ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney Marso 18, 2024
Dear Chief Acosta,
Ako ay naglingkod bilang isang audit manager para sa isang kumpanya. Matapos ang ilang taong paglilingkod, nagdesisyon ang kumpanya na ireorganisa ang sarili nito at ang aming mga posisyon. Isa ako sa mga naapektuhan dahil ako ay inilipat bilang isang operations manager na malayo sa aking dating ginagawa bilang isang audit manager. Kailan maikokonsiderang demotion ang paglipat ng trabaho? -- Dsk
Dear Dsk,
Ang iyong katanungan ay sinagot sa kasong Isabela-I Electric Coop., Inc. vs. Vicente B. Del Roasario, Jr., G.R. No. 226369, 17 July 2019, sa panulat ni Honorable Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier. Ayon sa Korte Suprema, ang demotion ay:
“Demotion involves a situation in which an employee is relegated to a subordinate or less important position constituting a reduction to a lower grade or rank, with a corresponding decrease in duties and responsibilities, and usually accompanied by a decrease in salary. This was exactly what happened to respondent.
Petitioner, nonetheless, argues that respondent was not demoted, but was appointed to a new position as a result of the company’s reorganization. There was allegedly no diminution in respondent's rank because: (a) he is still a manager; (b) his functions were not diminished; (c) as the Court of Appeals held, there was no diminution in his salary; (d) there was no change in his place of work; and (e) there was no change in the benefits and privileges given to him. xxx
Contrary to petitioner’s claim, although respondent’s present position bears the appellation ‘manager,’ the responsibilities he used to discharge as manager in his former position had been significantly reduced.”
Sa nasabing kaso rin, binanggit ng Korte Suprema na kahit na ang pagrereorganisa ay balidong desisyon sa ilalim ng management prerogative. Ito ay hindi maaaring gawin ng walang pakundangan sa karapatan ng isang empleyado. Ayon sa Korte Suprema:
“In Philippine Industrial Security Agency Corporation vs. Percival Aguinaldo, We held that the ‘Court is fully aware of the right of management to transfer its employees as part of management prerogative. But like all rights, the same cannot be exercised with unbridled discretion. The managerial prerogative to transfer personnel must be exercised without grave abuse of discretion, bearing in mind the basic element of justice and fair play.’ The Court then emphasized:
While it is true that an employer is free to regulate, according to his own discretion and judgment, all aspects of employment, including hiring, work assignments, working methods, time, place and manner of work, tools to be used, processes to be followed, supervision of workers, working regulations, transfer of employees, work supervision, layoff of workers and the discipline, dismissal and recall of workers (San Miguel Brewery Sales vs. Opie, G.R. No. 53515, February 8, 1989), and this right to transfer employees forms part of management prerogatives, the employee’s transfer should not be unreasonable, nor inconvenient, nor prejudicial to him. It should not involve a demotion in rank or diminution of his salaries, benefits and other privileges, as to constitute constructive dismissal.”
Sang-ayon sa Korte Suprema, ang paglipat sa mga empleyado ay balidong paggamit ng management prerogative, ngunit ito ay hindi dapat unreasonable, inconvenient, o prejudicial sa isang empleyado. Dapat din itong walang kaakibat na pagbaba ng suweldo o benepisyong tinatanggap, ranggo, posisyon, at antas ng responsibilidad.
Kung ito ay mangyari, ito ay maaaring maikonsiderang demotion.
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.