Can a company use this as grounds for dismissal? Insubordination?

Hi!

I hope someone can help me here with this situation.

I'll be talking to our HR soon-- but in the meantime I need a lawyer's point of view.

I have been in this company (a multinational with a regional operating headquarters here in Taguig) for almost 7 years already as a regular employee. Now I have been in this role within the company for more than 6 months already and everything is running smooth.

My manager and I had a talk, and suddenly he is demanding that I work at a specific place and time even if our office has an Open Desk policy and flexible work schedules-- in fact this is the only time he has "demanded" this of me, while other officemates, and teams continue to have flexibility in where they work and when they come in for work (this is an IT company where we can work via network as needed-- in fact many work from home). He is threatening to use this as grounds for insubordination in case I do not follow his "demand".

My question is, is this legal? Can they company use the above to dismiss me from my work?
Let me know if any more details are necessary--- maybe by private message if needed.

Thanks for all the good helpful lawyers out there!

Mc2012 wrote:Hi!

I hope someone can help me here with this situation.

I'll be talking to our HR soon-- but in the meantime I need a lawyer's point of view.

I have been in this company (a multinational with a regional operating headquarters here in Taguig) for almost 7 years already as a regular employee. Now I have been in this role within the company for more than 6 months already and everything is running smooth.

My manager and I had a talk, and suddenly he is demanding that I work at a specific place and time even if our office has an Open Desk policy and flexible work schedules-- in fact this is the only time he has "demanded" this of me, while other officemates, and teams continue to have flexibility in where they work and when they come in for work (this is an IT company where we can work via network as needed-- in fact many work from home). He is threatening to use this as grounds for insubordination in case I do not follow his "demand".

My question is, is this legal? Can they company use the above to dismiss me from my work?
Let me know if any more details are necessary--- maybe by private message if needed.

Thanks for all the good helpful lawyers out there!

YES, if the orders are REASONABLE and when unfollowed, the same may be considered Insubordination but NOT necessarily a ground for termination.

Thanks for the reply! My concern though is that all of a sudden I am singled out, while other folks in his/her team are allowed the flexibility--- so this is not a company-wide policy, rather looks like his/her policy for me.

You can ask your manager then why you need to have a fixed schedule or location unlike others. Seek for clarification - maybe there is a valid business need for you to be there.