar emp#oees o! ISSUES: "et"er t"e petitioner and 2t"e ' erred in awarding separation pa to t"e respondents absent a /nding t"at respondents were i##ega## dismissed. HEL: t t"e o-tset, we s"o-#d note t"at t"e nat-re o! t"e emp#oment is determined b #aw, regard#ess o! an %ontra%t e8pressing ot"erwise. $"e s-prema% o! t"e #aw over t"e nomen%#at-re nomen%#at-re o! t"e %ontra%t and t"e stip-#ations %ontained t"erein t"erein is to bring to #i!e t"e po#i% ens"rined in t"e 'onstit-tion to a+ord !-## prote%tion to #abor. Labor !o"tra!ts, bei"g i#b$e% wit& '$bli! i"terest, are 'la!e% o" a &ig&er 'la"e t&a" or%i"ar( or%i"ar ( !o"tra!ts !o"tra!t s a"% are s$b)e!t to t&e 'oli!e 'ower 'o wer o* t&e State. Respondents %#aim t"at t"e are reg-#ar emp#oees o! petitioner G* Networ, n%. $"e #atter, on t"e ot"er "and, inter%"angeab# %"ara%teri 2?0. Reg-#ar and %as-a# emp#oment. $"e provisions o! written agreement to t"e %ontrar notwit"standing and regard#ess regard#ess o! t"e ora# agreem agreement ent o! t"e parties, an emp#oment s"a## be deemed to be reg-#ar w"ere t"e emp#oee "as been engaged to
per!orm a%tivities w"i%" are -s-a## ne%essar or desirab#e in t"e -s-a# b-siness or trade o! t"e emp#oer, e8%ept w"ere t"e emp#oment "as been /8ed !or a spe%i/% pro=e%t or -ndertaing t"e %omp#etion or termination o! w"i%" "as been determined at t"e time o! t"e engagement o! t"e emp#oee or w"ere t"e wor or servi%es to be per!ormed is seasona# in nat-re and emp#oment is !or t"e d-ration o! t"e season. n emp#oment s"a## be deemed to be %as-a# i! it is not %overed b t"e pre%eding paragrap": Provided, $"at, an emp#oee w"o "as rendered at #east one ear o! servi%e, w"et"er s-%" servi%e is %ontin-o-s or broen, s"a## be %onsidered a reg-#ar emp#oee wit" respe%t to t"e a%tivit in w"i%" "e is emp#oed and "is emp#oment s"a## %ontin-e w"i#e s-%" a%tivit a%t-a## e8ist. P-rs-ant to t"e above@A-oted rti%#e 2?0 o! t"e abor 'ode, emp#oees per!orming a%tivities w"i%" are -s-a## ne%essar or desirab#e in t"e emp#oers -s-a# b-siness or trade %an eit"er be reg-#ar, pro=e%t or seasona# emp#oees, w"i#e, as a genera# r-#e, t"ose per!orming a%tivities not -s-a## ne%essar or desirab#e in t"e emp#oers -s-a# b-siness or trade are %as-a# emp#oees. $"e %onseA-en%e o! t"e distin%tion is !o-nd in rti%#e 279 o! t"e abor 'ode, w"i%" provides: R$'> 279. Be%-rit o! ten-re. n %ases o! reg-#ar emp#oment, t"e emp#oer s"a## not terminate t"e servi%es o! an emp#oee e8%ept !or a =-st %a-se or w"en a-t"ori
reinstatement.
