Puwedeng matanggal sa trabaho ang empleyadong nagmura ng amo

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | September 26, 2022

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ang aking kapatid ay natanggal sa trabaho sapagkat nagkaroon siya ng pakikipagtalo sa kanyang amo. Dahil sa taas ng kanyang emosyon, siya ay nakapagmura. Dahil dito, siya ay binigyan ng kanilang human resource supervisor ng notice to explain at pagkatapos ay binigyan ng notice of termination sa kadahilanang ang ginawa diumano niyang pagmumura ay isang uri ng Serious Misconduct. Tama ba ito? - Fred

Dear Fred,

Ang sagot sa iyong katanungan ay sinagot ng Korte Suprema sa kaso ng Sterling Paper Products Enterprises, Inc. v. KMM-Katipunan & Raymond Z. Esponga, G.R. No. 221493, August 2, 2017, sa panulat ni Kagalang-galang na Dating Mahistrado Jose C. Mendoza, kung saan nagbigay ang Korte Suprema ng mga halimbawa ng mga salitang obscene, insulting, o offensive na maaaring ikonsiderang patunay ng Serious Misconduct. Ayon sa Korte Suprema:

“Primarily, in a number of cases, the Court has consistently ruled that the utterance of obscene, insulting or offensive words against a superior is not only destructive of the morale of his co-employees and a violation of the company rules and regulations, but also constitutes gross misconduct. In de La Cruz v. National Labor Relations Commission, the dismissed employee shouted, "Sayang ang pagka-professional mo!" and "P*tang in* mo" at the company physician when the latter refused to give him a referral slip.

Likewise, in Autobus Workers' Union (AWU) v. National Labor Relations Commission, the dismissed employee told his supervisor "G*go ka" and taunted the latter by saying, "Bakit anong gusto mo, t*ng in* mo." Moreover, in Asian Design and Manufacturing Corporation v. Deputy Minister of Labor, the dismissed employee made false and malicious statements against the foreman (his superior) by telling his co-employees: "If you don't give a goat to the foreman, you will be terminated. If you want to remain in this company, you have to give a goat." The dismissed employee therein likewise posted a notice in the comfort room of the company premises, which read: "Notice to all Sander — Those who want to remain in this company, you must give anything to your foreman.”

In Reynolds Philippines Corporation v. Eslava, the dismissed employee circulated several letters to the members of the company's board of directors calling the executive vice-president and general manager a "big fool," "anti-Filipino" and accusing him of "mismanagement, inefficiency, lack of planning and foresight, petty favoritism, dictatorial policies, one-man rule, contemptuous attitude to labor, anti-Filipino utterances and activities." Hence, it is well-settled that accusatory and inflammatory language used by an employee towards his employer or superior can be a ground for dismissal or termination.

Gayunman, alinsunod sa nabanggit na desisyon ng Korte Suprema, kailangan na ang ginawang maling asal ay may kinalaman sa pagganap sa tungkulin ng nasabing empleyado at magpapakita na hindi na siya karapatdapat pang patuloy na magtrabaho, viz.: “To summarize, for misconduct or improper behavior to be a just cause for dismissal, xxx (b) it must relate to the performance of the employee's duties showing that the employee has become unfit to continue working for the employer.”

Sang-ayon sa nasabing desisyon, ang paggamit ng mga salitang obscene, insulting o offensive, tulad ng naging pagmumura ng iyong kapatid laban sa kanyang amo ay maaaring ikonsiderang Gross Misconduct na maaaring maging batayan sa pagtanggal sa empleyado kung ito ay ginawa kaugnay ng o may kinalaman sa pagganap ng kanyang mga tungkulin.

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

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.