Call it a hair-raising and infuriating case.
“The National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) has found popular hairstylist Ricky Reyes and his business associate, Tonneth Moreno, guilty of discrimination and unlawful termination of their employee, HIV-positive hairdresser, Renato Nocos,” reports InterAksyon.com.
READ: HIV-positive hairsylist accuses Ricky Reyes of discrimination, illegal dismissal
Thus, the NLRC ordered Reyes and Moreno to reinstate and pay the back wages and benefits of Nocos including salary differentials, emergency cost of living allowances, mandatory 13th month pay, and separation pay.
They’re also mandated to pay Nocos’ attorney’s fees. The total cost? PHP615,313.06.
The report noted: “In a 10-page decision, labor arbiter Joanne Hernandez-Lazo said the court found that Reyes and Moreno transferred Nocos to a branch that is about to be bankrupt immediately after learning that the complainant showed symptoms of HIV infection. After the closure of the branch, Nocos was never given any assignment.”
The NLRC’s decision, read, “[Being HIV-positive] is not highly contagious and it is not transmitted through touching, hugging, sneezing, coughing, eating, or drinking common utensils or being around an infected person. Thus, the means by which they (Reyes et al) tried to protect their other employees and customers unduly trampled upon the rights of the complainant (Nocos).”
It may be recalled that Nocos filed a case of discrimination, unlawful termination, non-payment of lawful wages, and benefits against Reyes and Moreno at NLRC on Mar 3, 2014 after he was fired on Feb 28 that year.
The report added that “Nocos had also filed a separate complaint against Reyes and Moreno for not paying his Social Security System (SSS) and PhilHealth insurance premiums amid being employed in the company since July 16, 2003.”
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