Quick answer

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

SEnA provides up to 30 calendar days of mandatory conciliation-mediation. If the dispute is not settled, obtain the referral or endorsement issued by the SEnA desk and file the proper complaint with the agency that has jurisdiction—often the NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch for illegal dismissal, reinstatement, damages, unfair labor practice, or substantial employment-related money claims.

A SEnA request is not yet an adjudicated NLRC case. It is an attempt to settle the dispute voluntarily. A formal NLRC complaint begins compulsory arbitration before a Labor Arbiter.

Do not delay merely because negotiations are continuing. Employment claims have prescriptive periods, and an appeal from a Labor Arbiter’s decision generally must be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt.

DOLE, SEnA, and the NLRC perform different functions

“Filing with DOLE” and “filing with the NLRC” are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same procedure.

SEnA: the usual first step

SEnA is a mandatory conciliation-mediation mechanism established under Republic Act No. 10396 and presently governed by DOLE Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025. A Single Entry Assistance Desk Officer, or SEADO, helps the parties explore a voluntary settlement but does not decide who is legally right.

An RFA may generally be filed by:

An individual worker, including a kasambahay;
A group of workers;
A union, federation, workers’ association, or authorized representative;
An overseas Filipino worker;
An employer; or
In appropriate circumstances, an immediate family member acting under a Special Power of Attorney or the legitimate heirs of a deceased worker.

The current DOLE system also accepts RFAs involving workers in platform, gig, flexible, and other non-standard work arrangements. Acceptance for conciliation does not by itself establish that an employer-employee relationship exists; that issue may still have to be proved.

DOLE Regional Office: certain labor-standard matters

A DOLE Regional Director or authorized hearing officer may decide a simple claim for unpaid wages or benefits under Article 129 of the Labor Code when:

The claim does not include reinstatement; and
The aggregate monetary claim of each employee does not exceed ₱5,000, inclusive of legal interest.

DOLE also has visitorial and enforcement powers over labor standards. In an inspection or enforcement proceeding, its authority may apply regardless of the amount involved when the statutory conditions for that authority exist. This is different from the limited Article 129 summary-claim jurisdiction.

NLRC Labor Arbiter: adjudication of labor cases

A Labor Arbiter generally has original and exclusive jurisdiction over matters such as:

Illegal, constructive, or other termination disputes;
Claims for reinstatement;
Unfair labor practice cases;
Claims for actual, moral, exemplary, or other damages arising from employment;
Employment-related money claims exceeding ₱5,000;
Certain strike or lockout disputes;
Enforcement of a SEnA compromise agreement when a party fails to comply; and
Other cases assigned by law to Labor Arbiters.

Claims for SSS, Employees’ Compensation, PhilHealth or former Medicare, and statutory benefit matters assigned to another agency are not converted into NLRC cases merely because they concern employment.

Collective disputes governed by a collective bargaining agreement may also have to pass through the CBA grievance machinery and voluntary arbitration. Union-registration, inter-union, intra-union, strike, occupational-safety, migrant-worker, and seafarer matters can involve specialized rules or agencies.

Step 1: identify the employer and the relief you want

Before filing, write down:

Your employer’s exact legal or business name;
The names of any agency, contractor, subcontractor, principal, or manning agency involved;
Their current office and service addresses;
Your workplace and work assignment;
Your position, hiring date, salary, and usual schedule;
The date and manner of dismissal, resignation, suspension, or nonpayment;
Each amount or benefit claimed and the period it covers; and
What you want: payment, reinstatement, separation pay where legally proper, correction of records, issuance of documents, or another specific remedy.

Name the correct respondents. A brand name, supervisor’s nickname, or obsolete office address may be insufficient. When agency work, contracting, or subcontracting is involved, identify both the contractor and principal and bring documents showing how each controlled or benefited from the work.

Do not assume that every dismissal automatically entitles the worker to separation pay instead of reinstatement, or that every resignation defeats a claim. The available remedies depend on the facts, the legal ground invoked, and the evidence.

Step 2: preserve the evidence

Keep the original files and make backup copies. Useful evidence may include:

Employment contracts, job offers, appointment papers, and company IDs;
Payslips, payroll records, bank credits, time records, and schedules;
Notices to explain, written explanations, suspension or termination notices, and decisions;
Performance evaluations, memoranda, handbooks, and disciplinary policies;
Emails, text messages, chat threads, and work-platform records;
Resignation letters and evidence showing why or how they were signed;
Certificates of employment and final-pay computations;
SSS, Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, and tax records relevant to employment or wages;
Medical records for health- or disability-related claims;
Names and contact details of witnesses; and
Proof that demands, notices, or settlement offers were sent and received.

Preserve electronic evidence in its original form when possible. Save complete conversations showing the sender, recipient, date, and context—not just cropped excerpts. Do not alter metadata, impersonate another person, secretly access an account without authority, or fabricate a document.

Create a simple chronology. A dated sequence of events is often more useful than a long narrative.

Step 3: file the SEnA Request for Assistance

Online filing

Use the official DOLE ARMS portal. Select the correct filer category, provide accurate contact and employment details, review the information, and submit the RFA.

Save:

The confirmation screen;
The reference or docket number;
The confirmation email or message;
Copies of uploaded documents; and
The date and time of submission.

ARMS allows a filer to track an RFA using its reference or docket number. Check the portal, email inbox, spam folder, and mobile messages regularly.

Onsite filing

An RFA may be filed onsite at participating:

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

Bring a valid ID, the employer’s contact details, a short chronology, and copies of the most important documents. Ask for a stamped receiving copy or written acknowledgment showing the filing date and reference number.

The DOLE e-Services page and NLRC contact directory can help identify the appropriate official office or channel.

Step 4: participate in the SEnA conferences

The SEnA process is designed to conclude within 30 calendar days from filing. Conferences may be conducted onsite or through an authorized online modality.

At the conference:

State the facts briefly and in chronological order.
Separate amounts that are admitted from amounts that are disputed.
Bring your computation and supporting records.
Explain the practical settlement you would accept.
Ask that every agreed obligation, amount, date, and payment method be written clearly.
Read the entire agreement before signing.

A SEnA settlement is binding, final, and immediately executory when validly made. It should therefore identify:

The exact gross and net amounts;
Any deductions and their legal basis;
Payment dates and method;
Whether payment is lump-sum or by installment;
Any documents to be issued;
The treatment of reinstatement, separation, or clearance;
What happens upon default; and
Which claims, if any, are being waived.

Do not sign a blank document, an incomplete release, or a statement saying that full payment was received when it was not. Ask for a signed copy immediately.

A waiver or quitclaim is not automatically valid simply because it bears a signature. Its enforceability may depend on voluntariness, consideration, clarity, and the surrounding circumstances. Challenging a signed settlement can nevertheless be difficult, so obtain advice before signing if the terms are unclear or the amount is substantial.

Either party may request pre-termination of conciliation and referral to the agency with jurisdiction. If no settlement is reached, obtain the SEnA referral or endorsement and confirm where the unresolved issues should be filed.

Matters requiring a different or urgent route

Not every concern should wait for ordinary SEnA conferences. Department Order No. 249-25 excludes or specially routes matters such as:

Occupational-safety and health issues involving imminent danger, dangerous occurrences, disabling injury, or lack or inadequacy of personal protective equipment;
Claims under social-security and welfare legislation;
Inter-union and intra-union issues;
Matters concerning permits, registrations, licenses, or accreditations issued by DOLE or another competent agency; and
Claims already covered by a settlement and quitclaim executed before a SEADO, subject to enforcement or any legally available challenge.

A threat to life or safety, an ongoing dangerous condition, violence, trafficking, coercion, or confiscation of documents calls for immediate contact with the proper DOLE office, law-enforcement agency, emergency service, or other competent authority. SEnA is not an emergency-response mechanism.

Overseas workers and seafarers should also obtain advice on the special rules administered by the Department of Migrant Workers, NLRC, NCMB, and other agencies. Under the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, Republic Act No. 12021, grievance procedures, third-doctor processes, venue, execution, and bonds may materially affect a seafarer’s case.

Step 5: file the formal NLRC complaint if the dispute remains unresolved

The 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure, effective January 13, 2026, govern current NLRC filings.

File with the proper NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch. For an ordinary local employment case, venue generally follows the place where the complainant was principally assigned when the cause of action arose. Field or itinerant work, multiple respondents, overseas employment, and seafarer claims may be subject to special venue rules. Ask the receiving branch to confirm venue rather than choosing an office only because it is convenient.

The complaint should:

Use the prescribed NLRC form;
Identify all complainants and respondents accurately;
State the causes of action and remedies requested;
Be personally signed by every complainant or petitioner;
Include the required verification and certification against forum shopping; and
Include the SEnA referral or other proof satisfying the mandatory-conciliation requirement, unless a recognized exception applies.

Bring the original documents for verification and enough legible copies for filing and service as directed by the branch. A worker may personally file and appear without hiring a lawyer, although representation can be valuable when the case involves disputed employment status, corporate officers, multiple employers, large claims, prescription, technical medical evidence, or a signed quitclaim.

Filing a complaint is not the same as submitting all evidence. Follow every later order requiring position papers, affidavits, computations, or supporting documents.

What happens after an NLRC complaint is filed

The case is assigned a docket number and a Labor Arbiter. The respondents are served with summons, and the parties are directed to attend mandatory conciliation and mediation conferences.

If settlement remains possible, the Labor Arbiter may facilitate it. If the case is not settled, the Arbiter will direct the parties to define the issues and submit position papers and evidence under the applicable schedule.

A position paper should ordinarily contain:

A clear statement of material facts;
Each legal claim or defense;
The specific relief requested;
A computation of monetary claims;
Affidavits or sworn supporting statements where appropriate; and
Properly identified documentary evidence.

Labor proceedings are less technical than regular court litigation, but evidence still matters. Allegations do not become true merely because they are repeated in a complaint. In dismissal cases, the parties’ respective burdens depend on the issues—including whether dismissal occurred and whether the employer can establish a valid ground and observance of due process.

Attend every conference or promptly explain a genuine inability to attend. Nonappearance can have serious procedural consequences. Do not rely on an informal assurance that a hearing has been cancelled; require confirmation from the NLRC or the official case record.

How to follow up a SEnA request

Use the Track RFA Status function on DOLE ARMS and enter the reference or docket number shown on the confirmation or receipt.

If there is no update:

Recheck the number and the filer’s registered email and mobile phone.
Review the spam or junk folder.
Contact the office shown on the acknowledgment or notice.
State the RFA number, parties’ names, filing date, and last conference date.
Ask whether a conference, notice, referral, or closure document has been issued.
Keep a written record of the inquiry and response.

Do not submit duplicate RFAs to several offices merely to obtain a faster answer. Duplicate filings may create confusion and can raise forum-shopping or case-management issues. Ask the original office to correct, transfer, or route the request if necessary.

How to follow up an NLRC case

Use the docket number—not merely the SEnA reference number. Check directly with the Regional Arbitration Branch or office handling the case through the contact details published on the official NLRC website.

A useful written follow-up states:

The complete case title;
NLRC docket number;
Name of the assigned Labor Arbiter or division, if known;
Date of the last conference, submission, order, or decision;
The precise information or document requested; and
Your current contact details.

Also:

Ask for a received copy of every pleading you file.
Keep envelopes, registry receipts, courier tracking, emails, and proof of service.
Immediately update the NLRC and the other parties if your address, email, or telephone number changes.
Inspect the case record or request an authorized copy if an expected order has not arrived.
Never depend solely on an unofficial text, social-media message, or verbal report from another party.

Receipt of an order or decision can start a non-extendible or very short deadline. Record the actual date of receipt and preserve the envelope or electronic transmission.

Critical deadlines

Money claims: generally three years

Under Article 306 of the Labor Code, money claims arising from employer-employee relations generally must be filed within three years from accrual. For recurring unpaid benefits, each nonpayment may have its own accrual date. Amounts falling outside the period may be barred even when more recent amounts remain recoverable.

Illegal dismissal: generally four years

An illegal-dismissal action is generally treated as an action for injury to rights and must be brought within four years under Article 1146 of the Civil Code. Related money claims can still be governed by the separate three-year rule.

Unfair labor practice: generally one year

Unfair labor practice proceedings are subject to the Labor Code’s one-year prescriptive period. A workplace act that appears unfair in the ordinary sense is not necessarily the statutory offense of unfair labor practice; the legal definition is narrower.

SEnA and prescription

Under the revised SEnA rules, filing an RFA tolls the applicable prescriptive period. Even so, do not wait until the last day. Disputes can arise over the correct accrual date, the claim actually covered by the RFA, or whether a document was properly filed.

Appeal from a Labor Arbiter

A Labor Arbiter’s decision, award, or order generally becomes final unless appealed to the Commission within 10 calendar days from receipt. This is a calendar-day period, not a 10-working-day period.

An appeal must comply with the prescribed grounds, form, proof of service, and other requirements. When an employer appeals a monetary award, perfection of the appeal generally requires the appropriate cash or surety bond, subject to the governing rules and jurisprudence. A motion for reconsideration is not a substitute for a timely NLRC appeal unless the rules expressly make it so.

Judicial review after an NLRC ruling follows a different route and deadline. Obtain legal advice immediately upon receipt.

Common mistakes to avoid

Filing only an HR grievance and assuming it preserves every statutory deadline;
Confusing an RFA number with an NLRC case docket number;
Filing against a trade name without identifying the responsible legal entity;
Omitting the agency, contractor, principal, or other potentially responsible party;
Failing to include the personally signed verification and certification against forum shopping;
Going directly to compulsory arbitration without the required SEnA referral or a valid exception;
Filing in the wrong regional branch;
Claiming a lump sum without showing how it was computed;
Deleting messages or returning company equipment that contains relevant records without first preserving lawful copies;
Signing a quitclaim without confirming the amount and payment;
Missing conferences because notice went to an old address or spam folder;
Treating “10 days” as working days when the rule says calendar days;
Filing the same dispute in multiple forums without disclosure; and
Assuming that a favorable decision automatically produces payment without monitoring finality and execution.

When legal help is urgent

Seek advice from a Philippine labor lawyer, union representative, the Public Attorney’s Office if eligible, or an appropriate legal-aid organization promptly when:

A filing or appeal deadline is near;
You have received a Labor Arbiter or NLRC decision;
The employer denies that you were an employee;
You were asked to sign a resignation, settlement, or quitclaim;
The case involves a large claim, many workers, or several companies;
A contractor, platform, foreign employer, manning agency, or corporate officer may be liable;
You are accused of serious misconduct or unfair labor practice;
The dispute involves pregnancy, disability, discrimination, retaliation, union activity, or whistleblowing;
There is a CBA, grievance machinery, or voluntary-arbitration clause;
A seafarer’s medical assessment or third-doctor procedure is involved;
The employer is closing, transferring assets, or becoming insolvent; or
A settlement or final decision has not been obeyed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I file while I am still employed?

Yes. SEnA is available for concerns such as unpaid wages, illegal deductions, benefits, schedules, or other employment disputes. Consider the practical workplace consequences and preserve evidence of any retaliation.

Do I need a lawyer to file?

No. A worker may personally file a SEnA RFA or NLRC complaint and may represent themselves. A lawyer is advisable when the facts, jurisdiction, evidence, or amount at stake are complicated.

Does DOLE decide an illegal-dismissal case during SEnA?

No. The SEADO facilitates settlement and does not adjudicate the legality of dismissal. If the dispute remains unresolved, the Labor Arbiter ordinarily decides the formal illegal-dismissal complaint.

Can I file online?

A SEnA RFA may be filed and tracked through DOLE ARMS. A formal NLRC complaint must comply with the filing methods and documentary requirements in the current NLRC Rules; confirm the accepted method with the proper Regional Arbitration Branch.

What if the employer ignores the SEnA notice?

The SEADO cannot force a voluntary settlement. Ask for the appropriate referral or endorsement so the unresolved matter can be filed with the agency having jurisdiction. Preserve proof of the employer’s nonappearance.

What if we settle but the employer does not pay?

A valid SEnA settlement is final and immediately executory. Return to the office that handled the RFA and ask for enforcement guidance. The Labor Arbiter may have jurisdiction over enforcement of a compromise agreement under the Labor Code and NLRC Rules.

Can I withdraw my complaint and refile later?

Withdrawal does not necessarily reset or extend prescription. It may also affect a settlement, quitclaim, or prior order. Check the remaining prescriptive period and obtain advice before withdrawing.

Is there a fixed time for the whole NLRC case?

The Labor Code and NLRC Rules promote prompt proceedings, but the actual duration depends on service of summons, conferences, submissions, complexity, appeals, and execution. The firm deadline at the SEnA stage is the statutory 30-calendar-day conciliation period; it is not a promise that a later NLRC case will finish within 30 days.

Official references

This article provides general legal information, not advice for a particular case. Jurisdiction, remedies, prescription, and procedure may change based on the documents, parties, type of employment, and date of accrual. Official sources were checked as of August 31, 2026.