QUESTION: Usa ako ka ordinary nga empleyado sa usa ka pribadong kompanya. Minyo ako, apan aduna koy kabit nga 23 anyos nga dalaga. Kung pananglitan madiskurehan sa among employer kining akong extra-marital affair, pwede kaha ko matanggal sa trabaho based on the ground of IMMORALITY?

ANSWER: DEPENDE. As a general rule, IMMORALITY is not a just ground to terminate employment. The exception is when such immoral conduct is prejudicial or detrimental to the interest of the employer. The standard to be used to determine whether the immoral conduct adversely affects the interest of the employer is whether the immoral act is of such nature which is calculated to undermine or injure such interest or which would make the worker incapable of performing his work. So, mamahimo ka nga tanggalon sa imong trabaho kung pananglitan ang imong pagbaton ug kabit makadaot o makaguba sa interes sa imong agalon o dili ba kaha, muresulta kini sa imong dili pagtuman sa imong gimbuhaton sulod sa kompanya. Kini mag-agad sa line or nature of business sa imong employer, ug sa imong job description. Ang usa ka kaso nga gi-desisyonan sa Supreme Court, nga mi-explain sa immorality isip ground for termination of employment, mao ang Santos, Jr. v. NLRC, (G.R. No. 115795, March 6, 1998). Ingon sa Korte Suprema: Immorality is defined as a source of conduct which offends the morals of the community and is a bad example to the youth whose ideals a teacher is supposed to foster and elevate. Thus, the gravity and seriousness of the charges against the teacher stem from his being a married man and at the same time a teacher. Therefore, when a teacher engages in extra-marital relationship, especially when the parties are both married, such behavior amounts to immorality, justifying his termination from employment.