Ricky Reyes accused of terminating an employee due to HIV
By PSR News Bureau
Popular celebrity hairdresser Ricky Reyes allegedly fired an employee after testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A certain Rene Nocos accused Reyes of denying him of his social protection benefits through the Social Security System and PhilHealth.
“I have committed wrong choices in the past and suffered heavily for it. My entire family [has] disowned me. My friends have abandoned me. My co-workers have condemned me. Despite all these, I need my life back,” Nocos said in an interview.
“But I can’t rebuild my life back because I was laid off from my job just because I have HIV. I want to put the pieces back together but my employer, Ricky Reyes, denied me of my social protection through SSS and in PhilHealth,” Nocos added.
Nocos reportedly filed a complaint against Reyes and Ricky Superstyle Color vice president Tonette Moreno on March 3 before the National Labor Relations Commission. He was sacked on February 28. 2014.
“I tried to avail of free outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment using PhilHealth but I discovered only last year that my employer is not making any payment at all. So I confronted him (Reyes) why he is not paying my PhilHealth. He (Reyes) then fired me after learning that I have HIV right there and then,” Nocos added.
Nocos is supported by the Associated Labor Unions, which presented him before a press conference.
But according to the company, they merely advised Nocos to take a break to recover after the Gandang Ricky Reyes Salon branch he worked in was shut down.
“His illness has been on and off and sad to say, the salon was not doing good since it started… so management decided to close shop. But Mr. Nocos demanded to still have his salary in full which management declined,” the company stated.
Nocos filed charges of discrimination, illegal dismissal, underpayment of wages and 13th month pay, and non-payment of holiday pay and separation pay before the National Labor Relations Commission.
