In the Philippines, an employee who resigns does not instantly lose the right to salary, benefits already earned, or release of final pay. The law treats resignation, the notice period, last salary, and post-employment clearance as related but distinct matters. Confusion usually arises because employers often refer to everything due upon exit as “back pay,” while employees assume that resignation immediately triggers payment of all money claims. In reality, different rules govern: first, the employee’s pay while still rendering the required notice period; second, the employer’s authority to manage the resignation period; and third, the release of final pay after employment ends.

This article explains the Philippine legal framework on salary during the resignation render period and final pay, including notice requirements, wages during the last month of work, unpaid salaries, deductions, accrued leave conversion, 13th month pay, tax forms, clearance, withholding issues, quitclaims, and remedies when payment is delayed.

I. The governing legal framework

The topic is mainly governed by the Labor Code of the Philippines, Department of Labor and Employment issuances, Civil Code principles on obligations and damages, and jurisprudence on resignation, wage payment, deductions, quitclaims, and management prerogative.

The most important starting point is the Labor Code rule on resignation by notice. Under the Labor Code, an employee may terminate employment without just cause by serving a written notice on the employer at least one month in advance. That one-month period is commonly called the 30-day notice period or render period. The rule exists to protect the employer from sudden disruption, while still recognizing the employee’s freedom to leave.

The second major rule is the DOLE policy requiring release of final pay within a limited period after separation, subject to completion of clearance and settlement of accountabilities. In practice, this is one of the most cited rules in exit disputes.

II. What is the “resignation render period”?

The resignation render period is the period after the employee submits a resignation notice but before the effective date of resignation. If the employee resigns without just cause, the default rule is that the resignation becomes effective after at least 30 days from notice, unless the employer waives the period or agrees to a shorter one.

Key points

An employee who has resigned but is still within the 30-day notice period is generally still an employee. That means:

the employment relationship still exists;
the employee is generally expected to keep reporting to work, unless otherwise directed;
the employer must still pay wages for work actually performed;
company policies, attendance rules, and lawful directives still apply;
leave credits, if still accruing under company policy, may continue to accrue until the actual separation date;
disciplinary rules still apply during the period.

The mere filing of a resignation letter does not by itself cut off the employee’s right to salary for days actually worked before the effective separation date.

III. Is the employee entitled to salary during the resignation render period?

Yes, if the employee is still working or is considered on paid status under law, contract, or company policy.

This is the central rule: during the render period, the employee remains entitled to the same compensation structure that applies to any active employee, subject to actual work rendered, approved leave, holidays, rest days, and company pay rules.

A. If the employee continues working normally

If the employee continues performing work until the effective resignation date, the employer must pay:

regular salary for days or hours worked;
overtime pay, if overtime is authorized and compensable;
night shift differential, if applicable;
holiday pay, premium pay, or rest day pay, if applicable under law and schedule;
commissions or variable pay already earned under the compensation plan;
reimbursable business expenses, if properly supported and reimbursable under policy.

The fact that the employee is “resigning” does not justify withholding current wages for work already performed during the render period.

B. If the employee is required not to report for work during the render period

Sometimes the employer tells the resigning employee not to report anymore, whether for confidentiality, client sensitivity, systems security, conflict risk, or transition reasons. The legal effect depends on the arrangement.

If the employer waives the 30-day notice period and makes the resignation effective earlier, salary is generally due only up to the last day actually worked, plus whatever final pay items have accrued.

If the employer keeps the employee in employment status but tells the employee not to work for the remainder of the notice period, the issue becomes more nuanced. In many cases, if the non-reporting is due to employer instruction rather than employee refusal to work, the safer legal view is that the employer should not deprive the employee of pay for that period unless there is a lawful basis, a leave conversion arrangement, gardening-leave type policy, or a mutually agreed earlier separation date.

C. If the employee uses leave credits during the render period

An employee may use available leave credits during the render period if approved under company policy. In that case, pay depends on whether the leave is paid and whether credits are available.

If the employee has no remaining leave credits and stops reporting without approval, the employer may treat the absence as leave without pay or even as unauthorized absence, depending on the facts.

D. If the employee stops reporting before the end of the 30 days

If an employee resigns effective immediately without legal justification and without employer consent, the employer may treat the failure to complete the notice period as a breach of the statutory notice obligation. That does not automatically erase all earned salary or benefits already accrued. However, it may expose the employee to:

liability for damages if the employer proves actual damage;
deductions only if legally allowed or properly authorized;
adverse clearance issues relating to unreturned company property or accountabilities.

The employer cannot simply confiscate wages already earned as punishment.

IV. Is the 30-day notice period always mandatory?

No. There are important qualifications.

A. The employee may resign without just cause by giving at least 30 days’ written notice

This is the default rule.

B. The employer may waive the notice period

An employer may accept a shorter resignation period or immediate resignation. Once waived or accepted, the actual separation date becomes the agreed date.

C. The employee may resign without notice for just causes recognized by law

An employee may terminate employment without serving the one-month notice if any of the recognized just causes exists, such as:

serious insult by the employer or its representative on the honor and person of the employee;
inhuman and unbearable treatment;
commission of a crime or offense by the employer or its representative against the employee or the employee’s immediate family;
other causes analogous to the foregoing.

If the resignation is for just cause, immediate effect may be legally defensible.

D. Contractual stipulations cannot defeat minimum labor standards

Employment contracts often repeat the 30-day rule and may impose turnover obligations. Such provisions are generally enforceable insofar as they are consistent with law. But a contract cannot authorize unlawful withholding of earned wages or blanket forfeiture of final pay.

V. Can the employer withhold the employee’s salary during the render period because the employee is resigning?

As a rule, no.

Wages for work already performed must be paid. The employer cannot suspend current payroll simply because the employee has filed a resignation. Salary during the render period is still ordinary salary, not “back pay.” It is governed by normal wage payment rules.

Common unlawful practices

These are legally vulnerable:

holding an employee’s last payroll because clearance is not yet complete;
refusing to release salary for days already worked in the final cutoff;
automatically deducting alleged damages without legal basis;
withholding all wages because the employee failed to complete turnover;
offsetting unliquidated accountabilities without proper authorization or due basis.

The employer may have legitimate claims against the employee, but wage deductions are strictly regulated.

VI. Can the employer deduct liabilities from salary or final pay?

Only within legal limits.

Philippine labor law generally prohibits deductions from wages except in cases allowed by law, regulations, or with proper employee authorization for lawful purposes. This is a sensitive area because employers often treat final pay as a general fund from which any company claim may be deducted. That is not always lawful.

A. Lawful deductions may include

tax withholding;
SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions where applicable;
deductions authorized by law or regulations;
deductions clearly authorized in writing by the employee for a lawful purpose;
deductions for debts to the employer only where legally valid and properly documented;
value of unreturned company property, if there is lawful basis and due process under policy and documentation.

B. Problematic deductions

These may be challenged:

blanket forfeiture of final pay due to incomplete clearance;
arbitrary deduction for “training costs” without a valid training bond;
penalty deductions for immediate resignation without proof and legal basis;
unilateral deduction for alleged lost profits, client losses, or inconvenience;
deductions unsupported by written authorization or evidence;
deductions that reduce wages below what is lawfully due without proper basis.

C. Clearance does not create unlimited deduction rights

A company clearance process is generally valid as an administrative mechanism to determine accountabilities before release of final pay. But clearance is not a magic phrase that legalizes every withholding or deduction. The employer must still show the legal and factual basis for any deduction.

VII. What exactly is “final pay”?

“Final pay” is the sum of all monetary benefits due to the employee upon separation from employment, less lawful deductions. Many people call it “back pay,” but “final pay” is the more accurate term in resignation cases.

It usually includes some or all of the following:

unpaid salary up to the last day worked;
salary for the final payroll cutoff not yet released;
prorated 13th month pay;
cash conversion of unused service incentive leave, if applicable;
cash conversion of other unused leave credits if company policy, contract, or CBA allows it;
unpaid commissions, incentives, or earned differentials already vested or determinable;
tax refund, if any, depending on payroll reconciliation;
other benefits due under policy, contract, CBA, or established practice.

It does not automatically include separation pay, because resignation ordinarily does not entitle the employee to separation pay unless a contract, company policy, CBA, retirement scheme, redundancy package, or special arrangement grants it.

VIII. When must final pay be released?

The general rule under DOLE policy is that final pay must be released within 30 days from separation or termination of employment, unless a more favorable company policy, contract, or collective bargaining agreement provides a shorter period, and subject to completion of clearance or necessary requirements.

This is one of the most important practical rules in resignation cases.

What this means in practice

The 30-day period usually begins from the effective date of separation, not from the date the resignation letter was submitted.

However, employers often argue that final pay cannot be computed until:

accountabilities are checked,
company property is returned,
payroll cutoffs close,
commissions are reconciled,
taxes are finalized.

A reasonable clearance process is generally allowed. But an employer cannot indefinitely delay final pay by leaving clearance unresolved without justification.

If the employer’s policy says 60 or 90 days

That policy may be attacked if it is worse than the applicable DOLE standard. A company may adopt internal procedures, but it should not use them to defeat the minimum rule or unreasonably delay release.

IX. Does final pay include the employee’s last salary?

Usually yes, to the extent that the last salary has not yet been paid through regular payroll.

This is where many exit disputes arise.

Example

If an employee resigns effective April 30 and payroll is semi-monthly, the employee may have:

unpaid salary for April 16–30;
prorated 13th month pay from January 1 to April 30;
unused convertible leave credits;
other earned but unpaid compensation.

These may all be bundled into final pay instead of being released in the ordinary payroll run, provided the release still complies with the allowed period and deductions are lawful.

What the employer may not do is to treat already earned salary as forfeited.

X. Is the employee entitled to prorated 13th month pay upon resignation?

Yes, as a rule.

Employees who resign before year-end are generally entitled to pro rata 13th month pay corresponding to the portion of the calendar year during which they worked, so long as they are rank-and-file employees covered by the 13th month pay rules.

General formula

A common formula is:

Total basic salary earned during the calendar year ÷ 12

Only the components recognized as part of “basic salary” for 13th month purposes are included. Overtime, holiday pay premiums, night shift differential, and many allowances are generally excluded unless treated as part of basic salary under the compensation structure.

Managerial employees are ordinarily not covered by the 13th month pay decree as a matter of statutory entitlement, though many employers grant equivalent benefits by policy or contract.

XI. What about unused leave credits?

This depends on the source of the leave benefit.

A. Service Incentive Leave

Under the Labor Code, qualified employees are entitled to service incentive leave, and unused SIL is generally commutable to cash at the end of the year or upon separation, subject to coverage rules and exemptions.

B. Vacation leave and sick leave above statutory minimum

Vacation leave and sick leave benefits beyond statutory SIL are usually governed by:

company policy,
employment contract,
CBA,
established company practice.

So whether unused VL or SL is convertible to cash upon resignation depends on the applicable rules. Some companies allow conversion only of VL, not SL. Others allow both. Some require that leave be unused as of the separation date. Some provide forfeiture if not convertible under policy.

An employer cannot promise leave conversion in policy and then arbitrarily deny it upon resignation without basis.

XII. Is the resigning employee entitled to separation pay?

Ordinarily, no, not by reason of resignation alone.

Separation pay is generally due in cases such as authorized causes for termination, illegal dismissal remedies, or where a contract, CBA, retirement plan, or voluntary company practice grants it. Voluntary resignation by itself does not usually generate separation pay.

Exceptions or special cases

A resigning employee may still receive money resembling separation pay if:

the company has a policy granting financial assistance or resignation benefits;
there is a retirement plan with vested rights;
there is a CBA benefit;
the resignation is effectively a constructive dismissal case dressed up as resignation;
the employee is offered an exit package.

Where the “resignation” was not truly voluntary, the employee may challenge it.

XIII. Can the employer refuse to accept the resignation?

An employer generally cannot force an employee to remain indefinitely in employment. But where the resignation is without just cause, the law recognizes the employer’s right to receive at least 30 days’ notice, unless waived.

So the employer may refuse an immediate effectivity date and insist on the notice period, but it cannot compel actual perpetual service beyond what the law and facts allow. In practice, disputes arise not over whether the employee may resign, but over when the resignation becomes effective and whether the employee must continue reporting.

XIV. Can the employer make the resignation effective earlier than the employee stated?

Yes, in many cases, by waiving all or part of the notice period. Once the employer no longer requires the employee to complete the remaining days, the employment may end earlier.

But the financial consequences must still be handled lawfully. The employer cannot create an earlier separation date and then use that to erase compensation already earned before that date.

If the employer directs immediate turnover and no further reporting, it is best for both sides to document:

the agreed last working day,
whether remaining days are waived,
whether any leave credits will be used,
when final pay will be released,
what accountabilities remain.

XV. What if the employee resigns immediately without cause?

This is a common problem.

An immediate resignation without just cause may be a violation of the 30-day notice rule. But the legal consequence is often misunderstood.

What the employer may do

The employer may:

note the failure to observe the notice rule;
pursue damages if it can actually prove loss;
process final pay subject to lawful deductions and accountabilities;
require return of company property;
document the employment end date based on the circumstances.

What the employer may not automatically do

The employer may not automatically:

forfeit all accrued salary;
withhold final pay forever;
impose arbitrary penalty deductions;
blacklist the employee in a defamatory or unlawful manner;
confiscate wages already earned.

A damages claim is not presumed. It must be legally supportable.

XVI. What if the employee serves the 30 days but the employer refuses to release final pay?

The employee may have a wage claim or money claim.

If the resignation was properly served and employment ended, and the employer delays or withholds final pay without valid basis, the employee may seek relief through the DOLE or the National Labor Relations Commission, depending on the nature and amount of the claim and the issues involved.

Practical dispute categories

Simple money claim Unpaid salary, unpaid 13th month pay, unpaid leave conversion, unpaid commissions.
Disputed deductions Employer claims shortages, losses, damages, training bonds, or unreturned property.
Status dispute Whether the employee resigned voluntarily, resigned immediately, abandoned work, or was actually constructively dismissed.
Document release issues Delay in certificate of employment, BIR Form 2316, or payroll documents needed for new employment.

XVII. Is clearance required before final pay is released?

Employers commonly require clearance, and that practice is generally recognized as valid. It serves legitimate business purposes such as confirming return of laptops, IDs, access cards, documents, cash advances, accountabilities, and client files.

But there are limits.

A. Clearance is procedural, not punitive

Clearance helps determine what remains due and what may be lawfully deducted. It is not a license to indefinitely hold all compensation.

B. Delay must be reasonable

If the employee has substantially complied and only ministerial steps remain, an employer that drags clearance for months risks liability.

C. Documents should not be hostage without basis

A certificate of employment should not be withheld unreasonably. Employees are generally entitled to a certificate of employment reflecting dates of employment and position, upon request, under DOLE rules.

D. The employer bears the burden of supporting deductions

If the employer claims missing property or unliquidated accountabilities, it should show records, valuations, and policy basis.

XVIII. What documents should the employee receive upon separation?

A resigning employee in the Philippines commonly expects the following:

final payslip or final pay computation;
certificate of employment;
BIR Form 2316 or equivalent tax certificate for the year, subject to payroll processing;
proof of remittances where relevant;
quitclaim and release, if offered;
clearance completion record;
record of benefits paid out.

The employer should provide a transparent computation, not just a lump sum figure.

XIX. Can the employer require the employee to sign a quitclaim before releasing final pay?

This happens often. A quitclaim is not automatically invalid, but it is not automatically conclusive either.

Basic rule on quitclaims

Quitclaims are generally scrutinized closely in labor cases. Courts do not favor waivers that are unfair, involuntary, or contrary to law. A quitclaim may be upheld if it is:

voluntarily executed;
made with full understanding;
supported by reasonable consideration;
not contrary to law, morals, or public policy.

A quitclaim will be vulnerable if the employee signed under pressure, without real choice, or for an unconscionably low amount.

Practical effect

An employer may ask for a quitclaim upon release of final pay. But the employer should not use the quitclaim to excuse nonpayment of amounts clearly due by law.

XX. What if the employer says the employee has “no final pay” because liabilities exceed credits?

That can happen, but it must be real, documented, and legally supportable.

For example, if the employee has:

unpaid salary of ₱20,000,
prorated 13th month pay of ₱8,000,
leave conversion of ₱5,000,

but also a properly documented, lawfully deductible accountability of ₱40,000, the net result may be zero or even a balance owed.

But the employer must still provide the computation and basis. It cannot just declare “no final pay” without explanation.

XXI. What about commissions, bonuses, and incentives?

These depend heavily on the compensation plan.

A. Commissions already earned

If the employee has already met the conditions for earning the commission before separation, the commission is generally due, even if actual payment is scheduled after resignation, unless the plan lawfully says otherwise and the condition has not vested.

B. Discretionary bonuses

A purely discretionary bonus is generally not demandable unless it has ripened into a company practice or contractual obligation.

C. Conditional incentives

Sales incentives, retention bonuses, and performance bonuses may require active employment on payout date, completion of cycle, or satisfaction of targets. Valid plan terms matter.

This is often one of the most litigated parts of final pay.

XXII. What if the employee is placed under preventive suspension or administrative investigation during the render period?

If a resigning employee is also under investigation, the resignation does not automatically erase the employer’s disciplinary authority over acts committed during employment. However, the employer must still distinguish between:

discipline for misconduct,
withholding of current salary for days already worked,
final pay deductions for proven accountabilities.

Preventive suspension has its own rules and cannot be used casually to avoid wage payment.

XXIII. Can the employer delay final pay because the employee has not trained a replacement?

Ordinarily, no.

Turnover and knowledge transfer are valid management concerns, and employees should cooperate during the render period. But failure to fully train a replacement does not automatically authorize indefinite nonrelease of final pay. At most, the employer may have a factual basis to argue breach or incomplete turnover, but money withheld must still rest on lawful grounds.

An employee is required to render proper turnover in good faith, but the employer cannot make final pay hostage to subjective satisfaction standards.

XXIV. What if the employee was on probationary, fixed-term, project, or contractual status?

The same core principles still matter, but with variations.

A. Probationary employee

A probationary employee may resign, and if the employee does resign, earned salary and final pay rules still apply. The employee is still entitled to pay for work actually done and to release of final pay after separation.

B. Fixed-term employee

If a fixed-term employee resigns before the term ends, contractual consequences may arise, but accrued wages already earned remain due.

C. Project employee

Project completion may itself end employment, but if the project employee resigns earlier, final pay rules still apply to earned benefits and accrued compensation.

D. Independent contractor

A true independent contractor is governed not by labor standards on wages and final pay, but by contract law. Misclassification, however, is common. The real relationship controls.

XXV. What if the employee is work-from-home or remote during the render period?

The legal rules do not materially change. A remote employee who continues working during the render period is still entitled to salary. Additional issues often involve:

return of company laptop and accessories;
recovery of passwords and files;
timing of courier return;
internet or equipment reimbursements;
payroll release pending remote clearance.

Again, the employer may require return of property, but may not automatically erase wages already earned.

XXVI. Is there a right to immediate release of final pay on the last day?

Generally, no. The employer is allowed a reasonable processing period, and the common benchmark is release within 30 days from separation, subject to clearance and more favorable company policy.

So the employee is usually not entitled to demand same-day release of all final pay on the exact last working day. But neither may the employer unreasonably extend payment for months without valid explanation.

XXVII. How are taxes handled in final pay?

Final pay typically includes tax reconciliation. Depending on the payroll system and timing, the employee may receive:

net final pay after withholding tax adjustments;
BIR Form 2316 for transfer to a new employer or filing purposes;
tax refund if excess withholding occurred;
reduced take-home pay if certain amounts are taxable and reconciliation is due.

Not all final pay components are treated the same for tax purposes. Whether a component is taxable depends on tax law and its classification. Payroll departments usually compute this, but the employee is entitled to an understandable breakdown.

XXVIII. What remedies does the employee have if salary during the render period or final pay is withheld?

The remedy depends on the dispute.

A. Internal demand

A written request to HR or payroll should first identify:

date of resignation;
effective date of separation;
days worked during the render period;
unpaid salary cutoff;
expected 13th month pay;
leave conversion claim;
disputed deductions;
request for detailed computation.

B. DOLE assistance

For straightforward labor standards and money claims, the employee may seek assistance through the appropriate DOLE mechanisms, including conciliation-mediation where available.

C. NLRC or labor arbiter proceedings

If the dispute includes larger money claims, illegal deductions, constructive dismissal, involuntary resignation, or other contested issues, formal labor adjudication may be necessary.

D. Civil or criminal dimensions in rare cases

Unusual facts may raise civil damages or even criminal issues, but most disputes stay within labor and administrative channels.

XXIX. What must the employer prove if it withholds or reduces final pay?

A prudent employer should be able to show:

the employee’s resignation letter and effective date;
attendance and payroll records;
the final pay computation;
legal basis for each deduction;
clearance documents;
acknowledgment receipts;
company policy on leave conversion or commissions;
inventory or asset records for unreturned property;
written authorizations where required.

Without supporting records, the employer’s withholding position weakens substantially.

XXX. What should the employee preserve as evidence?

A resigning employee should keep:

resignation letter and proof of receipt;
employer acceptance, if any;
messages on last working day or waiver of notice;
attendance logs or screenshots;
payslips;
employment contract;
handbook or company policy on exit and leave conversion;
commission plan or bonus memo;
clearance forms;
email trail on returned assets and turnover;
computation sheets received from HR or payroll.

These documents often determine whether the case is simple or contested.

XXXI. Common myths

Myth 1: “Once you resign, you no longer get paid.”

False. If you are still employed and working during the render period, salary remains due.

Myth 2: “The company can hold your last salary until you complete clearance.”

Not as an unlimited rule. Clearance may affect processing, but earned wages and final pay cannot be withheld arbitrarily or indefinitely.

Myth 3: “Immediate resignation means you lose all final pay.”

False. Immediate resignation may create issues, but it does not automatically forfeit accrued salary and statutory benefits.

Myth 4: “Final pay always includes separation pay.”

False. Voluntary resignation does not ordinarily entitle the employee to separation pay.

Myth 5: “A signed quitclaim always bars future claims.”

False. Quitclaims are subject to strict scrutiny and may be invalid if unfair or involuntary.

XXXII. Practical examples

Example 1: Proper 30-day resignation

An employee resigns on June 1, effective July 1, and continues working until June 30. The employee is entitled to salary for June work, plus final pay items such as prorated 13th month pay and convertible leave credits, less lawful deductions. Final pay should generally be released within the allowable period after separation.

Example 2: Employer waives the render period

An employee resigns on June 1 effective July 1, but the employer says June 10 will be the last working day and waives the rest. Salary is generally due up to June 10, plus final pay items. Whether June 11–30 is paid depends on the agreement, company policy, and how the waiver was structured.

Example 3: Immediate resignation without cause

An employee submits a resignation effective immediately and stops reporting. The employer may question the lack of notice, but the employee is still entitled to unpaid salary for work already done, prorated 13th month pay, and other accrued amounts, subject to lawful deductions and proven liabilities.

Example 4: Clearance delay

The employee returned all company property but HR has not completed signatures for two months. The employer’s continued withholding becomes increasingly difficult to justify. Administrative slowness alone is a weak reason for long delay.

XXXIII. Employer best practices

Employers reduce risk when they:

acknowledge the resignation in writing and specify the effective date;
state whether the notice period is required, shortened, or waived;
clarify the last working day;
process payroll up to separation accurately;
provide a written final pay computation;
use only lawful deductions;
complete clearance promptly;
release certificate of employment without unnecessary delay;
avoid coercive quitclaim practices.

XXXIV. Employee best practices

Employees protect themselves when they:

submit a dated written resignation;
keep proof of receipt;
state the intended effectivity date clearly;
complete turnover and document it;
return company property with acknowledgment;
request the final pay computation in writing;
check payslips, 13th month computation, and leave conversion;
contest suspicious deductions promptly and in writing.

XXXV. Bottom line

Under Philippine law, a resigning employee who is still within the render period remains an employee until the effective separation date, and is generally entitled to salary for work actually performed during that period. Resignation does not authorize the employer to stop paying current wages.

After separation, the employee is entitled to final pay consisting of unpaid salary and all other accrued monetary benefits due under law, contract, policy, or practice, less only lawful deductions. Final pay is generally expected to be released within 30 days from separation, subject to reasonable clearance processing and more favorable employer policy. Clearance is valid as an administrative process, but it does not justify indefinite withholding or arbitrary deductions.

The strongest legal principles in this area are simple: earned wages are protected, resignation does not equal forfeiture, deductions are restricted, and final pay must be processed and released within a reasonable and legally compliant period.

Concise legal takeaway

In the Philippine setting:

Salary during the resignation render period is payable if the employee is still working or otherwise on paid status.
The 30-day notice rule generally applies unless waived or unless there is just cause for immediate resignation.
Final pay includes last unpaid salary and accrued benefits such as prorated 13th month pay and convertible leave credits.
Separation pay is not normally due for voluntary resignation.
Clearance may affect processing, but not the employee’s substantive right to amounts already earned.
Unlawful withholding and arbitrary deductions may be challenged through labor remedies.

For a topic this practical, the decisive question in any real dispute is usually not abstract law, but documentation: the resignation date, effective date, days actually worked, what was earned, what was deducted, and whether the employer can prove the basis for every peso withheld.