Pagkakaiba ng abandonment of work at illegal dismissal

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | May 24, 2024

Dear Chief Acosta,

Napag-initan ako ng foreman ko sa kumpanya namin. Pinagsabihan niya ako na huwag nang pumasok sa trabaho kinabukasan. Dahil dito, agad akong nagsampa ng kasong illegal dismissal sa National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC). Pagkatapos ng ilang araw, pinadalhan ako ng kumpanya ng return to work order. Pagkalipas ng isang linggo, pinadalhan naman ako ng notice na nagsasabing tinanggal ako sa serbisyo dahil sa pag-abandona ko sa aking trabaho. Tama ba ito? – Kirsten

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Dear Kirsten,

Matatagpuan ang sagot sa iyong katanungan sa kasong Demex Rattancraft, Inc. and Narciso T. Dela Merced vs. Rosalio A. Leron, G.R. No. 204288, 08 November 2017, sa panulat ni Kagalang-galang na Kasamang Mahistrado Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, kung saan inilahad ng Korte Suprema kung kailan masasabing may pag-abandona sa trabaho. Ayon sa Korte Suprema:

“Although abandonment of work is not expressly enumerated as a just cause under Article 297 of the Labor Code, jurisprudence has recognized it as a form of or akin to neglect of duty.

Abandonment of work has been construed as “a clear and deliberate intent to discontinue one’s employment without any intention of returning back.” To justify the dismissal of an employee on this ground, two (2) elements must concur, namely: “(a) the failure to report for work or absence without valid or justifiable reason; and, (b) a clear intention to sever the employer-employee relationship.”

Mere failure to report to work is insufficient to support a charge of abandonment. The employer must adduce clear evidence of the employee’s “deliberate, unjustified refusal . . . to resume his [or her] employment, which is manifested through the employee’s overt acts.”

Sang-ayon sa Korte Suprema, may dalawang elemento na kinakailangang makita upang masabing mayroong pag-abandona sa trabaho. Una, walang wastong kadahilanan sa kabiguang pumasok sa trabaho. Pangalawa, malinaw na intensyon na tapusin ang relasyon ng employer at employee. Hindi maituturing na pag-abandona kung ang pagliban sa trabaho ay may makatwirang dahilan. Dapat ding mapatunayan ng employer ang kusang pagtanggi ng kanyang empleyado na magtrabaho.

Ang pag-abandona sa trabaho ay kusang pagliban sa trabaho ng isang empleyado. Ito ay kabaligtaran naman ng dismissal na ipinataw ng employer. Kaugnay nito, kinilala ng Korte Suprema na ang agarang pagsasampa ng kasong illegal dismissal ay nagpapakita na hindi nais putulin ng employee ang relasyon sa kanyang employer. Ayon sa Korte Suprema:

“Petitioners’ evidence does not clearly establish a case of abandonment. Petitioners failed to prove the second element of abandonment, which is regarded by this Court as the more decisive factor. xxx

Respondent filed an illegal dismissal case against petitioners on June 29, 2006, the day after he was unceremoniously dismissed by his superiors on June 28, 2006. Petitioners deny respondent’s arbitrary dismissal and claim that respondent abandoned his work starting June 28, 2006.

Petitioners’ narrative would mean that respondent instituted an illegal dismissal complaint right after his first day of absence. This is illogical. There was no unequivocal intent to abandon. Respondent even pursued the illegal dismissal case after it was dismissed without prejudice on the ground of improper venue.

Respondent’s non-compliance with the return-to-work notices and his alleged act of cn1mpling the first return-to-work notice are equivocal acts that fail to show a clear intention to sever his employment. Strained relations caused by being legitimately disappointed after being unfairly treated could explain the employee’s hesitation to report back immediately. If any, his actuations only explain that he has a grievance, not that he wanted to abandon his work entirely.”

Gaya sa iyong kaso, ang iyong agarang paglapit sa NLRC ukol sa maling pagtanggal sa iyo sa trabaho ng iyong foreman ay maaaring gamiting patunay na wala kang intensyong putulin ang relasyon mo sa iyong employer. Sa gayong sitwasyon, maaaring patunayan na hindi abandonment of work ang nangyari, kundi illegal dismissal.

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.