Monday, July 16, 2012

Prevented from Leaving


In Santiago v. CF Sharp Crew Management, Inc.,  the Court held that the employment contract did not commence when the petitioner therein, a hired seaman, was not able to depart from the airport or seaport in the point of hire; thus, no employer-employee relationship was created between the parties.   

Nevertheless, even before the start of any employer-employee relationship, contemporaneous with the perfection of the employment contract was the birth of certain rights and obligations, the breach of which may give rise to a cause of action against the erring party.   If the reverse happened, that is, the seafarer failed or refused to be deployed as agreed upon, he would be liable for damages.

Petitioners’ act of preventing respondent from leaving and complying with his contract of employment constitutes breach of contract for which petitioner BMC is liable for actual damages to respondent for the loss of one-year salary as provided in the contract (Bright Maritime Corporation (BMC) / Desiree P. Tenorio Vs. Ricardo B. Fantonial, G.R. No. 165935. February 8, 2012).

No comments:

Post a Comment