Quick answer

Start with a Request for Assistance (RFA) under the Single Entry Approach (SEnA). You may file online through the official DOLE Assistance for Request Management System or in person at a participating DOLE, National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), or National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) office.

SEnA is the usual mandatory conciliation-mediation step before a labor case proceeds to the office with authority to decide it. If no settlement is reached—or either party asks to end SEnA early—the SEnA Desk Officer should refer or endorse the unresolved issues to the proper DOLE office, NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch, or other agency. This requirement comes from Republic Act No. 10396.

Use DOLE primarily for labor-standards assistance, inspections, and certain small money claims. Use the NLRC, through a Labor Arbiter, for cases such as illegal dismissal, claims involving reinstatement, unfair labor practice, and other claims within Labor Arbiter jurisdiction. The correct forum depends on the relief requested, the amount involved, the existence of an employer-employee relationship, and sometimes the worker’s industry or status.

Do not wait for repeated informal promises from an employer. Labor claims have prescriptive periods, and appeal deadlines can be as short as five or ten calendar days.

DOLE, SEnA, and the NLRC are not the same

SEnA is the entry and settlement process

SEnA is designed to resolve workplace disputes promptly through conciliation rather than a full adjudicated case. It may be used by an individual worker, a group of workers, a union or workers’ organization, an employer, a kasambahay, or an overseas Filipino worker. If the aggrieved person is absent or incapacitated, an immediate family member may file with a Special Power of Attorney; legitimate heirs may file if the person has died. These categories and filing options appear on the official DOLE ARMS portal.

The SEnA Desk Officer does not decide who is legally right in the same way a Labor Arbiter does. The officer helps the parties identify the issues, exchange proposals, and explore a voluntary settlement.

DOLE handles labor-standards enforcement and specified claims

DOLE Regional Offices exercise visitorial and enforcement powers over compliance with labor standards. Depending on the facts, DOLE may inspect payroll and workplace records and issue compliance orders.

A DOLE Regional Director may also hear certain money claims under Article 129 of the Labor Code when:

the claim arises from an employer-employee relationship;
the claimant no longer seeks reinstatement; and
the aggregate claim of each worker does not exceed ₱5,000, excluding legal interest.

That ₱5,000 rule concerns the Regional Director’s summary money-claim jurisdiction. It does not limit DOLE’s separate visitorial and enforcement powers, and it does not mean every claim above ₱5,000 automatically belongs in the same forum. Let the SEnA or complaint officer route the matter after reviewing the requested relief and supporting facts.

Labor Arbiters decide cases within NLRC jurisdiction

Labor Arbiters generally have original and exclusive jurisdiction over:

unfair labor practice cases;
termination disputes, including alleged illegal or constructive dismissal;
claims involving reinstatement;
wage, benefit, damages, and other claims arising from an employer-employee relationship when the applicable jurisdictional requirements are met;
claims exceeding ₱5,000 per employee when within Labor Arbiter jurisdiction; and
other cases assigned by the Labor Code or special laws.

Some disputes follow special routes. Examples may include grievances covered by a collective bargaining agreement, matters for voluntary arbitration, strikes or lockouts, occupational-safety enforcement, social-security contribution issues, government employees, and seafarer or other OFW claims governed by special statutes and rules. Ask for a written referral if an office says it lacks jurisdiction.

Step 1: Identify the complaint and the result you want

Write a short, chronological account covering:

Your job title, hiring date, workplace, employer, and actual work arrangement.
Your agreed salary or rate and usual work schedule.
What happened, including exact dates and the names of the people involved.
What amounts or rights are disputed.
What you want: payment, correction of records, reinstatement, separation pay where legally proper, release of documents, or another specific remedy.
What demands you already made and how the employer responded.

For a money claim, prepare a simple computation by pay period. Separate basic wages, overtime, holiday or rest-day pay, service incentive leave, 13th-month pay, commissions, deductions, and final pay. Label estimates as estimates. The deciding office will determine what is legally due from the evidence.

For dismissal, state clearly whether you received a termination notice, were verbally dismissed, were removed from the schedule, lost access to the workplace or company systems, were told not to return, or resigned because working conditions allegedly became unbearable. Constructive dismissal is fact-dependent; resignation alone does not automatically prove it.

Step 2: Preserve evidence before access disappears

Keep original files and make secure backups of:

employment contract, job offer, appointment papers, and company policies;
company ID, work assignments, attendance records, schedules, and daily time records;
payslips, payroll records, bank-credit entries, receipts, and commission reports;
notices to explain, written warnings, investigation records, and termination notices;
resignation letters, clearance papers, quitclaims, and final-pay computations;
emails, text messages, chat conversations, and screenshots showing dates and participants;
performance evaluations, awards, and evidence contradicting an alleged ground for dismissal;
names and contact details of witnesses;
SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and tax records where relevant;
written demands and proof that the employer received them; and
all SEnA and NLRC notices, minutes, orders, receipts, reference numbers, and proof of service.

Preserve complete message threads rather than isolated screenshots. Do not alter documents, secretly access accounts after authority has been withdrawn, or take confidential files unrelated to your claim.

Record the employer’s correct legal name and addresses. A trade name on a storefront may differ from the corporation or individual that employed you. Check contracts, payslips, BIR forms, government contribution records, and official company documents.

Step 3: File the SEnA Request for Assistance

Online filing

Go directly to arms.dole.gov.ph, choose the proper filer category, and provide accurate contact and dispute information. Save the confirmation, reference number, and any email or text acknowledgment.

The portal also provides a Track RFA Status function using a reference or docket number. Use only the official .gov.ph website and do not give passwords or one-time codes to anyone offering to “process” the case.

Onsite filing

An RFA may be filed at participating:

DOLE Regional or Provincial Offices;
NCMB Central or Regional Conciliation and Mediation Branches; or
NLRC Central Office or Regional Arbitration Branches.

Bring a government-issued ID, your evidence file, the employer’s complete details, and copies for submission. If filing for another person, bring the appropriate authority documents, such as a Special Power of Attorney where required.

What happens during SEnA

The office assigns a SEnA Desk Officer and schedules conciliation-mediation. Attend every setting or immediately explain any unavoidable absence in writing.

SEnA is generally a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation process. Under RA 10396, however, either or both parties may request pre-termination and referral or endorsement to the office with jurisdiction. The parties may also agree to voluntary arbitration where legally appropriate.

If settlement is reached, insist that the written agreement accurately identifies:

each claim being settled;
the exact amount and payment dates;
the payment method;
any tax or lawful deduction;
whether reinstatement, document release, or another non-monetary act is required;
what happens if a payment is missed; and
which claims, if any, are being released.

Read every waiver and quitclaim before signing. Ask that unclear language be explained in Filipino or another language you understand. Do not sign a statement saying you received money that has not actually been paid.

If no settlement is reached, obtain and retain the referral, endorsement, or certificate showing the disposition of the RFA. Confirm the next office, address, and filing requirements.

Step 4: File the NLRC complaint when the case belongs before a Labor Arbiter

NLRC proceedings are governed by the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure, effective January 13, 2026. They replaced the 2011 rules and introduced stricter filing and deadline requirements.

Where to file

Under the 2025 Rules, a worker may generally choose the NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch with jurisdiction over:

the worker’s workplace; or
the worker’s residence.

“Workplace” accommodates field, itinerant, telecommuting, and other alternative work arrangements under the rules. Venue may still depend on special provisions, particularly for OFWs or cases involving several workers or locations. Check the current branch directory through the NLRC official website.

Complaint requirements

Use the current NLRC complaint form and list all related causes of action arising from the employment relationship. Include the complete names and addresses of the respondents.

Under the 2025 Rules, every complainant must personally sign the complaint and execute the required:

verification; and
certification against forum shopping.

Disclose any other case involving the same facts or issues. Filing parallel proceedings without proper disclosure may lead to dismissal or other consequences.

Bring the SEnA referral or endorsement and the documents requested by the branch. If a company officer, union representative, heir, attorney-in-fact, or other representative will appear, confirm the required proof of authority.

Summons and mandatory conferences

After docketing and assignment, the Labor Arbiter causes summons and a copy of the complaint to be served on the respondents. Give the branch every known valid address and report any service problem promptly.

The Labor Arbiter conducts mandatory conciliation and mediation and may:

explore settlement;
identify the real parties;
narrow the issues;
obtain admissions or stipulations;
set deadlines for position papers; and
address preliminary matters.

Do not assume that the employer’s absence means an automatic win. The Labor Arbiter must still evaluate whether the evidence establishes the claim.

Position papers and supporting evidence

A position paper is the party’s organized statement of facts, legal arguments, remedies requested, and evidence. Submit it by the deadline in the Labor Arbiter’s order and serve the other parties as required.

The 2025 Rules impose serious consequences for failure to file. A complainant’s first failure despite notice may result in dismissal without prejudice, depending on the order and circumstances; a repeated failure may result in dismissal with prejudice. A respondent who fails to file risks having the case resolved from the complainant’s evidence.

Include essential evidence early. Do not hold back a key document expecting an ordinary courtroom trial later. Labor proceedings are summary and non-litigious, and technical court rules are not applied with the same rigidity, but due process and substantial evidence remain necessary.

How to follow up properly

For a SEnA request

Use Track RFA Status on DOLE ARMS with the reference or docket number.
Check the email address and mobile number supplied in the RFA, including spam folders.
Contact the assigned office or SEnA Desk Officer using contact details on an official notice or government website.
State your full name, reference or docket number, date filed, and last conference date.
Ask a precise question: whether the RFA has been validated, assigned, scheduled, settled, pre-terminated, or referred.
Keep a dated log of calls, emails, visits, names of personnel, and the response received.
If contact information changes, notify the office in writing immediately.

For an NLRC case

Follow up with the Regional Arbitration Branch where the case is docketed. Provide the full case title and case number. Ask whether:

summons has been served;
a conference or submission deadline has been set;
a pleading has been received;
the case has been submitted for decision;
a decision, resolution, or order has been issued;
an appeal has been filed; or
an entry of judgment, certificate of finality, or writ of execution is available.

A status inquiry does not replace a pleading, appeal, motion, or compliance required by the rules. File formal submissions through the mode and office directed by the NLRC, with proof of service when required.

Never rely solely on an online status or verbal assurance when a deadline is running. Obtain and read the actual order or decision.

Important deadlines

Prescription of the underlying claim

Ordinary money claims arising from employer-employee relations generally must be filed within three years from accrual under Article 306 of the Labor Code. Each unpaid wage or benefit may have its own accrual date.

An illegal-dismissal action is generally treated as an action based on injury to rights and must ordinarily be brought within four years under Article 1146 of the Civil Code. Different periods may apply to unfair labor practices, offenses, collective-agreement disputes, seafarer claims, contractual claims, or claims under special laws.

The Supreme Court has recognized that filing a required SEnA request may interrupt prescription. In Apolinario v. Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor Mindanao, Inc., the Court treated the claim as instituted when the SEnA request was filed because SEnA was a prerequisite to the Labor Arbiter complaint. Even so, do not file at the last minute or assume every informal demand, follow-up, or incorrectly filed request stops prescription.

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. An appeal is not perfected merely by sending a letter disagreeing with the decision. The requirements include a timely verified memorandum of appeal, applicable fees, proof of service, and other requirements under the rules.

When an employer appeals a monetary award, a cash or accredited surety bond equivalent to the monetary award is generally required, subject to the rules governing bond reduction and special cases.

A motion for reconsideration of a Labor Arbiter’s decision is generally not the remedy; the proper remedy is a timely appeal.

Appeal from a DOLE Regional Director’s Article 129 decision

The appeal period is generally five calendar days from receipt. Confirm the governing provision in the decision itself because DOLE compliance orders issued under other authority may follow a different review route.

Challenge to an NLRC Commission decision

A party should ordinarily file a timely motion for reconsideration with the NLRC before seeking judicial review. Only one motion for reconsideration is generally allowed, and it must be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt.

Judicial review is normally through a Rule 65 petition for certiorari in the Court of Appeals, generally within 60 days from notice of the challenged NLRC resolution or the denial of a timely motion for reconsideration. This is not a regular appeal and must allege grave abuse of discretion, not simply reargue the evidence. Court assistance is strongly advisable.

Calendar days include weekends and holidays, subject to the applicable rule when the final day falls on a non-working day. Never assume an extension is available.

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for final pay or settlement promises until prescription is close.
Filing against a trade name while omitting the actual employer or responsible juridical entity.
Giving an outdated or incomplete respondent address.
Leaving illegal dismissal, wage claims, or another related cause of action out of the complaint.
Signing a complaint without the required verification and certification against forum shopping.
Failing to disclose another pending or previously filed case.
Missing conferences because a notice went to an old phone number, email address, or residence.
Ignoring an order to submit a position paper.
Submitting screenshots without dates, names, context, or the complete conversation.
Inflating computations or claiming benefits without identifying the legal or contractual basis.
Assuming SEnA automatically produces a judgment when the employer refuses to settle.
Signing a quitclaim without understanding which claims are released.
Accepting installment terms without clear due dates and a remedy for default.
Treating a status inquiry as an appeal or formal pleading.
Counting appeal periods in working days instead of calendar days.
Paying an unverified fixer or representative who promises a guaranteed outcome.

When legal help is urgent

Seek help immediately from a lawyer, union counsel, the Public Attorney’s Office if eligible, an accredited legal-aid organization, or the appropriate government help desk when:

a prescriptive period may expire soon;
you received a Labor Arbiter or DOLE decision and an appeal period is running;
you received an NLRC resolution and may need reconsideration or a Court of Appeals petition;
several corporate entities, contractors, agencies, or alleged employers are involved;
the employer is closing, transferring assets, or becoming insolvent;
you are being pressured to sign a resignation, quitclaim, waiver, or backdated document;
the case involves retaliation, threats, violence, trafficking, forced labor, or confiscation of documents;
a strike, lockout, union dispute, or collective bargaining agreement is involved;
you are a seafarer or OFW with disability, medical, repatriation, death, or contract claims governed by special deadlines;
the worker has died or lacks capacity; or
a settlement has been breached and enforcement is necessary.

Threats, violence, detention, or immediate danger should also be reported to the appropriate emergency or law-enforcement authority; SEnA is not an emergency-protection mechanism.

Frequently asked questions

Can I go directly to the NLRC without SEnA?

Most labor and employment disputes must first undergo SEnA under RA 10396. Statutory or regulatory exceptions exist, and either party may request early termination of SEnA and endorsement to the proper office. Ask the NLRC complaint unit to confirm whether your case requires an endorsement.

Can I file while I am still employed?

Yes. SEnA is not limited to dismissed employees. It may cover unpaid wages, benefits, deductions, scheduling issues, final pay, workplace disputes, and other employment concerns. The correct adjudicating office still depends on the claim.

Is a lawyer required?

A worker may generally appear without a lawyer in SEnA and NLRC proceedings. Representation rules nevertheless restrict who may act for another person. A non-lawyer cannot simply operate as paid legal counsel. Legal assistance is particularly valuable for dismissal, prescription, jurisdiction, appeals, complex computations, or multi-employer arrangements.

What if the employer does not attend SEnA?

SEnA cannot force a voluntary settlement. If conciliation fails, request the proper referral or endorsement and promptly file in the office with jurisdiction. Keep proof of every conference and notice.

What if the employer does not attend the NLRC case?

The Labor Arbiter may proceed in accordance with the rules after valid service and due process. The worker must still present substantial evidence supporting the claims.

Can I include company officers or owners as respondents?

Only when there is a factual and legal basis. A corporation has a personality separate from its officers and shareholders, and personal liability is not automatic. Identify the actual employer and obtain advice before naming individuals merely because they own or manage the business.

Does filing guarantee payment?

No. A favorable decision may still require finality and execution. If the losing party does not comply, ask the Labor Arbiter or NLRC branch about a certificate of finality, entry of judgment, writ of execution, and sheriff enforcement.

Where can I verify current forms and procedures?

Use the NLRC official website, its issuances page, the DOLE website, and the official DOLE ARMS portal. Obtain forms and contact details only from official government pages or offices.

Official legal sources

This article provides general Philippine legal information, not legal advice or a prediction of any case’s outcome. Jurisdiction, prescription, available remedies, and required documents depend on the facts, contracts, and governing special laws. Official sources and procedures were checked as of August 31, 2026.