Piece-rat workers

The workers are paid on a piece-rate basis.

Are they considered as regular employees?

The following factors show that piece-rate workers were deemed regular employees:

(1) within the contemplation of Art. 280 of the Labor Code, their work as tailors was necessary
or desirable in the usual business of private respondents, which is engaged in the tailoring
business;
(2) petitioners worked for private respondents throughout the year, their employment not
being dependent on a specific project or season; and
(3) petitioners worked for private respondents for more than one year

Elements of Regular employees:

1. Has been engaged to perform activities which are usually necessary and desirable to the
usual business or trade of the employer;
2. Has rendered at least one year of services whether such service is continuous or broken, with
respect to the activity in which he is employed; or
3. When an employee is allowed to work after probationary period.

When may a project employee be considered as a regular employee?

1. Continuous rehiring of project employees even after the sensation of a project for the same
tasks or nature of tasks (the employee must be continuously rehired without gaps and
intervals); and
2. The tasks performed by the alleged project employee are vital, necessary and indispensable
to the usual business or trade of the employer.

Principal Test to determine whether employees are project employees as distinguished from
regular employees:

Whether or not the project employees are assigned to carry out a specific project or
undertaking the duration or scope of which are specified at the time employees are engaged
for that project.

Entitlement to separation pay

GR: Project employees are NOT entitled to separation pay if they are terminated as a result of
the completion of the project or any phase thereof in which they have been employees.

Indicators of Project Employment:

1. The duration of the specific/identified undertaking for which the worker is engaged is
reasonable determinable;
2. Such duration as well as the specific work/services to be performed, is defined in an
employment agreement and is made clearto the employee at the time of hiring;
3. The work/service performed by the employee is in connection with the particular project/
undertaking for which he is engaged.;
4. The employee, while not employed and awaiting engagement, is free to offer his services to
any other employer;
5. The termination of his employment in particular project/undertaking is reported to th DOLE
Regional Office having jurisdiction over the workplace within 30 days following the date of
separation from work, using prescribed form on employees’
terminations/dismissal/suspensions.
6. An undertaking in the employment contract by the employer by the employer to pay
completion bonus to the project employee as practiced by most construction companies.