Philippine employment-status tool
Probationary Employment Deadline Checker
Calculate the ordinary six-month boundary, compare the employer’s stated period and check the facts that can affect probationary status or termination.
Direct answer: Ordinary probationary employment generally may not exceed six months from the date the employee actually started working. Supreme Court authority has computed the ordinary six-month maximum as 180 days, counting the first working day. A valid apprenticeship, a lawful longer arrangement or a mutually agreed extension under exceptional circumstances may require a different analysis.
Check the probationary timeline
Enter the actual first day of work—not merely the contract-signing date.
First day worked
180th day / ordinary last probation day
First day after ordinary maximum
Documents to preserve
What can change the result?
| Issue | Why it matters | Evidence to check |
|---|---|---|
| Standards at engagement | Reasonable regularization standards generally must be made known when the employee is engaged | Offer, contract, job description, handbook acknowledgment and onboarding records |
| Earlier stated period | An employer’s own shorter probation period may become important | Signed contract, offer and HR communications |
| Work beyond the period | Continued service after the applicable period can support regular status | Schedules, attendance, payslips, system access and work instructions |
| Termination during probation | It still requires a legally recognized ground and applicable notice | Evaluation, standards, incident records and termination notice |
| Extension or apprenticeship | Some longer arrangements can be valid, but not merely because the employer says so | Registered agreement, mutual extension document and surrounding circumstances |
Frequently asked questions about probationary deadlines
Is the ordinary probationary period six calendar months or 180 days?
In Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. v. Chrysler Philippines Labor Union, the Supreme Court applied 180 days to the six-month probationary maximum and counted the first working day.
When does the 180-day period start?
It ordinarily begins on the date the employee actually starts working, not necessarily the date the offer or contract was signed.
What is the employee’s 180th day?
The calculator treats the actual first day worked as day one, so the 180th day is 179 days after the start date.
Does an employee automatically become regular on the sixth-month anniversary?
The date is important, but the correct conclusion depends on the applicable period, contract, nature of work, any valid exception and whether the employee continued working after the period.
Must regularization standards be in writing?
Written standards provide the strongest proof. The governing rule requires reasonable standards to be made known at the time of engagement, subject to limited situations where the job itself may make the standards self-evident.
What if standards were given only after I started?
That timing can create a serious regularization issue because the law focuses on standards made known at engagement.
Can a probationary employee be dismissed before six months?
Yes, but probation is not employment at will. Termination must rest on a just or authorized cause, or failure to meet reasonable standards properly communicated at engagement, with the applicable procedure.
Can probation be extended?
Extension is exceptional. A registered apprenticeship may lawfully provide a longer period, and jurisprudence has recognized some mutually agreed extensions designed to give an employee another chance. The facts and voluntariness matter.
What if my contract says three months?
A clearly stated shorter period may be important. The employer should not assume it can silently continue treating the employee as probationary until day 180.
What should I do if I worked beyond the deadline?
Preserve schedules, payslips, attendance, instructions and system records showing continued work. If status or dismissal is disputed, consider SEnA and obtain case-specific advice.
Official legal sources
See Article 296 of the Labor Code. For the 180-day computation, see Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. v. Chrysler Philippines Labor Union, G.R. No. 148738, June 29, 2004. For communication of standards and probationary dismissal, see Abbott Laboratories, Philippines v. Alcaraz.
Last materially reviewed: September 15, 2026. This checker provides a screening result, not a binding determination of employment status or dismissal validity.