. Planas Commercial vs NLRC (2005) G.R.

144619
Facts: In September 1993, Morente, Allauigan and Ofialda and others filed a
complaint for underpayment of wages, nonpayment of overtime pay, holiday
pay, service incentive leave pay, and premium pay for rest day and holiday
and night shift differential against petitioners in the Arbitration Branch of
NLRC. It alleged that Cohu is engaged in the business of wholesale of plastic
products and fruits of different kinds with more than 24 employees.
Respondents were hired on January 1990, May 1990 and July 19991 as
laborers and were paid below the minimum wage for the past 3 years. They
were required to work for more than 8 hours a day and never enjoyed the
minimum benefits. Petitioners filed their comment stating that the
respondents were their helpers.
The Labor Arbiter rendered a decision dismissing the money claims.
Respondents filed an appeal with the NLRC where it granted the money
claims. Petitioners appealed with the CA but it was denied. It said that the
company having claimed of exemption of the coverage of the minimum wage
shall have the burden of proof to the claim.
Petitioners insist that C. Planas Commercial is a retail establishment
principally engaged in the sale of plastic products and fruits to the customers
for personal use, thus exempted from the application of the minimum wage
law; that it merely leases and occupies a stall in the Divisoria Market and the
level of its business activity requires and sustains only less than ten
employees at a time. Petitioners contend that private respondents were paid
over and above the minimum wage required for a retail establishment, thus
the Labor Arbiter is correct in ruling that private respondents claim for
underpayment has no factual and legal basis. Petitioners claim that since
private respondents alleged that petitioners employed 24 workers, it was
incumbent upon them to prove such allegation which private respondents
failed to do.
Issue: WON petitioner is exempted from the application of minimum wage
law.
Ruling: Petitioners have not successfully shown that they had applied for
the exemption.
R.A. No. 6727 known as the Wage Rationalization Act provides for the
statutory minimum wage rate of all workers and employees in the private
sector. Section 4 of the Act provides for exemption from the coverage,
thus: Sec. 4. (c) Exempted from the provisions of this Act are household or
domestic helpers and persons employed in the personal service of another,
including family drivers. Also, retail/service establishments regularly
employing not more than ten (10) workers may be exempted from the

applicability of this Act upon application with and as determined by the

appropriate Regional Board in accordance with the applicable rules and
regulations issued by the Commission. Whenever an application for
exemption has been duly filed with the appropriate Regional Board, action on
any complaint for alleged non-compliance with this Act shall be deferred
pending resolution of the application for exemption by the appropriate
Regional Board.
In the event that applications for exemptions are not granted, employees
shall receive the appropriate compensation due them as provided for by this
Act plus interest of one percent (1%) per month retroactive to the effectivity
of this Act.