G.R. No. 169170
D.M. CONSUNJI, INC. vs.
ANTONIO GOBRES, MAGELLAN DALISAY,
GODOFREDO PARAGSA, EMILIO ALETA and GENEROSO MELO,
G.R. No. 169170
August 8, 2010
D E C I S I O N
PERALTA, J.:
Petitioner contends that the award of nominal damages in the amount of P20,000.00 to each respondent is unwarranted under Section 2 (III), Rule XXIII, Book V of the Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code, which states, “If the termination is brought about by the completion of the contract or phase thereof, no prior notice is required.”[16]
Petitioner also contends that Agabon v. NLRC is not applicable to this case. The termination therein was for just cause due to abandonment of work, while in this case, respondents were terminated due to the completion of the phases of work.
In support of its argument, petitioner cited Cioco, Jr. v. C.E. Construction Corporation,[17] which held:
x x x More importantly, Section 2 (III), Rule XXIII, Book V of the Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code provides that no prior notice of termination is required if the termination is brought about by completion of the contract or phase thereof for which the worker has been engaged. This is because completion of the work or project automatically terminates the employment, in which case, the employer is, under the law, only obliged to render a report to the DOLE on the termination of the employment.[18]
The petition is meritorious.
Respondents were found to be project employees by the Labor Arbiter, the NLRC and the Court of Appeals. Their unanimous finding that respondents are project employees is binding on the Court. It must also be pointed out that respondents have not appealed from such finding by the Court of Appeals. It is only the petitioner that appealed from the decision of the Court of Appeals.
The main issue is whether or not respondents, as project employees, are entitled to nominal damages for lack of advance notice of their dismissal.
A project employee is defined under Article 280 of the Labor Code as one whose “employment has been fixed for a specific project or undertaking the completion or termination of which has been determined at the time of the engagement of the employee or where the work or services to be performed is seasonal in nature and the employment is for the duration of the season.”[19]
In this case, the Labor Arbiter, the NLRC and the Court of Appeals all found that respondents, as project employees, were validly terminated due to the completion of the phases of work for which their services were engaged. However, the Court of Appeals held that respondents were entitled to nominal damages, because petitioner failed to give them advance notice of their termination. The appellate court cited the case of Agabon v. NLRC as basis for the award of nominal damages.
The Court holds that Agabon v. NLRC is not applicable to this case, because it involved the dismissal of regular employees for abandonment of work, which is a just cause for dismissal under Article 282 of the Labor Code.[20] Although the dismissal was for a cause, the employer therein was required to observe the standard of due process for termination of employment based on just causes under Article 282 of the Labor Code, which procedural due process requirements are enumerated in Section 2, Rule 1, Book VI[21] of the Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code.[22] Since the employer therein failed to comply with the twin requirements of notice and hearing, the Court ordered the employer to pay the employees involved nominal damages in the amount of P30,000.00 for failure to observe procedural due process.
Unlike in Agabon, respondents, in this case, were not terminated for just cause under Article 282 of the Labor Code. Dismissal based on just causes contemplate acts or omissions attributable to the employee.[23] Instead, respondents were terminated due to the completion of the phases of work for which their services were engaged.
As project employees, respondents’ termination is governed by Section 1 (c) and Section 2 (III), Rule XXIII (Termination of Employment), Book V of the Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code.
Section 1 (c), Rule XXIII, Book V of the Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code states:
Section 1. Security of tenure. — (a) In cases of regular employment, the employer shall not terminate the services of an employee except for just or authorized causes as provided by law, and subject to the requirements of due process.
x x x x
(c) In cases of project employment or employment covered by legitimate contracting or sub-contracting arrangements, no employee shall be dismissed prior to the completion of the project or phase thereof for which the employee was engaged, or prior to the expiration of the contract between the principal and contractor, unless the dismissal is for just or authorized cause subject to the requirements of due process or prior notice, or is brought about by the completion of the phase of the project or contract for which the employee was engaged.[24]
Records show that respondents were dismissed after the expiration of their respective project employment contracts, and due to the completion of the phases of work respondents were engaged for. Hence, the cited provision’s requirements of due process or prior notice when an employee is dismissed for just or authorized cause (under Articles 282 and 283 of the Labor Code) prior to the completion of the project or phase thereof for which the employee was engaged do not apply to this case.
Further, Section 2 (III), Rule XXIII, Book V of the Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code provides:
Section 2. Standard of due process: requirements of notice. — In all cases of termination of employment, the following standards of due process shall be substantially observed.
1. For termination of employment based on just causes as defined in Article 282 of the Code:
(a) A written notice served on the employee specifying the ground or grounds for termination, and giving to said employee reasonable opportunity within which to explain his side;
(b) A hearing or conference during which the employee concerned, with the assistance of counsel if the employee so desires, is given opportunity to respond to the charge, present his evidence or rebut the evidence presented against him; and
(c) A written notice [of] termination served on the employee indicating that upon due consideration of all the circumstance, grounds have been established to justify his termination.
In case of termination, the foregoing notices shall be served on the employee’s last known address.
II. For termination of employment as based on authorized causes defined in Article 283 of the Code, the requirements of due process shall be deemed complied with upon service of a written notice to the employee and the appropriate Regional Office of the Department at least thirty (30) days before the effectivity of the termination, specifying the ground or grounds for termination.
III. If the termination is brought about by the completion of the contract or phase thereof, no prior notice is required. If the termination is brought about by the failure of an employee to meet the standards of the employer in the case of probationary employment, it shall be sufficient that a written notice is served the employee within a reasonable time from the effective date of termination.[25]
In this case, the Labor Arbiter, the NLRC and the Court of Appeals all found that respondents were validly terminated due to the completion of the phases of work for which respondents’ services were engaged. The above rule clearly states, “If the termination is brought about by the completion of the contract or phase thereof, no prior notice is required.” Cioco, Jr. v. C.E. Construction Corporation[26] explained that this is because completion of the work or project automatically terminates the employment, in which case, the employer is, under the law, only obliged to render a report to the DOLE on the termination of the employment.
Hence, prior or advance notice of termination is not part of procedural due process if the termination is brought about by the completion of the contract or phase thereof for which the employee was engaged. Petitioner, therefore, did not violate any requirement of procedural due process by failing to give respondents advance notice of their termination; thus, there is no basis for the payment of nominal damages.
In sum, absent the requirement of prior notice of termination when the termination is brought about by the completion of the contract or phase thereof for which the worker was hired, respondents are not entitled to nominal damages for lack of advance notice of their termination.
WHEREFORE, the petition is GRANTED. The Decision of the Court of Appeals in CA-G.R. SP No. 70708, dated March 9, 2005, insofar as it upholds the validity of the dismissal of respondents is AFFIRMED, but the award of nominal damages to respondents is DELETED. The Resolution of the Court of Appeals, dated August 2, 2005, is SET ASIDE.
No costs.
SO ORDERED.
