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Family driver, ‘di saklaw ng separation pay

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | May 3, 2024



Magtanong kay Attorney ni Atty. Persida Acosta


Dear Chief Acosta,


Ako ay isang family driver at ako ay nagtrabaho sa loob ng 15 taon sa pamilya ng aking amo. Noong nakaraang linggo ay tinanggal ako sa trabaho sa kadahilanang hindi na diumano ako kayang pasahurin ng aking amo sapagkat nawalan siya ng trabaho. Gusto kong malaman kung may karapatan ba ako sa separation pay katumbas ng mga taon ng aking serbisyo. — Norvin


 

Dear Norvin,


Ang mga probisyon ng Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 442 o mas kilala bilang Labor Code of the Philippines kaugnay sa mga empleyadong kabilang sa “domestic or household service” ay napawalang-bisa noong maipasa ang Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10361 o ang Kasambahay Law.  Malinaw na nakasaad sa Rule I, Section 2 ng Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) nito na:


“SECTION 2. Coverage – This IRR shall apply to all parties to an employment contract for the services of the following Kasambahay, whether on a live-in or live-out arrangement, such as but not limited to:

  1. General househelp;

  2. Yaya;

  3. Cook;

  4. Gardener;

  5. Laundry person; or

  6. Any person who regularly performs domestic work in one household on an occupational basis.


The following are not covered:

  1. Service providers;

  2. Family drivers;

  3. Children under foster family arrangement; and

  4. Any other person who performs work occasionally or sporadically and not on an occupational basis.” 


Kaugnay nito, inilahad ng Korte Suprema sa kaso ng Atienza vs. Saluta, G.R. No. 233413, 17 June 2019, sa panulat ni Kagalang-galang na Kasamang Mahistrado Andres Reyes, Jr., na:


“Since what were expressly repealed by the Kasambahay Law were only Articles 141 to 152, Chapter III of the Labor Code on Employment of Househelpers; and the Labor Code did not repeal the Civil Code provisions concerning household service which impliedly includes family drivers as they minister to the needs of a household, the said Civil Code provisions stand. To rule otherwise would leave family drivers without even a modicum of protection. Certainly, that could not have been the intent of the lawmakers.”


Kaya naman, ang batas na sasaklaw patungkol sa iyong katanungan ay ang Republic Act (R.A.) No. 386 o mas kilala bilang The New Civil Code of the Philippines. Nakasaad sa Article 1697 nito na:


“Article 1697. If the period for household service is fixed neither the head of the family nor the house helper may terminate the contract before the expiration of the term, except for a just cause. If the house helper is unjustly dismissed, he shall be paid the compensation already earned plus that for fifteen days by way of indemnity. If the house helper leaves without justifiable reason, he shall forfeit any salary due him and unpaid, for not exceeding fifteen days.”


Samakatuwid, bilang isang family driver na ilegal na tinanggal sa serbisyo, ikaw ay kailangang bayaran ng iyong suweldo para sa mga araw na iyong pinasukan, at karagdagang suweldo na katumbas ng 15 araw na trabaho. Ang probisyon ng Labor Code kaugnay sa kabayaran ng separation pay ay hindi uukol sa iyong sitwasyon sapagkat malinaw na inilahad ng Korte Suprema na ang probisyon ng New Civil Code ang siyang nananatiling epektibo sa pagtukoy ng karapatan ng family drivers kaugnay sa kanilang trabaho.


Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.


Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.



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