Section 52Sec./Art. 52

Termination of Employment. - (a) The employment of Filipino seafarers on board Philippine-registered ships operating internationally and on board foreign-registered ships shall cease when all of the following occur:

(1) The seafarers complete their period of contractual service aboard the ship;

(2) The seafarers sign off from the ship; and

(3) The seafarers arrive at the point of hire.

(b) The employment is also terminated upon arrival at the point of repatriation for any of the following reasons:

(1) When the seafarer signs off and is disembarked for medical reasons in the event that the seafarer is declared: (i) fir for repatriation; or (ii) when after an illness, the seafarer is declared fit to work, but an employer is unable to find employment for the seafarer on board the ship originally boarded or on another ship of the shipowner;

(2) When the seafarer signs off due to the sale of the ship, lay-up of the ship, discontinuance of voyage or change of ship principal, shipwreck, grounding, or unseaworthiness;

(3) When the seafarer voluntarily resigns in writing and signs off prior to the expiration of the contract within a reasonable period as may be prescribed in the IRR of this Act;

(4) When the seafarer is discharged for just cause/s in accordance with the provisions of the SEC or the applicable CBA.