Possible Illegal Dismissal?

Hello! I wanted to seek your advice if I have a case in what happened to me with my previous employer. I was hired as an associate manager and dated a co-trainee (sr agent) who happened to be in the same program. I didn't tell my boss about it when he asked because I thought of keeping it low profile anyway. But somehow he knew and asked me during our coaching about it. I told him everything and that if it would jeopardize my work, I'd cut my ties with him. A week later I was taken aback when I got an invite from HR to serve the case to me. A week later there was an administrative hearing where I got the chance to defend myself. And then another week passed I was terminated due to loss of trust.

It happened a few months ago. I didn't seek any legal counsel because I was convinced at that time that I deserved the verdict. Until I got the chance to talk to some HR managers and a lawyer who urged me to file a case. But I wanted to make sure first. Thanks!

if there is an existing company policy about that and if it will really affect your position as associate manager, then it's legal. The company also complied with the 2 Notice rule. So I dont think you have a case but let's see what our lawyers here says.

even if there is a policy, i would challenge that.

Thanks for the responses. Actually the company policy relating to this incident was based on the Labor Law of the Philippines. There is no existing company policy on that. However, there is one company policy relating to the conflict of interest (I'll get back to you on the actual policy, I don't have it with me at this time). I guess I am just surprised at the outcome because I truly believe that the decision was based solely on the 'possibility' of failing my responsibility as a manager - it is still hypothetical. I understand that the company doesn't want to take risk even if I committed on ending my ties with the guy. But shouldn't they give me a chance to prove their suspicions wrong at least?

Magandang araw po attorney,

Ang ihihingi ko po sana ng payo ay para sa asawa ko, hinihikayat ko nga siya na siya mismo ang magmessage sa inyo pero nahihiya siya. Natanggal po kasi siya sa trabaho nitong June 2012, nang walang abiso o due process basta hindi nalang siya binigyan ng schedule. Hindi po direct hire ang asawa ko, dumaan po siya ng agency para makapasok sa isang malaking courier company dito sa manila. Ang trabaho nya po dapat ay sa warehouse lang pero pag kulang sila ng drivers kinakailangan nya din magbyahe. Napakadami ko pong nais ireklamo sa nangyari sa kanya kasi dehado talaga kami kahit san ko tignan, pakiramdam ko sa pagkakatanggal sa kanya parang pinagkaitan nila ang mga anak namin ng makakain. Ilang beses din po siyang pinalipat lipat ng branch kesyo sinasalba siya para hindi tuluyang matanggal dahil nga temporary employee lang siya, napakatindi ng politika sa kumpanyang ito attorney, palakasan ang labanan, kahit walang kakayahan ang isang empleyado nila basta alaga ng kung sino mang may posisyon hindi matatanggal. Mahigit isa't kalahating taon din po nagsilbi ang asawa ko sa kumpanya na yun, napakalaki ng pakinabang nila sa asawa ko dahil masipag siya magtrabaho ultimo day off nya pag kinulang sila ng tao ang asawa ko ang pinagrerelyebo nila at wala naman siyang angal dahil kailangan niyang kumayod. Isang araw nung katapusan ng Mayo kinausap siya ng Manager nila at sinabing nanganganib siyang matanggal dahil bagsak ang evaluation nya, pangatlong bagsak na daw nya yun samantalang ni isang evaluation sheet ay wala siyang nakikita o napipirmahan. Nagproduce nga sila ng isang evaluation sheet at bagsak nga lahat ng score nya, kataka-taka po kasi ang inevaluate sa kanya ay bilang courier eh hindi naman po courier ang job title nya, lumalabas po na tinanggal siya sa trabahong hindi naman nya dapat ginagawa. Kinausap nya ang HR Manager ng agency at ipinaliwanag nya ang sitwasyon dahil ang mangyayari po ay mate-terminate siya. Bilang kunswelo ginawang resignation ang status nya para naman may pagkakataon pa siyang makabalik o makapagapply abroad. Ipinakiusap din nya na makita o malaman kung sino ang nag-evaluate sa kanya pero sabi ng Manager ay hindi daw pwede at sa aking palagay ay mali yun dahil evaluation ng asawa ko yun eh, hindi nila binigyan ng pagkakataon ang asawa ko na iimprove kung ano ang dapat iimprove dahil walang proper coaching na nangyari. Mula po ng natanggal siya sa kumpanya na yun nahirapan na siya makapasok sa ibang kumpanya hanggang ngayon po ay wala pa siyang trabaho ulit.

Attorney, may laban po ba kami kung irereklamo namin ng illegal dismissal ang nangyari sa asawa ko? At sino po ang dapat naming ireklamo? Ang Manager at Supervisors niya o ang agency? Aantayin ko po ang sagot ninyo. Pasensya na po kung Tagalog ako kung sumulat dahil mas komportable po ako sa tagalog. Maraming salamat po.

if you can prove that it was a forced resignation, then your case might have a chance. you should implead the agency and the courier company