CORAZON ALMIREZ VS INFINITE LOOP TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

CORAZON ALMIREZ

VS

INFINITE LOOP TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
481 SCRA 364 (2006)

Under the control test, an employer-employee relationship exists where the person for whom the services are performed reserves the right to control not only the end achieved, but also the manner and means to be used in reaching that end.

Petitioner Corazon Almirez was hired by respondent Infinite Loop Technology Corporation (Infinite Loop) to be a Refinery Senior Process Design Engineer for a specific project starting October 18, 1999 with a guaranty of 12 continuous months of service or until a mutually agreed date. However, Almirez was later on suspended. Hence, she filed an action before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) against Infinite Loop and its General Manager/President/co-petitioner Edwin R. Rabino on the ground of breach of contract of employment.

Both the Labor Arbiter and the NLRC ruled that there is an existing employer-employee relationship between Almirez and Infinite Loop since the latter exercises control over the means and methods used by Almirez in the performance of her duties.

The Court of Appeals ruled that there was no existing employer-employee relationship between the parties since Almirez was hired to render her professional service only for a specific project.

ISSUE:
Whether or not there is employee-employer relationship between Almirez and Infinite Loop

HELD:
To ascertain the existence of an employer-employee relationship, jurisprudence has invariably applied the four-fold test, to wit: (1) the manner of selection and engagement; (2) the payment of wages; (3) the presence or absence of the power of dismissal; and (4) the presence or absence of the power of control. Of these four, the last one, the so called “control test” is commonly regarded as the most crucial and determinative indicator of the presence or absence of an employer-employee relationship.
Under the control test, an employer-employee relationship exists where the person for whom the services are performed reserves the right to control not only the end achieved, but also the manner and means to be used in reaching that end.

From the earlier-quoted scope of Almirez’ professional services, there is no showing of a power of control over petitioner. The services to be performed by her specified what she needed to achieve but not on how she was to go about it.

Contrary to the finding of the Labor Arbiter, as affirmed by the NLRC, paragraph No. 6 of the “Scope of [Almirez’] Professional Services” requiring her to “[m]ake reports and recommendations to the company management team regarding work progress, revisions and improvement of process design on a regular basis as required by company management team” does not “show that the company’s management team exercises control over the means and methods in the performance of her duties as Refinery Process Design Engineer.” Having hired Almirez’ professional services on account of her “expertise and qualifications” as Almirez herself proffers in her Position Paper, the company naturally expected to be updated regularly of her “work progress,” if any, on the project for which she was specifically hired.

The deduction from Almirez’ remuneration of amounts representing SSS premiums, Philhealth contributions and withholding tax, was made in the only pay slip issued to Almirez, that for the period of January 16-31, 2000, the other amounts of remuneration having been documented by cash vouchers. Such pay slip cannot prove the existence of an employer-employee relationship between the parties.

As for the designation of the payments to Almirez as “salaries,” it is not determinative of the existence of an employer-employee relationship. “Salary” is a general term defined as “a remuneration for services given.” It is the above-quoted contract of engagement of services-letter dated September 30, 1999, together with its attachments, which is the law between the parties. Even Almirez concedes rendering service “based on the contract,” which, as reflected earlier, is bereft of a showing of power of control, the most crucial and determinative indicator of the presence of an employer-employee relationship.