Quick answer

A worker usually starts by filing a Request for Assistance (RFA) under DOLE’s Single Entry Approach, or SEnA. File online through DOLE ARMS or onsite at a Single Entry Assistance Desk in a DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC office. SEnA is conciliation-mediation—not yet a formal case or a ruling on who is legally correct.

If the dispute is not settled, obtain the written referral and file the appropriate formal complaint. Illegal dismissal, reinstatement, damages, unfair labor practice, and most employment-related claims above ₱5,000 belong before an NLRC Labor Arbiter. Some small money claims and labor-standards matters remain with the DOLE Regional Office.

For follow-ups, use the RFA reference number or NLRC case number. Check DOLE ARMS, the NLRC’s available case-tracking facility, or contact the office handling the matter. A status inquiry does not extend a filing or appeal deadline.

The governing framework includes Republic Act No. 10396, DOLE Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025, and the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure.

DOLE and the NLRC perform different functions

“Filing with DOLE” and “filing with the NLRC” are not necessarily two stages of one identical proceeding.

Issue or remedy	Usual forum
Initial attempt to settle most employment disputes	SEnA desk at DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC
Simple wages or benefits claim not exceeding ₱5,000 per employee, with no reinstatement claim	DOLE Regional Director under Labor Code Article 129
Labor-standards violations found through workplace inspection while the employment relationship still exists	DOLE Regional Office under its visitorial and enforcement powers
Illegal or constructive dismissal; reinstatement	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Unfair labor practice or damages arising from employment	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Other employer-employee money claims exceeding ₱5,000	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Interpretation or implementation of a collective bargaining agreement or company personnel policy	Grievance machinery, then voluntary arbitration
Actual strike or lockout, notice of strike or lockout, or preventive-mediation notice	NCMB under its separate procedures
Inter-union or intra-union dispute	Appropriate DOLE labor-relations office under separate rules
SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, or other social-security and welfare claims	Agency given jurisdiction by the applicable law
Recruitment, licensing, or disciplinary issues involving overseas employment	Department of Migrant Workers or other designated forum, depending on the claim
Money claim arising from an OFW’s overseas employment contract	Generally the NLRC, subject to special laws and procedures

The ₱5,000 ceiling applies to the DOLE Regional Director’s summary adjudication of simple money claims under Article 129. It does not impose the same ceiling on inspection-based compliance orders under Article 128. The distinction depends on how the matter arose, whether employment continues, what remedy is requested, and what the inspection establishes. See the Labor Code and the Supreme Court’s discussion in Urbanes Jr. v. Secretary of Labor and Employment.

If the correct forum is unclear, filing an RFA lets the SEnA officer validate the issue and refer it to the office with authority to decide it.

Step 1: Preserve the facts and evidence

Do this before access to workplace systems, email, or chat accounts is removed.

Keep copies of:

Your employment contract, job offer, appointment papers, handbook, company policies, and applicable CBA.
Payslips, payroll records, bank-credit records, daily time records, schedules, overtime instructions, leave records, and attendance logs.
Notices to explain, administrative-charge documents, your written response, investigation minutes, suspension or termination notice, resignation letter, and clearance documents.
Emails, text messages, chat exports, task assignments, performance evaluations, and instructions showing who controlled your work.
Proof of commissions, incentives, allowances, deductions, cash bonds, and unpaid final pay.
SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and tax records relevant to the disputed period.
Medical reports, incident reports, safety complaints, and photographs where injury, illness, harassment, or unsafe conditions are involved.
The employer’s complete legal name, business name, worksite, principal-office address, and the names of responsible contractors or agencies.
Names and contact details of possible witnesses.

Create a dated chronology. For each monetary claim, identify the pay period, hours or benefit involved, amount received, amount claimed, and supporting document. Do not alter screenshots or original files. Preserve metadata and backups.

SEnA conferences are confidential, and Department Order No. 249 prohibits parties from using voice, video, or electronic recording devices during the proceedings. Do not secretly record a conference.

Step 2: File the SEnA Request for Assistance

Who may file

An individual worker, group of workers, union, workers’ association, federation, kasambahay, OFW, or employer may file an RFA. If the aggrieved person is absent or incapacitated, an immediate family member or authorized representative may file with a Special Power of Attorney. An heir or representative may file after the person’s death, subject to the required civil-registry and relationship documents.

Gig, platform, flexible, and other non-standard workers may also request assistance. Acceptance for conciliation does not automatically establish an employer-employee relationship; that issue may still require formal adjudication.

Where and how to file

You may:

File online through the official DOLE Assistance for Request Management System; or
File onsite at the nearest appropriate Single Entry Assistance Desk in a DOLE Regional, Provincial, Field, or Satellite Office, an NCMB office, or an NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch.

Under the revised SEnA rules, physical filing may be made at the office nearest the requesting party’s residence, at the union or workers’ association’s place of operation, or at the employer’s principal place of business, at the requesting party’s election. Offices may coordinate across regions when necessary.

In the RFA, state accurately:

Your name, address, mobile number, and email address.
The employer’s complete legal or business name and usable address.
Your position, employment dates, wage or salary, and work location.
Each issue—such as dismissal, unpaid wages, overtime, final pay, deductions, benefits, or harassment.
The remedy requested, including reinstatement, payment, correction of records, or another specific action.
Any contractor, agency, principal, owner, or corporate entity that may be involved.

Keep the submission confirmation and RFA reference number.

What happens next

For an online RFA, the date of the initial conference should be set within two calendar days from assignment to a SEnA officer. The initial conference should generally be conducted within five calendar days, or on the earliest available date not exceeding ten days from assignment.

The 30-calendar-day conciliation-mediation period begins at the initial conference where both parties appear. It may be extended only by mutual agreement when settlement remains possible, and the extension cannot exceed 15 calendar days.

The SEnA officer facilitates communication and possible settlement. The officer does not issue a judgment on the merits. Either or both parties may ask for referral at an appropriate stage, consistent with RA 10396 and the grounds in the current rules.

If the responding party fails to appear at two consecutive scheduled conferences despite proper notice, the SEnA officer may issue a referral. Non-appearance does not automatically prove the worker’s claim; evidence will still matter in formal proceedings.

Matters that do not follow ordinary SEnA processing

Department Order No. 249 excludes matters governed by specific laws and separate procedures, including:

Actual strikes or lockouts and notices of strike, lockout, or preventive mediation.
CBA and company-policy interpretation or implementation issues assigned to grievance machinery.
Applications for exemption from wage orders.
Alien employment permits, employment-agency licensing, working-child permits, contractor registration, PRC licensing, TESDA accreditation, and similar regulatory matters.
Occupational-safety cases involving imminent danger, dangerous occurrences, disabling injury, or absent or inadequate personal protective equipment.
Social-security and welfare claims.
Claims already covered by a settlement and quitclaim executed before a SEnA officer.
Inter-union and intra-union disputes.

A desk may still provide information or refer the requester to the proper agency. An urgent safety threat should be reported directly to the DOLE Regional Office or appropriate emergency authority rather than waiting for ordinary mediation.

Step 3: Evaluate any proposed settlement carefully

A SEnA settlement must be written in language the parties understand, signed or validly confirmed by them, and attested by the SEnA officer. For a monetary settlement, it should clearly state:

The exact amount.
Whether payment is in full or by installment.
Each installment amount and due date.
The claims being settled or preserved.
Any reinstatement, clearance, certificate, record correction, or other promised action.
What happens if a party does not comply.

An attested SEnA settlement is generally final and immediately executory. Under the current rules, a waiver and quitclaim should be issued only after full compliance with the settlement.

Do not sign a blank document or rely on an unwritten promise of later payment. Verify that the settlement covers every claim you intend to release. The Supreme Court has rejected quitclaims obtained through fraud or misrepresentation and has confirmed that completing SEnA before filing an NLRC case is not forum shopping. See Naldo v. Corporate Protection Services, Phils., Inc..

If a settlement is not honored, report the default to the handling SEnA officer immediately. After efforts to obtain voluntary compliance, the officer may refer the agreement to the proper DOLE Regional Office or NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch for enforcement. The requesting party may then file the appropriate motion for execution.

Step 4: Obtain the referral if the dispute remains unresolved

Ask for a written referral when:

The parties cannot agree within the mandatory period.
The 30-day period expires and settlement appears remote.
The respondent misses two consecutive conferences despite notice.
Some—but not all—issues are settled.
An attested settlement is not complied with.
Either party properly requests referral before completion of mediation.

Check that the referral correctly states the parties’ names, unresolved issues, and date. A missing claim may create unnecessary disagreement about what was endorsed. Keep both digital and paper copies.

Step 5: File the formal NLRC complaint when the Labor Arbiter has jurisdiction

Choose the proper branch

Under the 2025 NLRC Rules, a worker may generally choose the Regional Arbitration Branch covering either:

The workplace; or
The worker’s residence.

“Workplace” includes certain reporting locations, assignments, wage-payment locations, and alternative workplaces used in telecommuting or similar arrangements. For an OFW case, venue may generally be based on the complainant’s residence or the principal office of any respondent.

Use the NLRC contact and branch directory to confirm the current address and intake procedure.

Prepare the complaint properly

The complaint should include:

The SEnA referral.
The full names and addresses of all complainants and respondents.
Every cause of action arising from the same employment relationship.
The remedies sought.
Supporting documents then available.
The complainants’ personal signatures.
A verification.
A certification against forum shopping.

All complainants must sign. A complaint should not use only a trade name when the employer’s correct legal entity can be identified. Include the contractor, agency, principal, or other entity only when facts and law support doing so.

The NLRC Citizen’s Charter lists no government fee for filing a complaint, although copying, courier, notarization, or private legal-representation costs may arise.

Obtain a stamped receiving copy and case number. Online submission of an RFA through DOLE ARMS is not, by itself, the same as filing a verified NLRC complaint.

The 2025 NLRC Rules recognize personal filing, registered mail, and courier services authorized by the Commission for pleadings. Confirm the branch’s intake instructions before sending an initiating complaint. Keep official receipts, tracking records, and proof of delivery. For later pleadings, provide the opposing party with the required copy and retain proof of service; an informal email or message should not be assumed to constitute valid filing.

What happens after an NLRC complaint is filed

The Labor Arbiter should issue summons within two working days after receiving the complaint or amended complaint. Service problems may affect when the respondent is legally brought into the case.

The proceedings normally include:

Mandatory conciliation and mediation conferences. These are separate from pre-filing SEnA. Except for justifiable grounds, the conference stage should end within 30 calendar days from the first conference.
Position papers. The Labor Arbiter sets simultaneous filing within ten calendar days from termination of the mandatory conference.
Reply. A party may file a reply within ten calendar days from receipt of the opposing position paper, on the date set by the Labor Arbiter.
Clarificatory hearing, if necessary. Labor cases are generally decided through pleadings and documents, but the Labor Arbiter may require questions, affidavits, testimony, or further evidence.
Decision. The Labor Arbiter is directed to decide within 30 calendar days after the case is submitted for decision. This statutory decision period does not mean every case will finish within 30 days from filing.

Missing both mandatory-conference settings despite notice may cause dismissal of the worker’s complaint without prejudice. A second dismissal involving the same parties and causes due to unjustified non-appearance may be with prejudice. Failure to file a required position paper may also result in dismissal or waiver. Read every summons and order immediately.

How to follow up properly

For a SEnA RFA

Use the Check RFA Status function on DOLE ARMS and enter the reference number. If no useful update appears, contact the office identified in the confirmation or notice.

A concise written follow-up may say:

I am following up RFA No. [number], filed on [date], involving [requesting party] and [responding party]. Please confirm whether it has been validated and assigned, whether notice has been served, the next conference date, and whether any action or document is required from me.

Attach the submission confirmation but avoid repeatedly sending sensitive evidence through unsecured channels.

For an NLRC case

Keep the complete case number, Regional Arbitration Branch, Labor Arbiter’s name, and dates of all filings and settings. Use the case-status service available through the official NLRC website or contact the branch’s docket or records unit.

Ask specific questions:

What is the latest order or recorded filing?
Has summons or another notice been served?
Is a conference, position paper, reply, or hearing scheduled?
Has the case been submitted for decision?
Was a decision issued, and when and how was it served?
If the decision is final, has a certificate of finality or writ of execution been issued?

A verbal answer is not a substitute for a written order. Request an official copy when necessary. Immediately file notice of any change in address, email, phone number, lawyer, or authorized representative, and serve the other party as required.

Do not file a duplicate complaint merely because a status update is slow. Duplicate cases may create forum-shopping and consolidation issues.

Critical deadlines after a decision

A Labor Arbiter’s decision generally becomes final unless appealed to the Commission within ten calendar days from receipt. A motion for reconsideration of a Labor Arbiter’s decision or order is prohibited; the remedy from a final Labor Arbiter decision is the proper appeal.

A DOLE Regional Director’s decision under Labor Code Article 129 generally must be appealed within five calendar days from receipt.

An employer appealing a monetary award must comply with the appeal-bond requirements. The reinstatement portion of a Labor Arbiter’s decision is immediately executory even while an appeal is pending.

A Commission decision generally becomes final after ten calendar days from receipt. One motion for reconsideration may be filed within that period only on the grounds allowed by the rules. Judicial review involves strict requirements and is not an ordinary re-appeal of the evidence. Obtain legal help immediately upon receiving an adverse decision.

Do not wait until prescription is close

Under Labor Code Article 306, employment-related money claims generally must be filed within three years from accrual. An illegal-dismissal complaint generally prescribes in four years from accrual, as explained in Arriola v. Pilipino Star Ngayon, Inc..

Accrual and interruption of prescription can depend on the nature of the claim, when payment became demandable, and the acts or documents relied upon. Do not assume that informal negotiations, status inquiries, or a pending RFA give unlimited additional time. Request referral and complete the formal filing before the earliest plausible deadline. Other claims and appellate remedies may have much shorter periods.

Common mistakes to avoid

Treating an online SEnA RFA as a completed NLRC complaint.
Naming only a supervisor or brand instead of the correct employer entity.
Giving an address where summons cannot be served.
Omitting claims that arose from the same employment relationship.
Claiming a lump sum without a period-by-period computation.
Failing to preserve time records, messages, and payroll evidence.
Missing conferences because a notice went to an old address or spam folder.
Ignoring an order to file a verified position paper.
Sending a pleading without proof of filing or required service.
Secretly recording a SEnA conference.
Signing a quitclaim before receiving or verifying the agreed payment.
Assuming the employer’s absence means automatic victory.
Waiting for a follow-up response while a prescriptive or appeal period expires.
Filing duplicate RFAs or complaints in different offices.

When legal help is urgent

Seek assistance from a labor lawyer, qualified union representative, the Public Attorney’s Office if eligible, or another authorized legal-aid provider immediately when:

A dismissal, suspension, forced resignation, or quitclaim is involved.
A decision, appeal, or position-paper deadline is running.
The employer disputes that you were an employee.
Multiple contractors, agencies, corporate entities, or foreign principals are involved.
The claim includes substantial damages, large commissions, stock benefits, or complex computations.
There is alleged fraud, coercion, retaliation, harassment, violence, or discrimination.
You are being asked to waive claims before payment.
A safety condition presents imminent danger or has caused disabling injury.
The case concerns an overseas seafarer’s disability, where the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers and special grievance, medical-assessment, or third-doctor rules may apply.
You are a government employee, corporate officer, or member of a cooperative whose dispute may fall outside ordinary NLRC jurisdiction.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer to file an RFA or NLRC complaint?

No. SEnA and Labor Arbiter proceedings are designed to be accessible, and workers may represent themselves. Legal help becomes especially valuable for dismissal, jurisdiction, complex evidence, substantial claims, settlements, and appeals.

Can I file while still employed?

Yes. An RFA may concern unpaid wages, benefits, deductions, scheduling, safety, or other employment issues even if the worker remains employed. Retaliatory acts should be documented and reported promptly.

What if the employer ignores SEnA?

After two consecutive scheduled conferences are missed despite proper notice, the SEnA officer may refer the unresolved issues. The worker must still prove the claim in the proper formal proceeding.

Can SEnA order my employer to pay?

No adjudicative ruling is issued during ordinary SEnA. Payment results from a voluntary settlement. If there is no agreement, a DOLE Regional Director, Labor Arbiter, voluntary arbitrator, or another proper authority must decide the formal case.

How long does SEnA take?

The mandatory period is 30 calendar days beginning with the initial conference at which both parties appear. A mutually agreed extension of up to 15 calendar days is allowed only when settlement remains possible.

What if only some claims are settled?

List precisely which claims are settled and which remain unresolved. The SEnA officer may refer the unsettled issues.

What if an employer does not comply with the settlement?

Report the default to the SEnA officer. If voluntary compliance still fails, request referral for enforcement and file the appropriate motion for execution with the DOLE Regional Office or NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch identified in the referral.

Is an employer’s failure to appear at the NLRC an automatic win?

No. At the formal NLRC stage, failure to appear at the second mandatory conference may waive the respondent’s right to file a position paper, but the Labor Arbiter must still decide from the evidence on record.

Where can I verify office addresses and current procedures?

Use the NLRC branch directory, NLRC jurisdiction page, official NLRC website, and DOLE ARMS portal.

Official sources

This article provides general legal information, not advice for a particular dispute. Jurisdiction, remedies, computations, and deadlines may change with the facts and documents. Official sources and procedures were checked on 4 August 2026.