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 personally at a participating DOLE, National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), or National Conciliation and Mediation Board office.

SEnA is generally the mandatory first step for labor and employment disputes. A conciliator-mediator will try to help the parties reach a voluntary settlement, ordinarily within 30 calendar days. Either party may ask to end the proceedings earlier and have unresolved issues referred to the government office that has jurisdiction.

If your dispute involves illegal dismissal, reinstatement, unfair labor practice, damages arising from employment, or another claim within a Labor Arbiter’s jurisdiction, an unresolved RFA may be referred to an NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch for the filing of a formal complaint. If the concern involves compliance with minimum-wage, wage-payment, occupational-safety, or other labor standards while employment is continuing, DOLE may instead handle it through its inspection and enforcement powers.

Do not delay merely because you are still negotiating with the employer. Different claims have different prescriptive periods, and some NLRC deadlines—particularly appeals—run for only 10 calendar days.

DOLE and the NLRC perform different functions

“Filing with DOLE” and “filing with the NLRC” are not always interchangeable.

DOLE may handle or initiate action on matters such as:

Requests for assistance and settlement through SEnA;
Compliance with minimum-wage and other labor-standard laws;
Inspection of employment records and workplaces;
Occupational-safety and health concerns;
Certain simple money claims assigned by law to a DOLE Regional Director; and
Other matters assigned to a DOLE bureau, regional office, or attached agency.

Under the Labor Code’s visitorial and enforcement provisions, DOLE may issue compliance orders for labor-standard violations discovered through inspection when an employer-employee relationship still exists. This authority is not necessarily limited by the amount claimed. Jurisdiction nevertheless depends on the nature of the case and the employment relationship, as explained by the Supreme Court in People’s Broadcasting Service v. Secretary of Labor.

A Labor Arbiter at the NLRC generally hears cases involving:

Termination or illegal dismissal;
A request for reinstatement;
Unfair labor practice;
Claims for damages arising from an employer-employee relationship;
Wage, benefit, or employment claims falling within the Labor Arbiter’s jurisdiction;
Certain disputes involving overseas Filipino workers, recruitment agencies, and foreign principals; and
Other cases expressly assigned by the Labor Code or a special law.

The Labor Arbiter decides the case at first instance. The NLRC Commission Proper ordinarily reviews a Labor Arbiter’s decision on appeal. Filing papers at the NLRC does not mean that the Commission Proper will immediately hear the facts of a new complaint.

SEnA personnel can identify the appropriate referral office, but jurisdiction may ultimately depend on the allegations, requested relief, employment status, and supporting documents.

Step 1: Prepare the facts before filing

Write a short, chronological account covering:

Your full name and current contact information;
The employer’s complete legal or business name;
The employer’s address and, if relevant, worksite address;
The names and positions of the responsible manager, owner, agency, contractor, or principal;
Your job title, start date, work location, work schedule, and rate of pay;
What happened, with exact dates where possible;
What amounts or benefits remain unpaid;
Whether you were dismissed, suspended, transferred, prevented from working, or told not to report;
What you already asked the employer to do and how it responded; and
The specific relief you want, such as payment, reinstatement, correction of records, or another lawful remedy.

Be accurate about the respondent’s identity. A trade name on a signboard may differ from the corporation, partnership, contractor, agency, franchisee, or individual that employed you. If more than one company exercised control over your work or paid your wages, preserve evidence concerning each one and disclose the arrangement.

You do not need to know every legal term or compute the claim perfectly before requesting assistance. You should, however, identify every important issue. A claim omitted until late in the NLRC proceedings may be difficult or impossible to add without permission.

Step 2: Preserve supporting evidence

Keep original records and make readable copies or secure digital backups. Useful evidence may include:

Employment contracts, job offers, appointment papers, or agency contracts;
Company identification cards and worksite access records;
Payslips, payroll records, bank statements, remittance records, and receipts;
Daily time records, biometrics, schedules, dispatch records, or attendance logs;
Messages, emails, memoranda, and workplace announcements;
Notices to explain, written explanations, investigation notices, and termination letters;
Performance evaluations, incident reports, and company rules;
Leave requests, medical certificates, and return-to-work communications;
Proof of commissions, incentives, deductions, cash bonds, or reimbursements;
SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and tax records;
Collective bargaining agreements or relevant company policies;
Names and contact details of witnesses with personal knowledge;
Photos or videos lawfully obtained; and
Any written demand and proof that the employer received it.

Preserve the original electronic file, not only a screenshot, where possible. Keep the date, sender, recipient, and surrounding conversation visible. Do not alter records, impersonate another person, secretly enter an account you are not authorized to access, or take confidential material unrelated to your claim.

If the employer controls the payroll or time records, identify those records specifically in your narrative. Their absence from your possession does not automatically defeat a legitimate claim.

Step 3: File a SEnA Request for Assistance

Online filing

Use the official DOLE ARMS portal. Select the appropriate filer category and provide complete, truthful information.

The system currently accepts RFAs from:

Individual workers;
Groups of workers;
Kasambahays;
Unions, federations, and workers’ associations;
Employers; and
Overseas Filipino workers.

An immediate family member may file for an absent or incapacitated aggrieved person with a Special Power of Attorney. Legitimate heirs may file when the aggrieved person has died.

After submission:

Save the confirmation page;
Record the reference or docket number;
Keep the acknowledgment email or text message; and
Use the portal’s Track RFA Status function to monitor the request.

Onsite filing

An RFA may also be filed at participating:

DOLE regional or provincial offices;
NLRC central or regional arbitration offices; or
National Conciliation and Mediation Board offices or regional branches.

Bring a valid identification document, your factual summary, the employer’s address, and copies of available evidence. Ask for a stamped receiving copy or written acknowledgment showing the filing date and reference or docket number.

The official DOLE office directory and e-services page can help locate current filing channels. DOLE’s hotline is 1349, subject to the agency’s current operating schedule.

Step 4: Participate in conciliation-mediation

SEnA is intended to produce a voluntary and prompt settlement, not to decide contested evidence like a Labor Arbiter.

During the conference:

Arrive or join on time;
Bring your reference number and identification;
State the facts briefly and consistently;
Present a clear breakdown of what you seek;
Ask how the employer calculated any proposed payment;
Do not sign a document you have not read and understood; and
Keep copies of all proposals, minutes, agreements, referrals, and termination documents.

You may ask for time to review a proposed settlement, especially if it contains a release, waiver, quitclaim, confidentiality clause, resignation, or statement that all claims have been paid. Check the gross amount, deductions, payment date, payment method, tax treatment, and consequences of late or incomplete payment.

A settlement reached with assistance from the proper SEnA officer may be binding. A quitclaim is not automatically valid merely because it was signed, but challenging one later can require litigation. The Supreme Court discusses the scrutiny applied to employment quitclaims in Nacar v. Gallery Frames.

If settlement fails, obtain the written referral or endorsement and confirm:

Which office has jurisdiction;
Where the next filing must be made;
What documents are required;
Whether a formal complaint must still be filed; and
The date the SEnA proceedings ended.

An RFA reference number is not necessarily an NLRC case number, and an unresolved RFA does not always become a formal NLRC complaint automatically.

Step 5: File the formal NLRC complaint when referred

For a claim within the Labor Arbiter’s jurisdiction, file at the proper NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch. Venue is generally connected to the workplace where the complainant was regularly assigned when the cause of action arose. Special venue rules can apply to field workers, workers with no fixed workplace, seafarers, and other overseas workers. Confirm venue with the receiving branch before relying on a distant or convenient office.

Bring or submit the branch’s required papers, commonly including:

The completed complaint form;
The SEnA referral or endorsement;
Your identification and contact information;
The respondents’ complete names and addresses;
A description of every cause of action and remedy sought;
A computation or working estimate of monetary claims, if available;
Supporting documents; and
Any required verification or certification.

A worker may personally file and appear without a lawyer. Representation can still be valuable when the employment relationship is disputed, several companies are involved, the claim is near prescription, the evidence is technical, or the employer raises a complex jurisdictional defense.

Ask for and keep:

A stamped copy of the complaint;
The NLRC case number;
The assigned Labor Arbiter or branch, if already available;
The date and mode of the first conference; and
Instructions for receiving notices.

What happens after an NLRC complaint is filed

Summons and mandatory conferences

The NLRC serves summons and schedules mandatory conciliation-mediation conferences. These conferences may clarify the issues, explore settlement, and direct the parties to submit their formal evidence.

Do not assume that the NLRC will obtain all evidence for you. Prepare to establish the facts with substantial evidence.

Position papers

If the case does not settle, the Labor Arbiter ordinarily directs the parties to file verified position papers with supporting documents and witness affidavits. Under the NLRC Rules, the filing date may be set within 10 calendar days from the termination of the mandatory conciliation-mediation conference.

A position paper is not a casual letter. It should:

Identify the parties correctly;
State the material facts in order;
Specify each claim and defense;
Explain the relief requested;
Attach the supporting documents;
Include affidavits when witness testimony is needed; and
Address service on the other parties.

Affidavits generally take the place of a witness’s direct testimony. Submit the strongest complete record at this stage. New allegations or evidence offered only on appeal may be rejected.

A reply may be allowed under the applicable schedule. It should answer the other party’s position rather than introduce an unrelated cause of action.

Clarificatory proceedings

A Labor Arbiter may call a clarificatory conference or hearing when necessary. NLRC proceedings are generally non-litigious, and courtroom rules of evidence do not apply with full technical strictness. Nevertheless, both parties must receive a fair opportunity to know and answer the opposing evidence.

Decision

Monitor the case until the written decision is actually received. The date of receipt—not merely the date printed on the decision—normally starts the short appeal period, so preserve the envelope, delivery record, email, or electronic-service notice.

How to follow up a SEnA request

Use the ARMS tracking page and enter the reference or docket number shown in your confirmation.

If the record does not appear or no conference notice arrives:

Check your spam folder, text messages, and missed calls;
Confirm that your email address, mobile number, and mailing address are correct;
Contact the office shown on the acknowledgment;
Provide the reference number, filing date, names of the parties, and your full name;
Ask whether the request has been assigned and whether any notice was returned; and
Record the date, name of the person contacted, and advice received.

Do not file multiple identical RFAs merely because an update is slow. Duplicate filings can cause confusion. Ask the receiving office whether correction, transfer, or resubmission is needed.

How to follow up an NLRC case

Use the NLRC case number, not only the earlier SEnA number. Contact the Regional Arbitration Branch handling the case through the official NLRC contact directory.

Ask narrowly about procedural status, such as:

Whether summons was issued or served;
The next conference date;
Whether a submission was received;
Whether the case was submitted for decision;
Whether a decision or order has been released;
Whether the decision has become final; or
Whether a motion or writ of execution has been acted upon.

Bring or attach a copy of your government-issued ID and authorization if you are following up for someone else. A status inquiry does not replace a required pleading, motion, appeal, attendance, or compliance with an order.

Notify the NLRC promptly and in writing if your mailing address, email address, mobile number, or counsel changes. Retain proof that the notice was received.

Critical deadlines

Money claims: generally three years

Under Article 306 of the renumbered Labor Code, money claims arising from an employer-employee relationship generally must be filed within three years from accrual. This may cover unpaid wages, overtime pay, holiday pay, service-incentive-leave pay, salary differentials, and illegal deductions.

Each unpaid benefit may have its own accrual date. Continuing employment does not necessarily postpone the deadline for older unpaid amounts.

Illegal dismissal: generally four years

An illegal-dismissal action generally prescribes in four years from the dismissal, as an action for injury to rights under Article 1146 of the Civil Code. Backwages and damages sought as consequences of illegal dismissal ordinarily follow that four-year period. See Arriola v. Pilipino Star Ngayon.

Unfair labor practice: generally one year

Unfair-labor-practice charges generally have a one-year prescriptive period. Not every unfair workplace act is legally an “unfair labor practice”; the Labor Code uses that term for defined conduct involving self-organization, union activity, collective bargaining, and related rights.

NLRC appeal: 10 calendar days

A Labor Arbiter’s decision, award, or order generally becomes final and executory unless appealed to the Commission within 10 calendar days from receipt.

An appeal requires more than a notice of disagreement. It must satisfy the grounds, form, service, fee, and other requirements in the NLRC Rules. When an employer appeals a monetary award, perfection of the appeal generally requires a cash or accredited surety bond equivalent to the monetary award, excluding damages and attorney’s fees, subject to the rules governing any proper motion to reduce bond. The statutory rule is discussed in TRCI v. Coca-Cola Bottlers Business Services.

Do not wait until the tenth day to seek advice.

Effect of SEnA on prescription

The governing SEnA rules provide for interruption of the prescriptive period upon filing an RFA and recommencement after the RFA is disposed of, subject to the rule’s terms. Because prescription can depend on the precise claim, accrual date, earlier demands, and procedural history, do not assume that an informal call, private negotiation, or unfiled draft stopped the clock. File promptly and retain proof of the RFA’s filing and termination dates.

If you win but the employer does not pay

A favorable decision does not always produce automatic payment.

Once the judgment is enforceable, ask the Labor Arbiter or responsible NLRC office about:

The certificate of finality or entry of judgment;
A motion for issuance of a writ of execution, if required;
The updated computation of the award;
Information needed by the NLRC sheriff;
Any supersedeas or appeal bond; and
Periodic status reports on enforcement.

Provide lawful, specific information about the respondent’s business address, known assets, bank or property details appearing in legitimate records, responsible officers, and changes in business name or location. Do not personally seize property or threaten the respondent.

An order of reinstatement issued by a Labor Arbiter is generally immediately executory even while an appeal is pending. The employer ordinarily must admit the employee back to work or place the employee on payroll reinstatement, subject to the governing rules and later case developments. Obtain advice promptly if reinstatement is ordered but ignored.

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an internal HR process until the legal filing period is nearly over;
Naming only a supervisor while omitting the actual employer, contractor, agency, or principal;
Giving an incomplete or inaccurate respondent address;
Treating an RFA as though it were already a formal NLRC complaint;
Assuming a status follow-up extends a filing deadline;
Ignoring conference notices or failing to update contact details;
Signing a quitclaim without checking the amount and scope of the waiver;
Submitting cropped screenshots without dates, participants, or context;
Leaving important claims out of the complaint or position paper;
Filing the only copy of an original document;
Posting accusations or confidential workplace records publicly while the case is pending;
Missing the 10-calendar-day appeal period; and
Assuming that a favorable decision will be enforced without further follow-up.

When legal help is urgent

Seek qualified legal assistance immediately if:

A prescriptive period or appeal deadline is close;
You received an NLRC decision, dismissal order, or adverse resolution;
The employer is closing, transferring assets, or becoming insolvent;
You were threatened, coerced, or asked to sign a backdated document;
Several contractors, agencies, affiliates, or foreign entities are involved;
The employer disputes that you were an employee;
Your case involves union activity, a strike or lockout, or collective bargaining;
You are an OFW or seafarer facing contract-specific medical or filing deadlines;
You need immediate relief for a serious workplace-safety danger;
A reinstatement order is not being implemented; or
The employer is offering a settlement that waives broad or unknown claims.

You may consult a private labor lawyer, a union lawyer, an accredited legal-aid organization, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, or the Public Attorney’s Office if you satisfy its legal and financial eligibility requirements. Bring every notice and state the exact date it was received.

Frequently asked questions

Can I file even if I am still employed?

Yes. SEnA and DOLE labor-standard processes are not limited to former employees. Whether DOLE or a Labor Arbiter should handle the dispute depends on the claim and requested remedy.

Do I need a lawyer to file?

No. A worker may personally file an RFA and an NLRC complaint. A lawyer is advisable when deadlines, jurisdiction, evidence, corporate relationships, or the requested relief are complicated.

Is there a filing fee for a worker’s ordinary complaint?

Workers generally are not charged a docket fee for filing an ordinary labor complaint. Other fees can arise in particular proceedings, especially appeals. Confirm the current requirements with the receiving office and obtain an official receipt for any authorized payment.

Can a group of workers submit one RFA?

Yes. DOLE ARMS recognizes a group-of-workers category. For a formal case, the office may require each complainant’s information, signature, authorization, and individual computation.

What if I do not know the exact amount owed?

File promptly and provide the best supported estimate you can. List the unpaid periods, rate of pay, work schedule, and available records. Do not knowingly exaggerate. A complete computation can be developed from the evidence.

What if the employer refuses to attend SEnA?

The conciliator-mediator will act under the applicable rules and may terminate the proceedings and issue the appropriate referral or endorsement. Keep attending as directed and obtain written documentation of the outcome.

Can the SEnA officer decide who is legally correct?

SEnA is principally a conciliation-mediation process. The officer helps the parties explore settlement but does not ordinarily adjudicate disputed claims like a Labor Arbiter or authorized enforcement officer.

Can I go directly to the NLRC?

Mandatory conciliation-mediation generally applies before adjudication, subject to statutory and regulatory exceptions. Even when you approach an NLRC office first, the matter may initially be processed as an RFA. Urgent or specially regulated matters may follow another procedure.

Where should an OFW file?

The proper route can depend on whether the claim is against a recruitment agency, foreign principal, insurer, or employer and whether it concerns wages, dismissal, repatriation, or disability benefits. Special jurisdiction, venue, and contract deadlines may apply. File an RFA promptly and request routing to the proper office; seafarers with medical or disability claims should seek advice without delay.

How will I know whether the case is finished?

Ask for the document that formally ended the proceeding: a settlement agreement, SEnA termination and referral, Labor Arbiter’s decision, NLRC resolution, certificate of finality, entry of judgment, or satisfaction of judgment. A verbal statement that the file is “closed” is not enough.

Official sources

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