The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) orders Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and former men’s basketball head coach Thomas Anthony “Tab” Baldwin to pay a combined fine of P4.9 million for work permit violations. DOLE finds both parties administratively liable for separate violations of Article 40 of the Labor Code, as amended and renumbered in its implementing rules and regulations, in a decision promulgated on Tuesday.
The case comes amid a dispute over Baldwin’s status under Ateneo’s account of his arrangement. Rappler reports that the ruling follows ADMU’s insistence that Baldwin was a consultant, not an employee. Other coverage similarly focuses on DOLE’s determination of liability and the imposition of penalties, without adopting Ateneo’s or Baldwin’s characterization of the relationship. Overall, the outlets agree on the amount of the fine and the basis in Article 40, while the context highlights an ongoing disagreement about employment versus consultancy classification.
