7/23/2019 Smart Labor Case

1/7

THIRD DIVISION

SMART COMMUNICATIONS, INC.,Petitioner,

- versus -

REGINA M. ASTORGA,Respondent.---------------------------------------------------SMART COMMUNICATIONS, INC.,

Petitioner,

- versus -

REGINA M. ASTORGA,Respondent.---------------------------------------------------REGINA M. ASTORGA,Petitioner,

- versus -

SMART COMMUNICATIONS, INC. !nd ANN MARGARET V. SANTIAGO,Respondents.G.R. No. "#$"%&

G.R. No. "'"()*

G.R. No. "'"%)&

Present+

NARES-SANTIAGO, .,C!irperson,AUSTRIA-MARTINE/,CORONA,0NACHURA, !ndREES, .

Pro1u23!ted+

44444444444444444444

7/23/2019 Smart Labor Case

2/7

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DECISION

NACHURA, .+

5or te reso2ution o6 te Court !re tree 7onso2id!ted petitions 6or revie8 on 7ertior!ri under Ru2e #' o6 te Ru2es o6 Court. G.R. No"#$"%& !ss!i2s te 5e9ru!r: &$, &((( De7ision;"< !nd te M!: ), &((" Reso2ution;&< o6 te Court o6 Appe!2s =CA> in CA-G.R. SP. No.'%$%". G.R. Nos. "'"()* !nd "'"%)& ?uestion te une "", &((" De7ision;%< !nd te De7e19er "$, &((" Reso2ution;#< in CA-G.R. SPNo. ')(@'.

Re3in! M. Astor3! =Astor3!> 8!s e1p2o:ed 9: respondent S1!rt Co11uni7!tions, In7orpor!ted =SMART> on M!: $, "**) !s Distri7tS!2es M!n!3er o6 te Corpor!te S!2es M!retin3 GroupB 5ied Servi7es Division =CSMGB5SD>. Se 8!s re7eivin3 ! 1ont2: s!2!r: o6P%%,@'(.((. As Distri7t S!2es M!n!3er, Astor3! eno:ed !ddition!2 9enets, n!1e2:, !nnu!2 per6or1!n7e in7entive e?uiv!2ent to %(o6 er !nnu!2 3ross s!2!r:, ! 3roup 2i6e !nd ospit!2iF!tion insur!n7e 7over!3e, !nd ! 7!r p2!n in te !1ount o6 P#'',(((.((.;'. Sin7e SNMI 8!s6or1ed to do te s!2es !nd 1!retin3 8or, SMART !9o2ised te CSMGB5SD, Astor3!s division.

To so6ten te 92o8 o6 te re!2i3n1ent, SNMI !3reed to !9sor9 te CSMG personne2 8o 8ou2d 9e re7o11ended 9: SMART. SMARTten 7ondu7ted ! per6or1!n7e ev!2u!tion o6 CSMG personne2 !nd tose 8o 3!rnered te i3est r!tin3s 8ere 6!vor!92:re7o11ended to SNMI. Astor3! 2!nded 2!st in te per6or1!n7e ev!2u!tion, tus, se 8!s not re7o11ended 9: SMART. SMART,nonete2ess, oered er ! supervisor: position in te Custo1er C!re Dep!rt1ent, 9ut se re6used te oer 9e7!use te position7!rried 2o8er s!2!r: r!n !nd r!te.

Despite te !9o2ition o6 te CSMGB5SD, Astor3! 7ontinued reportin3 6or 8or. ut on M!r7 %, "**$, SMART issued ! 1e1or!ndu1!dvisin3 Astor3! o6 te ter1in!tion o6 er e1p2o:1ent on 3round o6 redund!n7:, ee7tive Apri2 %, "**$. Astor3! re7eived it on M!r7"@, "**$.;). Se 72!i1ed t!t!9o2isin3 CSMG !nd, 7onse?uent2:, ter1in!tin3 er e1p2o:1ent 8!s i22e3!2 6or it vio2!ted er ri3t to se7urit: o6 tenure. Se !2soposited t!t it 8!s i22e3!2 6or !n e1p2o:er, 2ie SMART, to 7ontr!7t out servi7es 8i7 8i22 disp2!7e te e1p2o:ees, espe7i!22: i6 te

7ontr!7tor is !n in-ouse !3en7:.;* P"%#,@((.((UNPAID SAJARIES =5e9ru!r: "', "**$-Apri2 %, "**$5e9ru!r: "'-&$, "**$ P "@,$&%.((M!r7 "-%", ;"**$< P %%,@'(.((

Apri2 "-%, "**$ P %,$$&.@*CAR MAINTENANCE AJJOANCE=P&,(((.(( #> P $,(((.((5UEJ AJJOANCE =%(( 2itersB1o. # 1os. !t P"&.(#B2iter> P "#,#').$%

TOTAJ P&"",#"'.'&

%. oint2: !nd sever!22: p!: 1or!2 d!1!3es in te !1ount o6 P'((,(((.(( !nd ee1p2!r: d!1!3es in te !1ount oP%((,(((.((.

#. oint2: !nd sever!22: p!: "( o6 te !1ount due !s !ttorne:s 6ees.

SO ORDERED.;"' 1onts p!: 6or ever: :e!r o6 servi7e, 8i7ever is i3er. Te re7ords so8 t!t Astor3!s 2en3t o6servi7e is 2ess t!n ! :e!r. Se is, tere6ore, !2so entit2ed to sep!r!tion p!: e?uiv!2ent to one ="> 1ont p!:.

5in!22:, 8e note t!t Astor3! 72!i1ed non-p!:1ent o6 8!3es 6ro1 5e9ru!r: "', "**$. Tis !ssertion 8!s never re9utted 9: SMART inte pro7eedin3s ! ?uo. No proo6 o6 p!:1ent 8!s presented 9: SMART to disprove te !22e3!tion. It is sett2ed t!t in 2!9or 7!ses, te9urden o6 provin3 p!:1ent o6 1onet!r: 72!i1s rests on te e1p2o:er.;##< SMART 6!i2ed to dis7!r3e te onus pro9!ndi. A77ordin32:it 1ust 9e e2d 2i!92e 6or Astor3!s s!2!r: 6ro1 5e9ru!r: "', "**$ unti2 te ee7tive d!te o6 er ter1in!tion, on Apri2 %, "**$.

Ho8ever, te !8!rd o6 9!78!3es to Astor3! 9: te CA sou2d 9e de2eted 6or 2!7 o6 9!sis. !78!3es is ! re2ie6 3iven to !n i22e3!22:dis1issed e1p2o:ee. Tus, 9e6ore 9!78!3es 1!: 9e 3r!nted, tere 1ust 9e ! ndin3 o6 unust or i22e3!2 dis1iss!2 6ro1 8or.;#'