Labor Code · National Labor Relations Commission · Chapter II – Powers and Duties

Article 224

Jurisdiction of the Labor Arbiters and the Commission

Formerly Article 217 before the 2015 renumbering — court decisions before 2015 cite it this way.

Amended
By RA 6715 (1989)

(a) Except as otherwise provided under this Code, the Labor Arbiters shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide, within thirty (30) calendar days after the submission of the case by the parties for decision without extension, even in the absence of stenographic notes, the following cases involving all workers, whether agricultural or non-agricultural:

(1) Unfair labor practice cases;

(2) Termination disputes;

(3) If accompanied with a claim for reinstatement, those cases that workers may file involving wages, rates of pay, hours of work and other terms and conditions of employment;

(4) Claims for actual, moral, exemplary and other forms of damages arising from the employer-employee relations;

(5) Cases arising from any violation of Article 264 of this Code, including questions involving the legality of strikes and lockouts; and

(6) Except claims for Employees Compensation, Social Security, Medicare 186 and maternity benefits, all other claims arising from employer-employee relations, including those of persons in domestic or household service, involving an amount exceeding five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) regardless of whether accompanied with a claim for reinstatement.

(b) The Commission shall have exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all cases decided by Labor Arbiters.

(c) Cases arising from the interpretation or implementation of collective bargaining agreements and those arising from the interpretation or enforcement of company personnel policies shall be disposed of by the Labor Arbiter by referring the same to the grievance machinery and voluntary arbitration as may be provided in said agreements.

Editor’s notes from DOLE (3)

As amended by Sec. 9, R.A. No. 6715 (1989). See also Sec. 1, Rule V, 2005 Rules of Procedures of the NLRC.

Article 217 (a) (2) is qualified by Article 261 which grants voluntary arbitrators original and exclusive jurisdiction over all unresolved grievances arising from the CBA and company personnel policies. See also Sec. 10 of R.A. No. 8042 on Money Claims.

Renumbered as Article 279.

Text and numbering follow the Department of Labor and Employment's 2022 edition of Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended and renumbered under DOLE Department Advisory No. 01, series of 2015. Former article numbers are shown in brackets. Notes are DOLE's editorial notes. Amendments after that edition are not included. For information and research only, and not legal advice. For certified copies, refer to the Official Gazette or the issuing agency.