Quick answer

For most private-sector labor disputes, begin by filing a Request for Assistance (RFA) under the Single Entry Approach, or SEnA. You may file:

Online through the official DOLE Assistance for Request Management System; or
Onsite at a Single Entry Assistance Desk of a DOLE regional, provincial, field or satellite office, an NCMB office, or an NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch.

SEnA is a mandatory conciliation-mediation process for most labor disputes. The officer helps the parties explore a voluntary settlement but does not decide who is legally right. If the dispute is not settled, ask for a Referral to the government office with jurisdiction.

The proper next office depends on the claim:

Issue	Usual forum after SEnA
Illegal or constructive dismissal, reinstatement, unfair labor practice, employment-related damages	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Other employer-employee money claims exceeding ₱5,000 per employee	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Simple wage or benefit claim of ₱5,000 or less per employee, without reinstatement	DOLE Regional Director under Article 129
Labor-standards violations while employment still exists	DOLE inspection and enforcement; an inspection-based compliance order is not limited to ₱5,000
CBA or company-policy interpretation	Grievance machinery and usually voluntary arbitration
SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG or employees’ compensation benefit claim	The agency designated by the applicable law
Strike, lockout or preventive-mediation matter	NCMB under its separate procedures

SEnA is normally a prerequisite to a formal labor complaint under Republic Act No. 10396. Filing an online RFA is not yet the same as filing a formal NLRC complaint.

DOLE, SEnA and the NLRC are not interchangeable

SEnA is the settlement stage. Its purpose is to prevent a dispute from becoming a formal case.

DOLE Regional Offices administer labor standards and may conduct workplace inspections, issue compliance orders and hear limited simple money claims. While an employer-employee relationship still exists, DOLE’s inspection authority may cover labor-standard deficiencies regardless of amount, subject to the requirements and exceptions in Article 128 and the current inspection rules.

NLRC Labor Arbiters adjudicate cases. Their jurisdiction includes termination disputes, unfair labor practices, reinstatement claims, employment-related damages, most employer-employee money claims exceeding ₱5,000, and specified claims involving Filipino workers deployed overseas.

Jurisdiction depends on the allegations, relief requested, employment status, applicable statute and supporting documents—not merely on whether a filing is called a “DOLE complaint.”

Step 1: File a SEnA Request for Assistance

Who may file

Under DOLE Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025, an RFA may be filed by an aggrieved worker, former worker, group of workers, union, federation or workers’ association. The process also accepts matters involving kasambahays and overseas Filipino workers.

If the requesting party is absent or incapacitated, an immediate family member or duly authorized representative must generally present a Special Power of Attorney. An heir or representative filing after the worker’s death must present the documents required by the SEnA rules.

Where to file

For onsite filing, the requesting party may generally choose the SEnA desk:

Nearest the requesting party’s residence;
At the place where the union, federation chapter or workers’ association operates; or
At the employer’s principal place of business.

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

For online filing, use DOLE ARMS. Save the reference number and confirmation page. The portal also has a Check RFA Status function.

There is no fee for filing an RFA.

Information to provide

Prepare the following before filing:

Your complete name, address, mobile number and email address;
The employer’s exact registered or business name;
The worksite and employer’s complete address;
The names and positions of relevant company representatives;
Your job, employment dates, wage rate and work schedule;
A short chronological account of what happened;
Each issue you want addressed;
The amount claimed, if reasonably computable; and
The specific result sought, such as payment, reinstatement, issuance of a Certificate of Employment or correction of a labor-standard violation.

If a contractor, agency, principal, franchise operator or related corporation is involved, identify each entity’s role. Do not name individual officers as personally liable without a factual and legal basis.

What happens after filing

For an onsite RFA, the SEnA officer interviews the requesting party, evaluates whether the issue is covered, dockets the request and schedules the initial conference. For an online request, the office validates and assigns it before scheduling.

The current rules call for the initial conference within five calendar days, or on the earliest available date not exceeding ten days from assignment to the SEnA officer. The 30-calendar-day conciliation period begins when both parties appear at the initial conference. If settlement still appears possible, the parties may mutually agree to an extension not exceeding 15 additional calendar days.

Either party may ask to pre-terminate the process and obtain the proper referral. Referral may also become appropriate when settlement fails, only some issues are settled, the responding party misses two consecutive duly notified conferences, or a settlement is not honored.

Issues that do not use ordinary SEnA processing

Department Order No. 249-25 excludes matters governed by separate laws or procedures, including:

Actual strikes or lockouts, notices of strike or lockout and preventive-mediation notices;
CBA or company-personnel-policy interpretation covered by grievance machinery;
Applications for exemption from wage orders;
Specified permit, license, contractor-registration and accreditation violations;
Occupational-safety matters involving imminent danger, dangerous occurrences, disabling injury, or absent or inadequate personal protective equipment;
Claims under social-security and welfare legislation;
Claims already covered by a settlement and quitclaim executed before a SEnA officer; and
Inter-union and intra-union disputes.

A desk that receives an excluded matter should direct or refer the requesting party to the proper process. An imminent safety danger should be reported immediately rather than held for ordinary settlement discussions.

How to handle a proposed SEnA settlement

A fair settlement should be written in specific, measurable terms. For a monetary settlement, confirm:

The exact amount;
Whether it is gross or net of identified lawful deductions;
Whether payment is lump-sum or by installments;
Every payment amount and due date;
The payment method and recipient account;
What happens if an installment is missed;
Which issues are fully settled and which remain unresolved; and
When any quitclaim, withdrawal or release becomes effective.

Read the document before signing. Ask questions if the computation, waiver or tax treatment is unclear. Do not rely on an oral promise that contradicts the written terms.

A settlement signed by the parties and properly attested through SEnA is final and immediately executory under the applicable rules. A waiver and quitclaim should be issued only upon full compliance. If the employer defaults, promptly return to the handling SEnA officer and request referral to the appropriate DOLE Regional Office or NLRC branch for enforcement.

Statements and information exchanged during conciliation are generally privileged. Do not secretly record a SEnA conference; the current rules prohibit unauthorized voice, video or electronic recording.

Step 2: File the formal complaint if SEnA fails

Obtain and keep the original or an authenticated copy of the Referral. Confirm whether it directs the unresolved matter to DOLE, the NLRC, the NCMB, voluntary arbitration or another agency.

Filing with the NLRC

A formal complaint within a Labor Arbiter’s jurisdiction is filed at the proper NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch. Under the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure, which took effect on January 13, 2026:

Every complainant must sign the complaint;
The complaint must contain a verification and certification of non-forum shopping;
The names and addresses of all complainants and respondents must be stated; and
All causes of action arising from the same relationship should be included in one complaint.

Bring or attach the SEnA Referral, a valid identification document and supporting records. The Complaint Unit can assist a worker in completing the form, and no fee is required to file the labor case. Certified copies, appeals and other later transactions may have separate lawful charges.

A lawyer is not required. A worker may represent himself or herself. Non-lawyer representation of another person is restricted to the situations specifically allowed by the 2025 Rules, such as qualified labor-organization or legal-aid representation with the required authority.

Proper NLRC venue

A complainant may generally choose the Regional Arbitration Branch with jurisdiction over:

The workplace; or
The complainant’s residence.

“Workplace” includes the location where the employee is assigned or expected to report after a temporary assignment; where an itinerant or field employee regularly receives instructions, wages or reports results; and an alternative workplace used by a telecommuting employee.

For an overseas Filipino worker case, venue may generally be the branch where the complainant resides or where the principal office of any respondent is located.

If venue is challenged, it must ordinarily be raised on or before the first mandatory conference. A special statute may provide a different rule, particularly for seafarers or other overseas workers.

Filing methods

The 2025 Rules recognize personal filing, registered mail and a courier authorized by the Commission. If registered mail or an authorized courier is used, the mailing date is treated as the filing date. Keep the registry receipt, official courier receipt and tracking record.

Do not assume that emailing a pleading to an office address, sending it through social media, or submitting it through DOLE ARMS constitutes formal NLRC filing. Follow the Regional Arbitration Branch’s official instructions and the 2025 Rules.

What happens after docketing

The complaint is raffled to a Labor Arbiter. The current rules require the Labor Arbiter to issue summons within two working days from receipt of the complaint or amended complaint. The summons states two settings for mandatory conciliation and mediation before the Labor Arbiter.

If the case does not settle:

The Labor Arbiter identifies the parties, claims and disputed issues.
The parties are directed to file verified position papers, supporting documents and witness affidavits on a date within ten calendar days after termination of the mandatory conference.
A reply may be filed within ten calendar days from receipt of the opposing position paper, on the schedule set by the Labor Arbiter.
A clarificatory conference or hearing is held only if the Labor Arbiter considers it necessary.
The case is submitted for decision.

The Rules direct the Labor Arbiter to decide within 30 calendar days after submission for decision. That is a procedural target; the complete duration still depends on service of summons, conferences, submissions, interlocutory issues and the case record.

Do not miss the two conference dates stated in the summons. A complainant’s unjustified non-appearance at both settings may cause dismissal without prejudice; a second dismissal for the same reason may be with prejudice.

When the unresolved matter is referred to DOLE

A DOLE Regional Office may proceed through different legal routes.

Labor inspection and compliance

If employment still exists and the matter concerns minimum wage, overtime, holiday pay, rest-day premiums, wage deductions, payroll records, hours of work or another labor standard, DOLE may conduct an inspection and issue a compliance order under Article 128. An inspection-based award is not subject to the ₱5,000 ceiling.

The current administrative framework is in DOLE Department Order No. 238, Series of 2023. The employer must ordinarily make employment records available during inspection.

If the employment relationship has ended, a reinstatement claim is made, or the issue belongs to a Labor Arbiter, the case should be routed accordingly.

Simple money claims under Article 129

The DOLE Regional Director or an authorized hearing officer may hear a claim for wages and other monetary benefits if:

It arises from an employer-employee relationship;
It does not include reinstatement; and
The total claim of each employee does not exceed ₱5,000.

A decision under Article 129 may be appealed to the NLRC within five calendar days from receipt. Do not confuse this with the ten-day period for appealing a Labor Arbiter’s decision.

How to follow up properly

For a SEnA RFA

Use the reference number in the Check RFA Status function of DOLE ARMS. If the request was filed onsite or the portal gives no useful update, contact the handling SEnA desk and provide:

RFA reference number;
Names of the parties;
Filing and last-conference dates;
Name of the SEnA officer, if known; and
The specific information requested, such as the next conference, service status, settlement-compliance status or availability of a Referral.

Document the date, office and name of the person who responded.

For a formal NLRC case

Use the full NLRC case number. Contact the Records, Docket and Receiving Unit or the concerned Regional Arbitration Branch and ask:

Which Labor Arbiter or branch has the case;
Whether summons or a notice has been issued and served;
The next scheduled conference or filing date;
Whether a pleading has been received;
Whether the case has been submitted for decision; and
Whether a decision, resolution, entry of judgment or writ has been issued.

Current branch addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses are listed in the official NLRC directory. The NLRC Main Office and NCR Arbitration Branch also have a self-service kiosk for case-status inquiries.

A status inquiry does not extend a deadline and does not substitute for a required pleading, appeal, motion or personal appearance. Check registered mail and courier notices, and promptly file a written notice if your address or representative changes.

Evidence to preserve

Preserve original files and make secure backups. Useful evidence commonly includes:

Employment and employer identity

Employment contract, appointment letter or job offer;
Company ID and workplace access records;
Payslips, payroll records and bank-credit entries;
SSS contribution or employment records;
Company notices, policies and handbook provisions;
Contractor or agency documents; and
The employer’s registered name and business address.

Hours and compensation

Daily time records and biometric logs;
Work schedules, rosters and attendance sheets;
Timesheets, delivery records or system login histories;
Overtime approvals and instructions;
Leave records;
Payslips and payroll computations; and
A pay-period-by-pay-period computation of the amount claimed.

Dismissal or disciplinary action

Notice to explain and your written response;
Minutes or recordings lawfully provided from an administrative conference;
Suspension or termination notices;
Messages instructing you not to report;
Evidence of blocked system or workplace access;
Written requests to return to work and the employer’s response; and
Resignation documents, if constructive dismissal or coercion is alleged.

Communications and witnesses

Complete email threads, not isolated excerpts;
Exported chat histories with dates and participants visible;
Screenshots supported by the original electronic files;
Names and contact information of witnesses; and
Affidavits when required for the position paper.

Do not unlawfully access another person’s account or take confidential records unrelated to your claim. Preserve evidence you already lawfully possess, and ask the Labor Arbiter or counsel about documents controlled by the employer.

Filing deadlines that should not be ignored

The usual limitation periods include:

Money claims: three years from the time each claim accrued;
Illegal dismissal: four years from dismissal or accrual of the cause of action; and
Unfair labor practice: one year from accrual.

A filing deadline may be governed by a special law, contract or sector-specific rule. The Supreme Court has applied the four-year period to illegal-dismissal claims in decisions such as Arriola v. Pilipino Star Ngayon, Inc..

Filing an RFA interrupts the prescriptive period for compulsory-arbitration complaints under the NLRC’s En Banc Resolution No. 08-17. Nevertheless, do not wait until the last day. Disputes can arise over the date of accrual, the legal nature of the claim and whether a particular filing effectively interrupted prescription.

Appeals are especially urgent

A Labor Arbiter’s decision must generally be appealed to the NLRC within ten calendar days from receipt. A motion for reconsideration of a Labor Arbiter’s decision is prohibited and does not replace the appeal.

The appeal must satisfy all current requirements, including a verified memorandum of appeal, proof of service and payment of applicable fees. An employer appealing a monetary award must ordinarily post the required cash or surety bond. No extension of the appeal period is allowed.

If the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, the deadline moves to the next working day. Obtain legal help immediately upon receiving an adverse decision rather than relying on this adjustment.

Common mistakes

Treating an online RFA as the formal NLRC complaint;
Waiting for the full SEnA period when referral is already necessary to protect an urgent claim;
Filing in the wrong forum or ignoring a CBA grievance procedure;
Failing to obtain or attach the SEnA Referral;
Using an incomplete or incorrect company name or address;
Omitting a related cause of action and later trying to split the claims;
Failing to have every complainant sign the complaint and execute the required verification and certification;
Missing conferences, position-paper deadlines or registered-mail notices;
Submitting only calculations without the records supporting the hours and wage rates;
Signing a broad quitclaim before payment or without understanding its scope;
Assuming an employer’s non-appearance automatically proves the claim;
Sending pleadings by ordinary email without authority under the applicable rules;
Failing to keep stamped receiving copies, registry receipts or courier tracking records; and
Following up verbally but not correcting an address, requesting referral or filing the required pleading in writing.

When help is urgent

Seek prompt assistance from a labor lawyer, an eligible Public Attorney’s Office client, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines legal-aid program, a legitimate union representative or the NLRC’s authorized assistance personnel if:

A filing or appeal deadline is close;
You have received a Labor Arbiter’s decision or NLRC resolution;
The employer is closing, liquidating, transferring assets or destroying records;
Several contractors, agencies or corporate entities dispute who employed you;
The case involves a strike, lockout, union interference or possible unfair labor practice;
A settlement or quitclaim involves a substantial waiver;
There is workplace violence, retaliation, coercion or a threat to personal safety;
An occupational hazard presents imminent danger;
The claim involves an overseas worker, seafarer, disability or death benefit; or
Jurisdiction depends on technical facts or specialized legislation.

For general assistance and the correct regional office, call DOLE Hotline 1349 or use the official DOLE contact directory. For NLRC case inquiries, use the NLRC contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I file while I am still employed?

Yes. A current employee may request SEnA assistance or report labor-standard violations. Continuing employment is particularly relevant to DOLE’s inspection and compliance authority.

Do I need a lawyer?

No. You may file an RFA and represent yourself before the Labor Arbiter. A lawyer becomes especially helpful for disputed employment status, complex computations, multiple respondents, prescription, appeals, seafarer claims or substantial settlements.

What if the employer refuses to attend SEnA?

The SEnA officer does not enter a default judgment. After two consecutive duly notified conferences without the responding party, the request may be terminated and referred to the office that can adjudicate or enforce the claim.

Does SEnA always last 30 days?

No. The 30-day period begins when both parties appear at the initial conference. Either party may request earlier termination and referral. The parties may mutually extend the period by no more than 15 days when settlement remains possible.

Can I file the formal NLRC complaint online through DOLE ARMS?

No. DOLE ARMS is for the SEnA RFA. Follow the 2025 NLRC Rules and the receiving branch’s official directions for the formal complaint.

What if I have no written employment contract?

The absence of a written contract does not automatically defeat a claim. Payslips, bank deposits, IDs, schedules, instructions, messages, attendance records, testimony and evidence of the employer’s control may establish the employment relationship.

Can the employer settle only part of the claim?

Yes, if you freely agree. The written settlement should identify the issues and amounts settled and expressly preserve the unresolved claims. A receipt for partial payment should not be worded as a full release unless that is truly the agreement.

Can government employees file with the NLRC?

Employees of government agencies and many government entities with original charters are generally governed by civil-service processes rather than the NLRC. Employees of government-owned or controlled corporations organized under the Corporation Code may fall under labor-law jurisdiction. Confirm the entity’s charter and employment status before filing.

Are OFW claims handled the same way?

Not always. SEnA accepts OFW matters, and NLRC venue has a special rule, but the Department of Migrant Workers and sector-specific laws may also apply. Seafarer claims are subject to the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers and specialized NLRC procedures.

Official sources

This article provides general legal information, not advice for a particular case. Jurisdiction, prescription, available remedies and the effect of documents depend on the specific facts and governing law. Official sources and procedures were checked as of August 5, 2026.