Sucesión J. Serrallés v. District Court of Ponce

64 P.R. 474
CourtSupreme Court of Puerto Rico
DecidedFebruary 2, 1945
DocketNo. 12
StatusPublished

This text of 64 P.R. 474 (Sucesión J. Serrallés v. District Court of Ponce) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sucesión J. Serrallés v. District Court of Ponce, 64 P.R. 474 (prsupreme 1945).

Opinion

Mr. Chief Justice Travieso

delivered the opinion. of the court.

Julián Rodríguez and Francisco V. Torres, farm laborers who worked as watchmen of certain agricultural installations belonging to Sucesión J. Serrallés, filed, in the Municipal Court of Ponce, separate complaints claiming compensation for overtime and days of rest.

[475]*475Rodriguez alleged that, from January 26, 1939, to June 8, 1942, he had worked as watchman of the irrigation installations owned by his'employer, each day from 4 o’clock in the afternoon until 6 o’clock the next morning, or 14 hours daily; that during 1,228 days he had worked 7,368 hours overtime, which, at double the ordinary rate of pay per hour, computed on the basis of $5.95 a week, amounted to $1,473.06; that out of that period he was entitled to 175 days of rest, with pay, 'tfdiich were not given to him, and the defendant owed him on that account the additional sum of $148.75.

Torres alleged that, from August 2, 1935, to June 8, 1942, or during 2,514 days, he had worked as a watchman for the defendant, “at a salary of $5.95 a week,” each day from 4 0 ’clock in the afternoon until 6 0 ’clock the next morning; that during that period he worked 15,084 hours overtime, which at double the ordinary rate of pay per hour made a total of $3,016.80; that out of that period he was entitled to 2,514 hours of rest, with pay, which on the basis of the weekly wages of $5.95 earned by him, amounted to $1,830.90, which the defendant owed him.

The defendant in its answers, which were identical in both cases, denied the essential averments of the complaints and set up, by way of defense, “that said claimant worked for the defendant 8 hours daily and for the work performed by the said claimant, this defendant paid him the agreed wages every Saturday” and “that the wages agreed with the claimant for the work performed by him for the defendant was paid to him each week, without the defendant owing him anything on that account or otherwise.” It further alleged “that the claimant was a laborer engaged to work by the day and he earned his wages for each day that he worked for this defendant, for which reason said claimant is not entitled to the alleged . . . days of rest.”

Upon both cases being decided in favor of the claimants, Sucesión Serrallés appealed to the District Court of Ponce, [476]*476By stipulation of the parties, both, cases were jointly heard, The lower court made the following findings:

1. That the laborer Julián Jtodriguez, during the period from January 26, 1939, to June 8, 1942, worked 1,161 days at the rate of 7 days each week, except those weeks during which he worked 6 days or less.

That during the above-mentioned period he worked on 149 Sundays; and that the hours worked by him in excess of the legal 8-hour day amounted to 8,127.

That said laborer started to work at a daily wage of 90 cents, which he earned during the period from January 26, 1939, to February 5, 1942; that from February 5 to April 19, 1942, he earned wages at the rate of 95 cents per day; and that from April 11, 1942, until the end of his employment his wages were increased to $1 per day.

In accordance with the foregoing findings, the lower court entered a decision adjudging the defendant to pay to said laborer the following sums:

“134 Sundays at $.90 per day- $120.60
7 Sundays at .95 por day--- 6. 65
8 Sundays at 1.00 per day — ,-,- 8. 00
1161 ninth hours overtime worked during that same number of days, as follows:
1042 ninth hours at $.225 per hour- 234. 45
58 ninth hours at .2375 per hour-,- 13. 78
61 ninth hours at .25 per hour- 15. 25
6 hours overtime during 1042 days at $.1125 — 703. 35
6 hours overtime during 58 days at .11875 — 41. 33
6 hours overtime during 61 days at .125 — 45.75
Total_•___$1,189.16”

2. That the laborer Francisco V. Torres, during the period from August 2, 1935, to June 8, 1942, worked a total of 2,146 days, at the rate of 7 days each week, except some weeks during which he worked less.

That said laborer worked during 268 Sundays and a total of 8,022 hours in excess of the legal 8-hour day.

[477]*477That said laborer started to work at a daily wage of 85 cents, earned by him during the period from August 2, 1935, to January 20, 1938; that from the latter date to February 5, 1942, he was paid at the rate of 90 cents per day; and that from that last date to the end of his employment he earned wages at the rate of 95 cents per day.

The lower court rendered judgment in favor of the claimant, awarding the following sums:

“73 Sundays at $.85 per day_ $62.05
180 Sundays at .90 per day_ 162. 00
15 Sundays at .95 per day_,_ 14. 25
2146 ninth hours overtime worked during that same number of days, as follows:
670 ninth hours at $.2125 per hour_ 142. 38
1375 ninth hours at .225 per hour_ 305. 33
119 ninth hour at .2375 per hour_ 28. 26
6 hours overtime during 670 days at t-10625__ 427.13
6 hours overtime during 1357 days at .1125 __ 915. 98
6 hours overtime during 119 days at ,11875__ 84. 78
Total- $2,142.16

Relying on the provisions of Act No. 32, approved May 3, 1943, Sucesión J. Serrallés petitioned this court for a writ of certiorari, which was issued on June 13, 1944.

The petitioner assigns two errors claimed to have been committed by the lower court in weighing the evidence and in applying the law to the facts of each case.

By the first assignment it is urged that, contrary to the testimony of the claimants themselves, the lower court adjudged the defendant to pay them double rate of wages for the ninth hour, without taking into account the pay which they had already received during the period mentioned in the complaints, and that the lower court also erred in adjudging the petitioner to pay to the claimants, at the ordinary rate, for the hours overtime in excess of the ninth hour, disregarding the fact that they had already been paid [478]*478for those overhours in accordance with the contract of employment.

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