Quick answer

Most private-sector labor disputes begin with a Request for Assistance (RFA) under the Department of Labor and Employment’s Single Entry Approach (SEnA). You may file the RFA online through DOLE ARMS or in person at an authorized Single Entry Assistance Desk. SEnA provides up to 30 calendar days of mandatory conciliation-mediation to help the parties settle.

If the dispute is not settled—or a party asks to end conciliation early—the SEnA officer may issue a referral or endorsement to the office with jurisdiction. Claims for illegal dismissal, reinstatement, unfair labor practice, employment-related damages, and most substantial money claims ordinarily proceed before a Labor Arbiter at the appropriate NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch.

Filing with “DOLE” and filing an NLRC case are therefore not always the same thing:

A SEnA RFA starts conciliation and helps identify the proper office.
A DOLE Regional Office handles labor-standards enforcement and certain claims within its statutory authority.
An NLRC Labor Arbiter adjudicates termination disputes and other cases assigned to the NLRC by law.

Do not wait for the last day of a prescriptive period. The correct deadline depends on the claim, when it accrued, and sometimes the documents or prior proceedings.

Start with SEnA

Republic Act No. 10396 makes conciliation-mediation the general prerequisite for labor and employment disputes, subject to statutory and DOLE-authorized exceptions. An adjudicating office ordinarily entertains the dispute after a duly authorized officer endorses or refers it.

Who may file an RFA?

According to DOLE’s current filing system, an RFA may be submitted by an aggrieved:

Individual worker, including a kasambahay
Group of workers
Union, federation, or workers’ association
OFW
Employer

If the aggrieved person is absent or incapacitated, an immediate family member may file with a Special Power of Attorney. Legitimate heirs may file when the aggrieved person has died. Special rules and agencies may apply to OFWs and seafarers.

Where and how may it be filed?

An RFA may be filed:

Online: through DOLE ARMS
In person: at a DOLE Regional or Provincial Office, an NLRC office or Regional Arbitration Branch, or an NCMB office or regional branch authorized to receive SEnA requests

Use the office connected with the workplace or employer whenever possible. Venue and jurisdiction can depend on the workplace, the parties, the relief requested, and special rules. If unsure, let the SEnA desk route the matter instead of guessing.

After online filing, save the reference number, confirmation, and screenshots. DOLE ARMS allows an RFA to be tracked using its reference number or docket number.

What information should the RFA contain?

State the facts plainly and chronologically:

Your complete name and current contact details
The employer’s complete legal or business name
The employer’s workplace and last known business address
Your position, start date, employment status, and rate of pay
What happened and the relevant dates
Each issue you want addressed
The specific relief requested, such as unpaid wages, final pay, reinstatement, separation pay, or issuance of employment records
The names of agencies, contractors, officers, or related companies that may be legally responsible

Include both the direct employer and any contractor, agency, principal, or responsible corporate entity when the facts may involve contracting or joint liability. Do not name individuals merely because they are supervisors; personal liability depends on law and evidence.

What happens during SEnA?

A Single Entry Assistance Desk Officer schedules conciliation-mediation conferences and helps the parties explore a voluntary settlement. The officer is a neutral conciliator, not the worker’s lawyer or the employer’s representative.

The normal SEnA period is 30 calendar days. Under Republic Act No. 10396, either party may ask to pre-terminate conciliation and request referral or endorsement to the proper office. If both parties agree, unresolved issues may instead be submitted to voluntary arbitration.

If an agreement is reached, read it closely before signing. Confirm that it identifies:

Every claim being settled
The exact amount and payment date
The payment method
Any reinstatement, clearance, document, or nonmonetary obligation
What happens if a party fails to comply
Whether the release covers all claims or only specified claims

A settlement voluntarily reached with the proper labor authority is generally final and binding and may be immediately enforceable. Do not sign a quitclaim or acknowledge full payment until you understand its scope and verify the payment arrangement.

If settlement fails, obtain and preserve the referral or endorsement and ask exactly where the formal complaint must be filed.

When the case belongs with DOLE

A DOLE Regional Office may act through labor inspection and enforcement when the dispute concerns compliance with labor standards, particularly while the employment relationship still exists. This may include minimum-wage compliance, wage-related records, hours of work, occupational safety and health, and other statutory standards.

Separately, Article 129 of the Labor Code gives the DOLE Regional Director or an authorized hearing officer summary authority over certain wage and benefit claims when:

The claim arises from an employer-employee relationship;
No reinstatement is sought; and
The aggregate claim of each employee does not exceed the statutory ceiling of ₱5,000.

That decades-old ceiling remains in the statutory text, but DOLE’s inspection and compliance-order powers under Article 128 are distinct and may operate more broadly. The proper route therefore cannot be decided by claim amount alone.

Ask the SEnA officer or DOLE Regional Office whether the matter will proceed as an inspection, an Article 129 claim, or an endorsement to the NLRC. The Labor Code provisions on these powers appear in Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended.

When the case belongs with the NLRC

Labor Arbiters generally have original and exclusive jurisdiction over private-sector cases involving:

Illegal dismissal or other termination disputes
Reinstatement
Unfair labor practice
Employment-related actual, moral, exemplary, or other damages
The legality of strikes or lockouts within NLRC jurisdiction
Money claims assigned by the Labor Code to Labor Arbiters
Certain OFW money claims under special legislation

The NLRC itself ordinarily reviews Labor Arbiter decisions on appeal; the formal complaint initially goes to a Regional Arbitration Branch, not directly to the Commission proper.

Important exceptions include:

Government personnel covered by civil-service law generally proceed through the appropriate government and Civil Service Commission processes.
Disputes arising from the interpretation or implementation of a collective bargaining agreement or company personnel policy may belong in the grievance machinery and voluntary arbitration.
Social Security, employees’ compensation, and similar statutory-benefit disputes have their own agencies and procedures.
Intra-union, inter-union, certification-election, strike-notice, and bargaining-deadlock matters may belong to the Bureau of Labor Relations, DOLE Regional Office, or National Conciliation and Mediation Board.
An independent-contractor dispute may fall outside labor jurisdiction if no employer-employee relationship legally existed.
OFWs and seafarers are subject to additional legislation, contracts, and procedural rules.

Jurisdiction depends on the allegations and the true nature of the relationship—not merely the label in a contract or the title placed on the complaint.

How to file the formal NLRC complaint

After receiving the SEnA referral or endorsement, go promptly to the proper NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch. Check the NLRC directory before traveling because office locations and contact details can change.

Bring:

The SEnA referral or endorsement
A government-issued ID
The employer’s correct name and service address
Your employment contract or appointment documents
A chronology of events and list of claims
Copies of supporting evidence
Contact details and addresses for all parties
An authorization or Special Power of Attorney if someone is lawfully acting for another person

The branch may require its prescribed complaint form, verification, certification against forum shopping, and sufficient copies for service. Follow the current branch instructions and the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure. Do not assume that an email or an informal letter has formally commenced the NLRC case; obtain a stamped receiving copy or official electronic acknowledgment and docket number.

State every material claim

List all causes of action supported by the facts, such as:

Illegal dismissal
Constructive dismissal
Underpayment or nonpayment of wages
Overtime, holiday, rest-day, or night-shift differential pay
Unpaid 13th-month pay
Service incentive leave pay
Unauthorized deductions
Final pay or separation pay, when legally due
Reinstatement or separation pay in lieu of reinstatement
Damages or attorney’s fees, when legally supportable

Do not deliberately inflate a claim. Conversely, do not omit an issue merely because you cannot calculate it exactly. The Supreme Court has recognized that a worker is not necessarily required to present a perfect computation at the outset, but the facts, periods, and nature of the claim must still be identified and supported.

After the position papers are filed, adding new causes of action may require the Labor Arbiter’s permission. Accuracy and completeness at filing matter.

What happens after docketing?

The branch assigns a case number and Labor Arbiter. The parties ordinarily attend mandatory conciliation and mediation conferences before litigation proceeds.

If the case does not settle, the Labor Arbiter directs the parties to submit verified position papers, supporting documents, and witness affidavits according to the schedule in the order. Affidavits commonly take the place of direct testimony. A clarificatory conference or hearing may be held when necessary, but labor cases are often decided primarily from the pleadings and documentary record.

Never ignore an order because someone informally said the conference would be reset. Rely on the written order or confirmed official instruction.

A lawyer is not always required at the initial stage, but legal assistance is valuable when the case involves dismissal, large claims, multiple companies, overseas employment, union issues, prescription, contested employment status, or an appeal.

Evidence to preserve

Preserve originals and make readable copies of:

Employment contracts, job offers, appointment papers, and company IDs
Payslips, payroll records, bank statements, remittance records, and cash-payment acknowledgments
Daily time records, biometrics, schedules, logbooks, trip records, or delivery-app records
Notices to explain, written explanations, administrative-hearing records, and termination notices
Resignation letters, quitclaims, releases, waivers, and clearance forms
Company policies, handbooks, memoranda, and applicable collective bargaining agreements
Emails, text messages, chat conversations, and platform messages
Performance evaluations, warnings, commendations, and attendance records
Proof that you reported for work or offered to return
Medical records when illness, injury, disability, or discrimination is relevant
Names and contact details of witnesses with personal knowledge
SEnA submissions, conference notices, settlement drafts, referrals, and attendance records
Every NLRC pleading, order, proof of service, envelope, courier receipt, and acknowledgment

Keep messages in their original devices or accounts when possible. Export full conversations with dates and identities visible; isolated screenshots can lose context. Do not alter, fabricate, or secretly obtain records through unlawful access.

For unpaid-wage claims, prepare a table showing the pay period, hours or entitlement, amount received, amount allegedly due, and supporting document. Mark estimates as estimates.

How to follow up a SEnA request

For an online RFA:

Open DOLE ARMS.
Choose the status-tracking option.
Enter the reference or docket number from the confirmation or receipt.
Save the displayed status and any scheduled conference details.
Contact the assigned office if the status is unclear or your contact information has changed.

For an in-person RFA, contact the receiving Single Entry Assistance Desk. Give the complete RFA number, filing date, parties’ names, and your current contact details. Ask whether:

The request has been assigned to a SEnA officer;
A notice has been issued or served;
A conference has been scheduled;
Any document is missing;
The matter has been settled, pre-terminated, referred, or closed; and
A referral or endorsement is ready for release.

Document the date, name of the person contacted, and substance of the response. A follow-up does not replace attendance or extend a legal deadline.

How to follow up an NLRC case

Contact the docket or case-status unit of the Regional Arbitration Branch handling the case. Use the official contact information in the NLRC directory.

Provide:

Complete case title
NLRC docket number
Name of the Labor Arbiter or division, if known
Date and description of the last filing or conference
Your current mailing address, email address, and phone number

Ask whether:

A pleading or proof of service was received;
An order, notice, or decision has been issued;
The case was submitted for decision;
An appeal was filed or transmitted;
A decision has become final;
An entry of judgment or writ of execution has issued; or
Additional action is required from you.

Inspect the case record or request an appropriate certified copy when the exact contents or date of receipt matter. Telephone information is useful for status checks but does not replace the official record.

Keep your address updated through a formal notice filed in the case and served on the other party. Missing a decision because you moved or stopped checking your registered email may jeopardize a remedy.

Deadlines that require particular care

Prescription for filing the claim

Common periods include:

Money claims arising from employment: generally three years from accrual under Article 306 of the Labor Code.
Illegal dismissal: generally four years from dismissal because it is treated as an injury to rights under Article 1146 of the Civil Code.
Unfair labor practice under Book V of the Labor Code: generally one year from accrual.

Accrual can be disputed. Different benefits may accrue on different dates, and exceptions exist. For example, the Supreme Court has applied a distinct accrual rule to the monetary equivalent of unused service incentive leave. A demand letter, prior complaint, acknowledgment, or SEnA proceeding may raise prescription issues, but no one should assume that informal negotiations automatically preserve every claim.

File early and obtain advice immediately if any relevant event occurred close to one, three, or four years ago.

Appeal from a Labor Arbiter

A party generally has 10 calendar days from receipt of the Labor Arbiter’s decision or final order to appeal to the NLRC. The period is strict.

The appeal must comply with the grounds, form, verification, proof-of-service, and other requirements in the current NLRC Rules. When an employer appeals a monetary award, the Labor Code generally requires a cash or surety bond equivalent to the monetary award, subject to the governing rules and jurisprudence. A defective or late appeal can be dismissed.

Reconsideration and court review

A motion for reconsideration of an NLRC decision generally must be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt, and only one such motion is allowed under the rules.

Further review is not an ordinary appeal. A challenge to an NLRC ruling generally proceeds through a petition for certiorari under Rule 65 in the Court of Appeals, normally within 60 days from notice of the assailed ruling or the denial of a timely motion for reconsideration. Technical rules on the proper remedy, reckoning date, parties, attachments, and service are critical. Obtain counsel immediately upon receiving an adverse ruling.

Do not calculate any deadline from the date printed on the decision. It is usually receipt or notice that controls, and proof of receipt must be preserved.

Common mistakes to avoid

Filing only a complaint with a barangay, police station, company hotline, or social-media page and assuming an official labor case exists
Waiting for internal negotiations while a prescriptive period continues to run
Naming the wrong corporate entity or giving an address where process cannot be served
Losing the SEnA referral, docket number, envelopes, or proof of receipt
Missing a conference because no separate reminder arrived
Signing a quitclaim without checking the amount, scope, and payment terms
Resigning impulsively when claiming constructive dismissal; the reason, timing, and supporting facts matter
Deleting work-related messages or surrendering the only copies during clearance
Submitting edited screenshots without the surrounding conversation
Omitting claims or respondents until after position papers
Treating estimates as exact payroll calculations
Ignoring the employer’s contractor, agency, or principal when their legal relationships are relevant
Assuming a favorable decision automatically produces payment; execution may still be necessary
Relying on an unofficial verbal status update instead of obtaining the order or decision
Missing an appeal deadline while looking for a lawyer

When legal help is urgent

Seek assistance from a labor lawyer, union representative, Public Attorney’s Office if eligible, or another authorized legal-aid provider without delay when:

A filing or appeal deadline is near
You have received a dismissal notice or NLRC decision
You are being pressured to sign a resignation, release, or quitclaim
The employer has closed, transferred assets, or become unreachable
Several contractors, agencies, corporate officers, or foreign entities are involved
The employer disputes that you were an employee
The case concerns union activity, retaliation, a strike, or unfair labor practice
You are an OFW or seafarer with contractual, medical, disability, or repatriation issues
The dispute involves harassment, violence, trafficking, criminal conduct, or immediate danger
The claim concerns a death, serious injury, disability, pregnancy discrimination, or substantial unpaid benefits
An adverse decision must be challenged in the Court of Appeals

Immediate threats, violence, or unlawful confinement should also be reported to the appropriate emergency or law-enforcement authority; SEnA is not an emergency-protection process.

Frequently asked questions

Can I go directly to the NLRC?

You may approach an NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch or its SEnA desk, but mandatory conciliation-mediation is the general prerequisite. The formal Labor Arbiter case ordinarily proceeds after referral or endorsement, unless a recognized exception applies.

Is SEnA already a lawsuit?

No. An RFA begins a conciliation-mediation process. It does not by itself mean that a Labor Arbiter has adjudicated the claims. If there is no settlement, obtain the proper referral and complete the formal filing with the office that has jurisdiction.

Can I file while still employed?

Yes. SEnA and labor-standards remedies are not limited to former employees. The proper office and remedy depend on the claim and the employment relationship.

Can an employer file under SEnA?

Yes. DOLE ARMS expressly accepts employers as requesting parties.

What if the employer does not attend?

Keep attending as directed. The SEnA officer will determine the appropriate disposition or referral. Once a formal NLRC case is filed, failure of a duly notified party to appear or submit required pleadings may allow proceedings to continue under the applicable rules, but it does not guarantee the other party will win.

Do I need to know the exact amount before filing?

Not always, but identify each claim, the period involved, the rate of pay, and the facts supporting it. Provide the best good-faith computation possible and preserve records that allow the amount to be verified.

Can I withdraw from SEnA and file the formal case?

A party may request pre-termination and referral or endorsement under Republic Act No. 10396. Do not simply stop attending; make the request through the assigned SEnA officer and obtain the necessary document.

What if we settle but the employer does not pay?

Return promptly to the office that assisted with the settlement. Bring the signed agreement and proof of nonpayment. The correct enforcement procedure depends on where and how the agreement was executed and approved.

Where can I verify current forms and office details?

Use the official DOLE ARMS portal, DOLE e-Services page, NLRC website, NLRC issuances, and NLRC contact directory.

Official legal sources

This article provides general legal information, not legal advice or a prediction of any case’s outcome. Jurisdiction, prescription, available relief, and procedural requirements may change based on the facts, governing contract, applicable special law, and documents received. Official sources and current procedures were checked on 31 August 2026.