Quick answer

Most private-sector labor disputes begin with a Single Entry Approach (SEnA) Request for Assistance, not a formal lawsuit. File the request onsite at a DOLE, National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), or NLRC Single Entry Assistance Desk, or online through the official DOLE Assistance for Request Management System.

SEnA is generally a mandatory conciliation-mediation step. A neutral officer helps the worker and employer explore a voluntary settlement but does not decide who is legally correct. If the dispute is not settled, obtain the SEnA referral and file the appropriate formal case—often with an NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch for illegal dismissal and related claims, or with a DOLE Regional Office for labor-standards enforcement.

Do not wait until a deadline is close. Money claims generally prescribe in three years, unfair-labor-practice claims in one year, and illegal-dismissal actions generally in four years. Shorter deadlines apply after a decision: ordinarily 10 calendar days to appeal a Labor Arbiter’s decision and five calendar days for certain DOLE Regional Director decisions.

DOLE, SEnA and the NLRC are not the same proceeding

“DOLE complaint” is often used loosely, but it can refer to different processes:

Concern	Usual route
Initial settlement attempt for most employment disputes	SEnA through DOLE, NCMB or NLRC
Minimum wage, overtime, holiday pay and other labor-standard violations while the employment relationship still exists	DOLE Regional Office inspection and enforcement, generally under Labor Code Article 128
Illegal or constructive dismissal, reinstatement, unfair labor practice, or employment-related damages	NLRC Labor Arbiter after SEnA
Other employment-related money claims exceeding ₱5,000	Generally the NLRC, subject to Article 128 enforcement and other jurisdictional rules
Simple money claims not exceeding ₱5,000, without reinstatement	DOLE Regional Director under Article 129
Interpretation or implementation of a collective bargaining agreement or company personnel policy	Grievance machinery and voluntary arbitration
Actual strike or lockout, notice of strike or lockout, or preventive mediation	NCMB procedures
SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG or employees’ compensation entitlement	The agency designated by the applicable social-welfare law

The ₱5,000 figure is not a universal DOLE-versus-NLRC dividing line. The Supreme Court has explained that DOLE’s Article 128 enforcement authority may cover labor-standard violations regardless of the amount when the employment relationship still exists. Claims for reinstatement, termination disputes and cases filed after the employment relationship has ended ordinarily point toward the Labor Arbiter. The allegations, requested relief, employment status and governing special rules all matter. See Del Monte Land Transport Bus Co. v. Court of Appeals.

If the proper forum is uncertain, describe every material fact and requested remedy during SEnA intake and ask that the referral identify the office with jurisdiction.

Who may file a SEnA request

The current DOLE ARMS portal accepts requests from:

Individual workers, including kasambahays
Groups of workers
Unions, workers’ associations and federations
Overseas Filipino workers
Employers

An immediate family member may file for an absent or incapacitated aggrieved person when supported by a Special Power of Attorney. Legitimate heirs may file when the aggrieved person has died, subject to proof of death and relationship.

The current SEnA rules also allow assistance involving platform, gig, flexible and other non-standard work arrangements. Acceptance of an RFA does not automatically establish an employer-employee relationship; that issue may still require formal determination.

Where and how to file the SEnA request

Online filing

Use the official DOLE ARMS filing portal. Enter complete and accurate information and save the reference number, confirmation page and any email or text acknowledgment.

The same portal provides a Check RFA Status function using the reference number.

Onsite filing

A request may be filed at a Single Entry Assistance Desk in:

A DOLE Regional, Provincial, Field or Satellite Office
The NCMB Central Office or a Regional Conciliation and Mediation Branch
The NLRC or one of its Regional Arbitration Branches

Office locations and contact details should be verified through the official NLRC contact directory or the appropriate DOLE or NCMB regional website before visiting.

What to state in the request

Give a short but specific account of:

Your complete name and reliable contact information
The employer’s correct legal or business name
The establishment, contractor or agency involved
The employer’s office, workplace and service addresses
Your position, hiring date, pay rate and work arrangement
The dates and events giving rise to the dispute
Each unpaid benefit, dismissal issue or other complaint
The remedy sought, such as payment, reinstatement, separation pay or issuance of employment documents

If a principal company and contractor or agency may both be involved, identify both. Do not omit a respondent simply because you are unsure which entity is legally responsible.

What happens during SEnA

Under Republic Act No. 10396, most labor and employment issues must undergo conciliation-mediation before the Labor Arbiter or proper DOLE office entertains the formal case. The Supreme Court confirmed this condition precedent in Naldo v. Corporate Protection Services, Phils., Inc..

The current rules are in DOLE Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025.

The 30-calendar-day conciliation-mediation period begins at the initial conference where both parties appear. The parties may mutually agree to an extension when settlement remains possible, but the extension cannot exceed 15 calendar days.

During conferences, the SEnA officer may:

Clarify the claims and the parties’ positions
Narrow the disputed issues
Help the parties exchange and evaluate settlement options
Record a partial or complete settlement
Monitor compliance with an agreement
Refer unresolved issues to the proper office or tribunal

Either or both parties may pre-terminate the proceedings and request referral to the office with jurisdiction. Referral may also become appropriate when the period expires, settlement fails, only some issues are resolved, or the responding party repeatedly fails to appear despite proper notices.

Statements exchanged during conciliation-mediation are confidential and privileged under the SEnA rules. Voice, video and other electronic recording devices are not allowed during the proceedings.

When SEnA does not apply in the ordinary way

Department Order No. 249-25 excludes issues governed by specific laws and separate procedures, including:

Actual strikes or lockouts, notices of strike or lockout, and preventive-mediation notices
CBA and company-policy issues that must pass through grievance machinery
Applications for exemption from wage orders
Alien employment permits and specified licensing, registration or accreditation matters
Certain contractor-registration, private-employment-agency and working-child permit matters
Occupational-safety situations involving imminent danger, dangerous occurrences, disabling injury, or lack or inadequacy of personal protective equipment
Claims under social-security and welfare legislation
Claims already covered by a SEnA-attested agreement, quitclaim and release
Inter-union and intra-union disputes

Urgent occupational-safety hazards should be reported immediately to the appropriate DOLE Regional Office; do not wait for an ordinary settlement schedule when workers face imminent danger.

How to evaluate a proposed settlement

A SEnA settlement attested by the officer is generally final and immediately executory and binds DOLE offices and attached agencies, unless established to be contrary to law, morals, public order or public policy.

Before signing, confirm that the agreement clearly states:

The exact amount for each claim
Whether amounts are gross or net of lawful deductions
Payment dates, method and recipient account
Any installment schedule
Consequences of a missed installment
Whether reinstatement, separation pay, final pay or a certificate of employment is included
Which claims are settled and which remain unresolved
When any waiver, quitclaim or release will be executed

Do not sign a blank document, an unread computation, or a broad release that covers claims you did not intend to settle. Under the current rules, a waiver and quitclaim associated with installment payments or other continuing obligations should be issued only upon full compliance with the settlement terms.

If the employer does not comply, report the default to the same SEnA officer in writing. The officer should call the parties to pursue voluntary compliance; continued noncompliance may be referred to the DOLE Regional Office or NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch for enforcement.

Filing the formal NLRC complaint

If SEnA does not resolve a matter within the Labor Arbiter’s jurisdiction, bring the referral to the proper NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch.

Under the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure, the complainant may generally choose the branch covering either:

The workplace; or
The complainant’s residence.

“Workplace” includes specified reporting, assignment and alternative telecommuting workplaces. An OFW case may generally be filed where the complainant resides or where the principal office of any respondent is located.

Basic filing requirements

The NLRC’s 2025 Citizen’s Charter lists the basic requirements as:

The SEnA referral
An original and photocopy of a valid government-issued ID
The NLRC complaint form supplied by the Complaint Unit

The formal complaint must identify the causes of action, all complainants and respondents, and their addresses. All complainants must sign and execute the required verification and certification against forum shopping.

Personal appearance is generally required. If appearance is impossible because of death, illness, a medical condition or presence outside the country, the branch may require a Special Power of Attorney and supporting documents such as a death certificate, government medical certificate or travel records. Confirm the exact branch requirements before filing.

Filing an initial complaint or RFA ordinarily has no agency fee under the Citizen’s Charter. Appeals and requests for particular records may involve prescribed fees.

Include all related claims

A party with several causes of action arising from the same employment relationship must include all of them in one complaint. List every remedy being requested, including unpaid wages or benefits, reinstatement, separation pay, damages or attorney’s fees when legally supportable.

A complaint may generally be amended before position papers are filed. Later amendment requires permission from the Labor Arbiter, and adding a new respondent requires proper service of another summons.

What happens after an NLRC complaint is docketed

The case is assigned a docket number and raffled to a Labor Arbiter. Under the current rules:

Summons: The Labor Arbiter should issue summons within two working days from receipt of the complaint or amended complaint. The summons states two conference settings.
Mandatory conferences: The parties again attempt settlement, this time in the docketed arbitration case. Except for justifiable grounds, this stage should end within 30 calendar days from the first conference.
Position papers: If there is no settlement, the Labor Arbiter directs the parties to file verified position papers, supporting documents and witness affidavits on a date within 10 calendar days after the conferences end.
Replies: A party may file a reply within 10 calendar days from receiving the adverse position paper, on the date set by the Labor Arbiter.
Clarificatory proceedings: The Labor Arbiter determines whether a hearing or clarificatory conference is necessary. Labor cases are primarily decided from the verified pleadings, affidavits and documentary evidence; a full courtroom-style trial is not automatic.
Decision: The Labor Arbiter should decide within 30 calendar days after the case is submitted for decision. Special timing rules apply to OFW cases.

The front-desk processing time shown in the Citizen’s Charter covers intake and docketing, not the total time required to decide the dispute.

Do not miss conferences or filing dates

If a complainant misses both mandatory conference settings despite notice, the complaint may be dismissed without prejudice. A second dismissal for the same unjustified nonappearance may be with prejudice.

A motion to reopen a case dismissed without prejudice must be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt of the dismissal order; otherwise, the usual remedy is to refile, assuming the underlying claim has not prescribed.

If the respondent misses both settings despite proper service, the respondent may waive the right to file a position paper. That does not automatically make the worker win: the complainant must still submit sufficient evidence.

A postponement request generally must be based on meritorious grounds and filed at least three calendar days before the scheduled conference. Never assume a requested postponement has been granted until the office confirms it.

How to follow up a SEnA request

For an online or encoded RFA:

Use Check RFA Status at DOLE ARMS.
Enter the exact RFA reference number.
Check the phone number and email used in the filing.
Contact the assigned office or SEnA officer if no setting or notice appears.
Put any important follow-up in writing and save proof of transmission.

Ask specifically whether:

The RFA was validated and assigned
Notice was successfully sent to the employer
An initial or succeeding conference has been scheduled
The case was settled, pre-terminated or referred
A referral or certified settlement copy is ready for release
Compliance with a settlement has been recorded

How to follow up an NLRC case

Use the complete docket number in every inquiry. Contact the Regional Arbitration Branch where the case was filed, preferably through the contact details in the official NLRC directory.

Ask for a precise procedural status, such as:

Assigned Labor Arbiter
Date summons was issued and whether it was served
Next conference or filing date
Whether position papers and replies are complete
Whether the case is submitted for decision
Whether a decision has been released and served
Whether an appeal or motion for reconsideration was filed
Whether an entry or certificate of finality has issued
Whether a writ of execution has been requested or released

Keep a dated follow-up log showing the person contacted, method, response and promised next action. A status inquiry does not extend an appeal, filing or prescription deadline.

Immediately notify the branch and the opposing party in writing of any change in home address, email, phone number, lawyer or authorized representative. Missing a decision because an old address remained on record can have serious consequences.

Evidence to preserve

Organize records chronologically and keep originals or reliable copies of:

Employment contracts, job offers and policy acknowledgments
Company IDs and certificates of employment
Payslips, payroll records and bank-credit entries
Daily time records, schedules, logbooks and attendance data
Overtime approvals or instructions
Emails, messages and memoranda assigning work
Disciplinary notices, notices to explain and written responses
Suspension, dismissal, redundancy or retrenchment notices
Resignation letters and evidence surrounding an alleged forced resignation
Performance evaluations and incentive records
The employee handbook, applicable CBA and company policies
Final-pay computations, clearance documents and quitclaims
SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG contribution records
Written demands and the employer’s replies
A period-by-period computation of each money claim

Preserve complete conversations rather than isolated screenshots. Retain dates, sender information, attachments and available metadata. Do not unlawfully access, alter or remove records from an employer’s system.

Important prescription and appeal periods

Filing the original claim

Money claims: Generally within three years from accrual under Labor Code Article 306, formerly Article 291.
Unfair labor practice: Generally within one year from accrual.
Illegal dismissal: Generally within four years from dismissal because it is treated as an injury to rights. See Arriola v. Pilipino Star Ngayon, Inc..

The filing of an RFA has been treated as the institution of a claim where SEnA is a mandatory prerequisite, but do not rely on SEnA to suspend a deadline indefinitely. File promptly and obtain the referral as soon as settlement efforts end.

After a ruling

Labor Arbiter decision: Appeal to the NLRC within 10 calendar days from receipt. A mere notice of appeal is insufficient, and no extension is allowed.
DOLE Regional Director decision under Article 129: Appeal within five calendar days from receipt.
NLRC Commission decision: One motion for reconsideration may be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt, based on palpable or patent errors.

A motion for reconsideration of a Labor Arbiter’s decision is prohibited; the remedy is the proper appeal. An employer appealing a monetary award must ordinarily post the required cash or accredited surety bond. The reinstatement portion of a Labor Arbiter’s decision is immediately executory even while an appeal is pending.

Seek legal help immediately upon receiving any decision. Counting usually turns on the date of receipt, not the date printed on the ruling.

Common mistakes to avoid

Filing a formal NLRC complaint without first obtaining the required SEnA referral
Treating every money claim as an NLRC case without checking DOLE’s Article 128 jurisdiction
Using a trade name while omitting the corporation, contractor, agency or responsible respondent
Giving an incomplete or obsolete service address
Omitting related causes of action from the complaint
Claiming a lump sum without a period-by-period computation
Missing either of the two mandatory conference settings
Waiting until the position-paper stage to locate basic evidence
Assuming the employer’s absence guarantees victory
Secretly recording a confidential SEnA conference
Signing an installment settlement and immediate quitclaim without protection against default
Relying only on phone calls instead of preserving written follow-ups
Ignoring registered mail or authorized courier notices
Missing the 10-day or five-day appeal period

When legal help is urgent

Consult a labor lawyer, union representative or qualified legal-aid office promptly when:

A prescription deadline is close
You have received a Labor Arbiter, DOLE or NLRC ruling
Reinstatement, a large monetary claim or several employers or contractors are involved
The employer alleges abandonment, fraud, serious misconduct or breach of trust
You are being asked to sign a quitclaim or complicated settlement
The case concerns an OFW or seafarer and special statutory or medical deadlines may apply
A settlement, final decision or monetary award is not being honored
Workplace conditions pose imminent danger to life or health

A lawyer is not required merely to file a SEnA request, and an individual may represent themself before the NLRC. Legal advice can nevertheless be important when identifying the proper respondents, calculating claims, preparing position papers or evaluating a settlement.

Frequently asked questions

Can I file while I am still employed?

Yes. An existing employment relationship does not prevent filing. It may affect whether labor-standard claims proceed through DOLE’s inspection and enforcement authority rather than NLRC adjudication.

Can I file directly with the NLRC?

You may file the SEnA RFA at an NLRC Single Entry Assistance Desk, but a formal Labor Arbiter complaint ordinarily requires the SEnA referral. Conciliation-mediation is generally a condition precedent.

Can a SEnA officer order the employer to pay?

The officer facilitates settlement and does not decide the merits like a Labor Arbiter. An attested voluntary settlement, however, is final and immediately executory.

What if the employer ignores SEnA notices?

Repeated nonappearance despite proper notice can lead to referral of the unresolved dispute. Keep attending your settings and obtain the written referral.

Is online filing available?

Online filing is officially available for the SEnA RFA through DOLE ARMS. A formal NLRC complaint must comply with the Regional Arbitration Branch’s sworn-form, identification and personal-appearance requirements unless an accepted exception applies.

Does filing automatically stop dismissal or disciplinary action?

No. SEnA filing does not by itself issue an injunction or automatically suspend an employer’s action. The legality of the action may later be contested in the proper proceeding.

What if the parties settle only some claims?

Put the partial settlement in writing and require the document and referral to identify the unresolved issues clearly. The remaining claims may proceed to the office with jurisdiction.

How do I collect after winning?

After the decision becomes final, request execution in the same case if payment is not made voluntarily. Reinstatement ordered by a Labor Arbiter is immediately executory even pending appeal. Coordinate with the Labor Arbiter’s office regarding the writ and execution process.

Official sources

This article provides general legal information, not legal advice or a prediction of any case’s outcome. Jurisdiction and available remedies depend on the allegations, employment relationship, documents and applicable special laws. Official sources and procedures were checked as of 6 August 2026.