TEMPORARY LAY-OFF NG ISANG NAPAKAGULANG NA KUMPANYA

April 9, 2011

Please be informed that due to the decrease in the volume of transactions being handled by your account, we are placing you on temporary lay-off from your duties and responsibilities as a ________ for a period not exceeding six (6) months.

Your temporary lay-off shall start on Aprill 11, 2011 and will last until such time when your immediate superior, within the six-month maximum period and considering the demands of the account, recalls you to resume your duties.

During this period of temporary lay-off, your work shall temporarily cease and you shall not report for work nor be entitled to receive any compensation.

In the event that you will not be reinstated at the end of the six-month period, your employment with the Company shall be terminated and you shall be paid a separation pay equivalent to one month basice salary or one month basic salary for every year of service, whichever is higher, with the fraction of at least six months considered as one year.

--Hi, this is a copy or rather what was stated in the copy i received from my employer last Friday, April 9, 2011. I did not sign the document as I don't feel comfortable in doing so since I still have a lot of questions that a normal filipino citizen would have if they are not familiar with the run around of legality when it comes to employment. Moreover, the third paragraph is the biggest question in this document and it does not sound rightful enough. I hope I would be enlightened by the folks here in this forum as on what to do and what steps I can make against this company.

Sa account po namin (btw, isa pong call center/bpo ang employer ko) 4 kami na-serve-an ng ganitong letter on that very day of 04/09/11. On the spot po ito although we knew it was coming dahil na umpisahan na po nila sa upper management. 3 years na po this may ang tenure ko sa company kaya mahirap tanggapin na basta2 nalang kami mawawalan ng trabaho ng dahil sa needs ng client. matatanggap naman po sana namin kahit papaano kung sana man lang kahit sa huli ay ibigay sa amin ang nararapat na samin sa ilang taong pag seserbisyo namin sa kumpanyang ito. as stated po dun sa 3rd paragraph; kung ayaw namin mag resign at gusto namin makuha ang separation pay thats due to us kelangan po namin antayin ang 6mos timeframe na inilaan nila pero wala kami makukuha during the lay-off period. in reality alam naman po natin na walang nasa matinong pag iisip na tao ang gagawa nyan dahil hindi naman ho nakakabusog at nakakapagpaaral ang loyalty ng isang empleyado para makuha ang ipinaglalaban namin. at kung 22usin kaya na namin ito bunuin (yung separation pay) pag naghanap na kami ng kapalit na trabaho within 6 mos time din. ang sinabi ng HR samin na benefits na mag reremain during those period na laid off kami is hindi mapputol ang healthcare benefits at magagamit ang SL/VL na nacredit na samin. by default kada start ng year meron kaming 5 SL at 5 VL then the rest ine-earn siya pero pano ka makakapag earn kung hindi ka nag ttrabaho lalo na sa policy nila na no-work no-pay sa status namin. magamit man namin ang SL/VL, hindi naman ho enough un para sa 6 mos na gusto nilang ipag antay namin.

napakatalino ho ng kumpanyang ito. lahat ng panggugulang gagawin upang makaiwas lang sa paglalabas ng pera. Inacquire kami ng isa pang kumpanya at dinadala na namin ngaun ang pangalan ng nag acquire samin. wala naman hong kaso don kasi hindi naman ho nag zero ang tenure ng mga empleyado during that acquisition pero ngaun ganito ang gnawa nila sa ilang mga officers sa kumpanya. wala ho akong ideya kung ilan pa sa ibang accts ang sinerve-an nila ng temporary lay-off letter pero ang alam ko e lahat kami ganito ang kapalaran. hindi naman din kasi basta2 lang ang tenure ng mga taong sinibak nila mababa na ang 3 taon at may tataas pa ng 5-6 years kaya ito ang nakikita kong rason kung bat nila ginawa ito. napakaraming loop holes at mga katanungan na obviously ay hindi nila naisip bago nila kami sisantihin sa trabaho. una na ang mga loans namin sa pag-ibig, sss at citibank na thru employer lahat binabayaran. hindi nila nasagot nung friday kung papaano ang sistemang mangyayari ngaung hindi kami mag-eearn. tulad ng sino ang magbabayad, kung walang magbabayad pano ang penalty na mag aacumulate pag hindi nakapagbayad? sino ang mananagot non? at kung makuha man ang separation pay, 1 kaltasan lang ba ang mangyayari na pagbayad sa mga loans? papaano ang may mga utang na 50-70k sa Citibank? Eh hindi naman namin lahat ito GINUSTO. buti sana kung dahil sa performance ang pagka sisante samin eh hindi naman eh, WALA TALAGA SILANG BALAK NA MAGEXTEND NG TULONG SA MGA TAONG TINANGGALAN NILA NG TRABAHO!!!


nagsipuntahan na po sa NLRC, yung iba sa DOLE ang mga naapektuhan nitong gnawa ng kumpanya na ito. at talaga naman pong susuporta ako sa kanila dahil lahat tayo ay nagtatrabaho sa iisang rason: ang mabuhay ang mga pamilya natin! eto lang po ang mga questions ko:

1. legal po ba ang ginawa nilang temporary lay-off without compensation?

2. tama ba na i-cease nila ang employment namin ng maraming pending questions at wala kaming mga linaw sa ibang bagay na ultimo sila ay walang ideya? (ex: pagibig/sss/citibank loans issues..)

3. wala po bang kaso kung susuporta ako sa mga empleyadong pumunta sa NLRC at sa DOLE? may nabasa kasi ako dito na hindi pwedeng mag "shopping" yung tipong nagsampa ka na ng kaso sa NLRC pati sa DOLE e gagawin mo rin. sakop po ba ito ng technicalities kung sakaling gawin ko ito?

4. may nabasa rin po ako about sa 30 days notice na dapat ibigay ng kumpanya sa empleyado bago gawin ang pag lalay-off, wala kasing ganung nangyari sa amin. nung friday kami kinausap tungkol sa sitwasyon at dun din ibinigay on the spot yung documento na pinapapirmahan samin. ano ang epekto nito kung hindi ito nagawa ng kumpanya?

5. nabasa ko na mayroong tinatawag na "constructive dismissal"..

Constructive Dismissal concept

Constructive dismissal is an employer’s act amounting to dismissal but made to appear as if it were not – a dismissal in disguise. In most cases of constructive dismissal, the employee is allowed to continue to work, but is simply reassigned, or demoted, or his pay diminished without a valid reason to do so.

Constructive dismissal does not always involve forthright dismissal or diminution in rank, compensation, benefit and privileges. There may be constructive dismissal if an act of clear discrimination, insensibility or disdain by an employer becomes so unbearable on the part or the employee that it could foreclose any choice by him except to forego his continued employment. (See Hyatt Taxi Services case, G.R. No. 143204, June 26, 2001.)
Constructive Dismissal and Involuntary Resignation

Constructive dismissal is an involuntary resignation resulting in cessation of work resorted to when continued employment becomes impossible, unreasonable or unlikely; when there is a demotion in rank or a diminution in pay; or when a clear discrimination, insensibility or disdain by an employer becomes unbearable to an employee.

based on the definition in this paragraph, atty. pwede nyo po bang ipaliwanag sa akin kung bakit naging legal ang temporary lay off dito sa bansa when that alone will trigger a person/employee to resign and move on dahil unbearable naman talaga ang hindi kumita at makapagtrabaho dahil sa pag-asang makikitaan ka pa ng trabaho ng iyong employer? at bakit kalahating taon? ang isang buwan nga lang na walang kain o ilang linggo eh ikamamatay na ng pamilya mo lalo nat kung ikaw lang ang bread winner. hindi bat parang nag ssugar coat lang ito patungo sa "forced resignation"? baka ho mali lang ang pagkakaintindi ko dito, gusto ko lang ho sana maliwanagan.

alam kong masyadong mahaba ang isinulat ko dito pero ito ang sigurado akong shared feelings at iisang hinanaing naming mga empleyadong nagawan ng ganito. nakakagalit at sama ng loob dahil ang call center na ito ay napabalita na rin dati na nag lay off ng 900 employees at tila walang nagawa ang mga apektado. o baka nagka areglo nalang din sila offline. hindi pa natuto ang kumpanyang ito at umulit na naman sila. HINDI NA KAMI PAPAYAG NA GAWIN pA NILA ULIT ITO SA MGA SUSUNOD NA EMPLEYADO DAHIL HINDI PA TAPOS ANG PANINIBAK NILA. UNAUNAHAN LANG AT MERON PANG MGA SUSUNOD DAHIL INIIBA NG KUMPANYA ANG ORGANIZATIONAL CHART NILA DAHIL SA BAGONG ACQUISITION.

SANA PO AY MATULUNGAN NYO KAMI. MARAMING SALAMAT

injusticed wrote:
nagsipuntahan na po sa NLRC, yung iba sa DOLE ang mga naapektuhan nitong gnawa ng kumpanya na ito. at talaga naman pong susuporta ako sa kanila dahil lahat tayo ay nagtatrabaho sa iisang rason: ang mabuhay ang mga pamilya natin! eto lang po ang mga questions ko:

1. legal po ba ang ginawa nilang temporary lay-off without compensation?

2. tama ba na i-cease nila ang employment namin ng maraming pending questions at wala kaming mga linaw sa ibang bagay na ultimo sila ay walang ideya? (ex: pagibig/sss/citibank loans issues..)

3. wala po bang kaso kung susuporta ako sa mga empleyadong pumunta sa NLRC at sa DOLE? may nabasa kasi ako dito na hindi pwedeng mag "shopping" yung tipong nagsampa ka na ng kaso sa NLRC pati sa DOLE e gagawin mo rin. sakop po ba ito ng technicalities kung sakaling gawin ko ito?

4. may nabasa rin po ako about sa 30 days notice na dapat ibigay ng kumpanya sa empleyado bago gawin ang pag lalay-off, wala kasing ganung nangyari sa amin. nung friday kami kinausap tungkol sa sitwasyon at dun din ibinigay on the spot yung documento na pinapapirmahan samin. ano ang epekto nito kung hindi ito nagawa ng kumpanya?

5. nabasa ko na mayroong tinatawag na "constructive dismissal"..



based on the definition in this paragraph, atty. pwede nyo po bang ipaliwanag sa akin kung bakit naging legal ang temporary lay off dito sa bansa when that alone will trigger a person/employee to resign and move on dahil unbearable naman talaga ang hindi kumita at makapagtrabaho dahil sa pag-asang makikitaan ka pa ng trabaho ng iyong employer? at bakit kalahating taon? ang isang buwan nga lang na walang kain o ilang linggo eh ikamamatay na ng pamilya mo lalo nat kung ikaw lang ang bread winner. hindi bat parang nag ssugar coat lang ito patungo sa "forced resignation"? baka ho mali lang ang pagkakaintindi ko dito, gusto ko lang ho sana maliwanagan.

I understand how you feel. However, everything as I see it has been done by the book.


1. This is correct. This may be covered by Article 286 of the Labor Code.

ART. 286. When employment not deemed terminated. - The bona-fide suspension of the operation of a business or undertaking for a period not exceeding six (6) months, or the fulfillment by the employee of a military or civic duty shall not terminate employment. In all such cases, the employer shall reinstate the employee to his former position without loss of seniority rights if he indicates his desire to resume his work not later than one (1) month from the resumption of operations of his employer or from his relief from the military or civic duty.

2. Your employment does not cease. However you are not compensated under the no-work-no-pay concept. That is reasonable.

3. "Support" (moral support, etc) to your co-employees is welcome to them. Regarding the forum shopping thing though - if a person files a complaint multiple times, in multiple locations (NLRC, DOLE Makati, Dole Pasay), the rest will be dismissed.

4. The 30-day notice is for closure of establishment, etc which implies termination of employment. Again, your company did not close, and your employment was not terminated.


ART. 283. Closure of establishment and reduction of personnel. - The employer may also terminate the employment of any employee due to the installation of labor-saving devices, redundancy, retrenchment to prevent losses or the closing or cessation of operation of the establishment or undertaking unless the closing is for the purpose of circumventing the provisions of this Title, by serving a written notice on the workers and the Ministry of Labor and Employment at least one (1) month before the intended date thereof.

5. As to your question on constructive dismissal - it's a bit more complicated to explain in a forum such as this. But definitely I do not see any type of constructive dismissal here. In the BPO industry, the client is "king" so to speak. It could be easy to lay off employees under Article 283 but the company still looks after your welfare. You are not sure when you will be able to find a new job after you are paid off. They are asking for some time to help you find a new account. Maybe in a few weeks or months a new client will be found, or an account will ramp up. Things don't happen overnight.

the company has to prove there is a bonafide requirement to reduce operations. in fact, the provision says suspension, not just reduction. i would also look for a good faith attempt to transfer the employee, and this would be negated by hiring of new employees with similar skills.

however, this provision has been applied to security guards where no assignment could be given.

attyLLL wrote:the company has to prove there is a bonafide requirement to reduce operations. in fact, the provision says suspension, not just reduction. i would also look for a good faith attempt to transfer the employee, and this would be negated by hiring of new employees with similar skills.

however, this provision has been applied to security guards where no assignment could be given.

with regard to proving that there is a bonafide requirement to reduce operations, is it mandatory that they document that and have everything undergo a legal process? (i.e. submitting documents to DOLE) or is it only requested for documentation purposes? If they fail to do so, is it going to be a violation? I'm just surprised that they have temporarily laid off officers as well in other accounts but the others were saved by promoting them. Is it even legal to promote employees in a company's time of financial distress?

with regard to the last sentence you've noted in here, Now I don't know how I would take this temporary lay off status that was given to us. No offense meant to our security guards but were there any other cases here in the PH that an employer used this status to their employees? I mean, I am working in a callcenter/bpo environment at least I'm expecting a better verdict from them. I hope you do get where I am coming from because even the NLRC personnel that we spoke with blurted "eh sa sekyu lang ginagamit tong status na to eh,,"

My next question now would be, if we apply to another job and the company is still claiming that we are their employees, what would we be violating? how about for part time jobs? is this going to be a breach of contract on our end even just for part time jobs? we can't go on like this for 6 months, even for a month, without income! our employer told us that they can't confirm if we would still be able to get our salary on the 29th! how could that be when technically we are still an employee and that we should be getting what we've worked for? I've already used my SL/VL credits so I could still get something on the 29th. It's one of the exceptions they gave us to be able to get something but it already ends there because we all know that you wont be able to earn sl vl credits if you don't go to work and SL VL is one of our benefits!!it's starting to devastate us and come to think that this is even recognized as LEGAL? how ironic!!

proving these matters become relevant only if you file a case of illegal termination against them. they will have to prove the basis for the suspension of the operations.

this provision is used many times by many employers, but no case has reached the supreme court where the company was still operating, except for security guards.

your remedy is to file a complaint at nlrc. if you need more info, send me a PM or contact me at attylllaw@gmail.com