Quick answer

Start most private-sector labor disputes by filing a Request for Assistance (RFA) under the Single Entry Approach, or SEnA. You may file onsite at a DOLE, National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), or National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) Single Entry Assistance Desk, or online through the official DOLE Assistance for Request Management System.

SEnA is conciliation-mediation—not yet a formal case before a Labor Arbiter. If the dispute is not settled, ask for a written referral to the agency with jurisdiction. Illegal dismissal, unfair labor practice, reinstatement, damages arising from employment, and most employer-employee money claims exceeding ₱5,000 generally go to an NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch. Certain small money claims, labor-standard enforcement matters, safety concerns, union disputes, and social-security claims follow different routes.

Keep every reference number, notice, settlement, and proof of filing. Follow up through DOLE ARMS or directly with the office holding the record. Once a decision is served, act immediately: some labor remedies have deadlines as short as five or ten calendar days.

DOLE, NLRC, or another office?

The correct forum depends on the facts and relief requested.

Concern	Usual route
Initial request concerning wages, benefits, dismissal, suspension, final pay, or other employment issues	SEnA through DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC
Illegal or constructive dismissal; request for reinstatement	NLRC Labor Arbiter after SEnA referral
Unfair labor practice	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Damages arising from an employer-employee relationship	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Other employer-employee claims exceeding ₱5,000	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Money claim of not more than ₱5,000 per employee, with no reinstatement claim	DOLE Regional Director under Labor Code Article 129
Possible widespread minimum-wage, overtime, holiday-pay, recordkeeping, or other labor-standard violations	DOLE Regional Office; inspection or compliance proceedings may be appropriate
Actual strike or lockout, notice of strike or lockout, or preventive mediation	NCMB
Interpretation or implementation of a collective bargaining agreement, or interpretation or enforcement of company personnel policies	Grievance machinery and, when applicable, voluntary arbitration
SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, employees’ compensation, or similar social-welfare claim	The agency or procedure governing that benefit
Inter- or intra-union dispute	DOLE office with labor-relations jurisdiction, not ordinary SEnA adjudication
Government employee covered by the civil service	Usually the employing agency and Civil Service Commission procedures, not the NLRC

Labor Arbiter jurisdiction is summarized in the official 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure. Jurisdiction can still depend on employment status, the nature of the claim, a collective bargaining agreement, and the relief sought.

Matters that may bypass ordinary SEnA

Under DOLE Department Order No. 249-25, ordinary mandatory SEnA does not cover several matters governed by separate procedures. These include:

Actual strikes or lockouts and notices involving them;
Grievances involving CBA interpretation or company personnel policies;
Applications for exemption from wage orders;
Certain permit, license, accreditation, and contractor-registration violations;
Occupational-safety matters involving imminent danger, dangerous occurrences, disabling injury, or inadequate personal protective equipment;
Social-security and welfare claims;
Claims already covered by a settlement and quitclaim executed before a SEnA officer; and
Inter- and intra-union disputes.

Do not wait for an ordinary conference if there is an imminent workplace danger, a strike deadline, physical violence, unlawful detention, trafficking, or another emergency requiring immediate agency or law-enforcement action.

Before filing

Prepare a short, factual chronology containing:

Your complete name, address, mobile number, and email;
The employer’s exact registered or business name;
The workplace and employer’s current business address;
The names or positions of responsible managers, if known;
Your job, hiring date, rate of pay, schedule, and employment status;
What happened, with exact dates;
Each benefit, payment, or remedy requested;
An itemized estimate of monetary claims, if possible; and
Any approaching deadline.

Avoid naming only a brand, branch, supervisor, or recruiter when the legal employer has a different corporate name. Check your contract, payslips, company ID, government contribution records, and termination documents.

Bring or securely save copies of relevant evidence. Keep the originals unless the receiving office specifically requires them.

How to file a SEnA Request for Assistance

1. Choose where to file

An RFA may be filed physically at the SEnA desk of the DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC office nearest:

Your residence;
The employer’s principal place of business; or
For a union, federation chapter, or workers’ association, its place of operation.

If the convenient office is outside the region where the employer principally operates, the offices may conduct coordinated conciliation-mediation.

For online filing, use DOLE ARMS. It accepts RFAs from individual workers, groups of workers, kasambahays, unions, federations, workers’ associations, employers, and OFWs.

2. Complete the RFA accurately

State every important issue. For example:

Illegal or constructive dismissal;
Unpaid wages or final pay;
Underpayment;
Overtime, holiday, rest-day, or night-shift-differential pay;
Service incentive leave;
Thirteenth-month pay;
Unauthorized deductions;
Suspension, demotion, or other disciplinary action; or
Certificate of employment or another employment-related concern.

Do not simply write “all benefits.” Identify each claim and the relevant period. If the exact computation depends on payroll or attendance records held by the employer, say so and request computation based on those records.

3. Save the filing record

For an online RFA, save the confirmation, reference number, and later docket number. For onsite filing, obtain a received copy or acknowledgment.

The ARMS tracking page accepts either a reference number or docket number. Use an active mobile number and email because notices may be sent electronically or through messaging applications.

4. Attend the interview and conferences

The SEnA officer first evaluates whether the matter is suitable for conciliation-mediation. Once accepted, it is docketed and assigned.

Under the current rules:

An onsite RFA’s initial-conference date should be set on the filing day.
For an online RFA, the date should be set within two days after assignment to the SEnA officer.
The initial conference should ordinarily occur within five calendar days, or at the earliest available date not exceeding ten days from assignment.
The 30-day conciliation period begins when the initial conference is conducted and both parties appear.
An extension is allowed only by mutual agreement when settlement remains possible, and it cannot exceed 15 calendar days.

Conferences may be face-to-face or conducted through an accessible digital platform. Parties generally appear for themselves. Lawyers are not encouraged at this non-litigious stage except in circumstances allowed by the rules.

Do not secretly record a SEnA conference. The current rules treat the discussions as confidential and privileged and prohibit unauthorized audio or video recording.

What happens during SEnA?

The officer helps the parties identify the issues, verify their positions, explore options, and attempt a voluntary settlement. The officer does not decide the merits in the way a Labor Arbiter does.

If an agreement is reached, read every clause before accepting it. A proper settlement should clearly state:

All issues being settled;
The exact amount and manner of payment;
Each installment amount and due date, if payment is by tranche;
Any reinstatement, lifting of suspension, or other required action;
The scope of any waiver or quitclaim; and
That the agreement was voluntary and free from fraud, intimidation, violence, or coercion.

A settlement signed by the parties and attested by the SEnA officer is generally final and immediately executory. The current rules provide that a waiver and quitclaim should be issued only after full compliance with the settlement.

Do not sign a broad quitclaim merely because the first installment was paid unless the document accurately reflects the agreed terms and timing.

If no settlement is reached

Ask the SEnA officer for a written referral to the office with jurisdiction over the unresolved issues. Referral may be issued when, among other circumstances:

The parties cannot agree within the mandatory period;
The period expires and settlement appears remote;
The responding party misses two consecutive conferences despite due notice;
Some issues remain unsettled; or
A settlement is not honored.

A referral should identify the parties, summarize the unresolved issues, and state the referral date. Confirm whether you must personally file a separate formal complaint. An RFA and referral do not automatically guarantee that an adjudicatory case has already been docketed.

How to file a formal NLRC complaint

1. File in the correct Regional Arbitration Branch

Under the 2025 NLRC Rules, a case within a Labor Arbiter’s authority may be filed in the Regional Arbitration Branch covering either:

The workplace; or
The complainant’s residence.

“Workplace” may include the place where an employee is assigned, regularly receives instructions or wages, reports after temporary assignments, or performs telecommuting work. Special venue rules apply to OFW cases.

Use the official NLRC contact directory to locate the correct branch.

2. Complete the complaint and required certifications

The complaint must state the names and addresses of all complainants and respondents. Every complainant must sign it and execute the required verification and certification against forum shopping.

Include all causes of action arising from the same employment relationship. Attach or bring:

The SEnA referral;
A government-issued ID;
Your chronology and claim computation;
Supporting records; and
Authority documents if filing or appearing through an authorized representative.

Before leaving, obtain the complete NLRC docket number and a received copy.

3. Watch for summons and conference dates

The Labor Arbiter should issue summons within two working days from receiving the complaint or amended complaint. The summons states two settings for mandatory conciliation-mediation.

Missing both settings despite due notice can cause dismissal without prejudice. A second dismissal for unjustified nonappearance in a refiled case may be with prejudice. If attendance is genuinely impossible, promptly file a supported request; postponements are allowed only on meritorious grounds and ordinarily must be requested at least three calendar days before the setting.

4. Prepare the position paper early

If no settlement is reached, the Labor Arbiter directs the parties to submit verified position papers, supporting documents, and witness affidavits on a date within ten calendar days after termination of the mandatory conference.

The position paper must prove—not merely assert—the facts supporting each claim. Under the current rules, a reply may be filed within ten calendar days from receipt of the opposing position paper on the date set by the Labor Arbiter.

A complaint may ordinarily be amended before position papers are filed. After that point, amendment requires permission. Check the complaint carefully so no important cause of action is omitted.

How to follow up a DOLE or SEnA filing

Use Track RFA Status at DOLE ARMS with the reference or docket number.
If no result appears, contact or visit the SEnA desk where the RFA was filed.
Provide the filer’s name, employer’s name, filing date, reference number, docket number, and current contact information.
Ask specific status questions:
- Has the RFA been validated and docketed?
- Who is the assigned SEnA officer?
- Was notice served on the employer?
- When is the initial or next conference?
- Was the RFA settled, dropped, or referred?
Make important follow-ups in writing. Keep the sent email, delivery record, or stamped received copy.
If the employer has missed two consecutive conferences, ask whether a referral may now be issued.
If the conciliation period has expired, ask for the written disposition or referral instead of leaving the RFA indefinitely pending.

Update the office immediately if your phone number, email, or address changes.

How to follow up an NLRC case

Contact the docketing or records unit of the Regional Arbitration Branch handling the case, using the complete docket number. Ask only for official case-status information, such as:

The assigned Labor Arbiter;
The next conference or submission date;
Whether a pleading was received;
Whether the case has been submitted for decision;
Whether a decision or order has been issued;
How and when it was served;
Whether an appeal was filed; and
Whether a certificate of finality, entry of judgment, or writ of execution has been issued.

Do not try to discuss the merits privately with the Labor Arbiter or staff. Arguments and requests affecting the case should be filed as proper pleadings, with proof of service on the other party when required.

Maintain a simple case log containing the date, office contacted, person spoken to, information received, and next deadline. Never rely solely on a telephone statement when a filing deadline is running.

After a decision or settlement

Labor Arbiter decision

A Labor Arbiter decision becomes final unless appealed to the Commission within ten calendar days from receipt. No extension to perfect the appeal is allowed. If the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the deadline moves to the next working day.

An appeal requires more than a notice of appeal. The current rules require a verified memorandum of appeal, stated grounds and reliefs, material dates, proof of required fees, proof of service, and—when an employer appeals a monetary award—the required appeal bond.

The reinstatement portion of a Labor Arbiter decision is immediately executory even while an appeal is pending.

DOLE Regional Director decision under Article 129

An appeal from a qualifying Article 129 decision must generally be perfected within five calendar days from receipt. This period is also non-extendible.

NLRC Commission decision

A motion for reconsideration must be filed within ten calendar days from receipt, must identify palpable or patent errors, and must include proof of service. Only one motion for reconsideration from the same party will be entertained.

A court challenge to an NLRC ruling uses a different and highly technical procedure. Obtain legal help immediately rather than treating it as an ordinary appeal.

Enforcing a final award

A final NLRC decision may be enforced through a writ of execution, issued on the tribunal’s own initiative or upon motion. If an appealed case has become final, file the motion before the Labor Arbiter as directed by the execution rules.

Execution by motion is available within five years from finality. Waiting can make enforcement harder even when the award remains legally enforceable through other procedures.

Unpaid SEnA settlement

Report noncompliance immediately to the SEnA officer. The officer should call the parties and attempt voluntary compliance. If default continues, request a referral to the appropriate DOLE Regional Office or NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch and file the required motion for execution.

Deadlines for bringing the underlying claim

Do not confuse appeal periods with the period for initially bringing a claim.

As a general rule:

Ordinary money claims arising from employment—such as unpaid wages, overtime, holiday pay, leave pay, salary differentials, bonuses, and unlawful deductions—must be filed within three years from accrual.
An illegal-dismissal action generally has a four-year period from accrual. The Supreme Court explains this distinction in Arriola v. Pilipino Star Ngayon, Inc..
Other claims, including unfair labor practice and claims governed by special laws, may have different periods.

Accrual can differ for each unpaid benefit or act. Do not assume that an internal grievance, demand letter, informal promise, or unfinished clearance process safely stops prescription. File promptly and obtain advice if any possible deadline is near.

Evidence to preserve

Keep secure copies of:

Employment contracts, offer letters, job descriptions, company IDs, and deployment papers;
Payslips, payroll records, bank statements, cash vouchers, and final-pay computations;
Timecards, biometric records, schedules, logbooks, leave records, and overtime approvals;
Emails, text messages, chat conversations, and work-platform messages;
Notices to explain, written responses, hearing notices, disciplinary findings, suspension or termination notices;
Resignation letters, clearance papers, quitclaims, and certificates of employment;
Company policies, handbooks, memoranda, and the applicable CBA;
SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contribution records;
Photos or videos lawfully obtained outside confidential proceedings;
Names and contact details of witnesses;
Every RFA, complaint, pleading, notice, order, proof of service, and tracking record; and
A contemporaneous timeline written while events are still fresh.

Preserve the original files and metadata. Export important messages before losing access to a company account, but do not take confidential records unrelated to your claim or access systems without authority.

Common mistakes

Filing only against a supervisor instead of identifying the actual employer;
Treating a SEnA RFA as though it were already a formal NLRC complaint;
Omitting illegal dismissal, reinstatement, damages, or a specific monetary claim from the complaint;
Using an old or incomplete employer address, causing service delays;
Missing conferences, position-paper deadlines, or appeal periods;
Failing to quantify claims or identify the period covered;
Submitting screenshots with no visible date, sender, context, or backup;
Signing an unclear settlement or quitclaim without checking payment dates and the rights waived;
Accepting an oral promise but failing to secure a written, attested agreement;
Secretly recording a confidential SEnA conference;
Following up by phone but keeping no written record; and
Waiting for HR negotiations until the claim is close to prescription.

When legal help is urgent

Seek a labor lawyer promptly when:

A five- or ten-day appeal or reconsideration period is already running;
A claim may be close to prescription;
You are asked to sign a quitclaim, settlement, resignation, or admission;
The employer disputes that you were an employee or claims you were an independent contractor;
Several companies, agencies, contractors, or corporate officers may be involved;
The case concerns an OFW, seafarer, union, strike, lockout, or CBA;
The employer has closed, transferred assets, or appears unable to pay;
There is retaliation, intimidation, violence, trafficking, or an imminent safety danger; or
You need to challenge an NLRC Commission ruling in court.

Workers who meet the applicable requirements may inquire with the Public Attorney’s Office or contact an Integrated Bar of the Philippines chapter. Assistance depends on eligibility, availability, conflicts, and the nature of the case.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to go to DOLE before the NLRC?

Most labor and employment disputes must first undergo SEnA conciliation-mediation. You may start at a SEnA desk located in DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC. Matters governed by separate procedures are exceptions.

Can I file even if I am still employed?

Yes. SEnA is available for employment concerns whether the worker is still employed or already separated. The proper forum after SEnA depends on the claim and relief requested.

Can I file online?

Yes. Use the official DOLE ARMS portal. Save the reference number and monitor the contact details supplied in the form.

What if the employer ignores SEnA notices?

Nonappearance does not automatically mean that you win. If the responding party misses two consecutive conferences despite due notice, ask the SEnA officer for referral to the proper adjudicating or enforcement office.

Do I need a lawyer?

A lawyer is generally unnecessary for filing an RFA, and SEnA is intended to be non-litigious. A worker may also appear personally in NLRC proceedings, but legal help becomes especially valuable for position papers, appeals, jurisdiction disputes, large or complex claims, and court review.

How long should SEnA take?

The mandatory period is generally 30 calendar days beginning with the initial conference at which both parties appear. By mutual agreement, it may be extended for no more than 15 calendar days when settlement remains possible.

How long does the Labor Arbiter have to decide?

The 2025 NLRC Rules direct the Labor Arbiter to decide within 30 calendar days after the case is submitted for decision. That period begins only after the required submissions or proceedings have been completed, not necessarily on the complaint-filing date.

What if the employer does not pay an agreed installment?

Report the default to the SEnA officer immediately. If voluntary compliance efforts fail, request referral and pursue execution before the proper DOLE Regional Office or NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch.

Can I follow up without appearing personally?

Usually, status may be requested by phone, email, or an authorized representative, subject to the office’s identity and authority requirements. A representative handling substantive matters may need a Special Power of Attorney or corporate authority document.

Official sources

This article provides general legal information, not advice for a particular case. Jurisdiction, prescription, available relief, and computation depend on the facts and documents. Official sources and procedures were checked as of August 18, 2026.