Quick answer

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

SEnA is a settlement process, not yet a formal lawsuit. If the dispute is not settled, obtain the referral or endorsement issued by the SEnA officer and file the formal case with the office that has jurisdiction—often the appropriate NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch for illegal dismissal and related claims.

Act promptly. Common limitation periods include:

Three years from accrual for employment-related money claims;
Four years for illegal-dismissal claims; and
One year for unfair labor practice claims.

The correct deadline can depend on the precise claim and events that interrupted or affected prescription. Do not rely on continuing HR discussions when a deadline may be close.

DOLE, SEnA, and the NLRC have different roles

Office or process	What it generally does
DOLE SEnA	Facilitates conciliation and voluntary settlement through an RFA. It does not decide whether a dismissal was illegal or issue damages after a contested hearing.
DOLE Regional Office	Handles labor-standards enforcement and certain wage or benefit claims within its statutory authority.
NLRC Labor Arbiter	Decides formal cases such as illegal dismissal, unfair labor practice, employment-related damages, strike or lockout legality, and other claims assigned by law.
NLRC Commission	Decides appeals from Labor Arbiter decisions and certain appeals from DOLE Regional Directors.
NCMB or voluntary arbitrator	Handles disputes governed by grievance machinery or voluntary arbitration, particularly disputes involving a collective bargaining agreement.
DMW and other agencies	Handle matters placed under specialized laws, such as particular overseas-employment concerns.

The amount claimed is not the only jurisdictional test. The nature of the dispute, whether reinstatement is requested, the existence of an employer-employee relationship, a collective bargaining agreement, the parties’ status, and the principal relief sought can change the proper forum.

Which complaints usually go to the NLRC?

After the required SEnA process, a Labor Arbiter generally has jurisdiction over:

Illegal dismissal, constructive dismissal, or other termination disputes;
Unfair labor practice;
Wage, benefit, or working-condition claims accompanied by a request for reinstatement;
Actual, moral, exemplary, or other damages arising from an employer-employee relationship;
Questions concerning the legality of strikes or lockouts; and
Other employment-related money claims within the Labor Arbiter’s jurisdiction.

A DOLE Regional Director may hear a worker’s claim for wages and other benefits through the summary procedure under Article 129 of the Labor Code when the claim:

Arises from an employer-employee relationship;
Does not include reinstatement; and
Does not exceed ₱5,000 in aggregate for each employee, under the statutory text.

Separate from Article 129, DOLE has inspection and labor-standards enforcement powers under Article 128. The proper route may therefore depend on whether the worker seeks enforcement of labor standards, adjudication of an individual claim, reinstatement, or relief outside DOLE’s authority.

When a different procedure may apply

Do not assume every workplace problem belongs in an ordinary NLRC complaint. Examples requiring different or additional procedures include:

Disputes governed by a collective bargaining agreement’s grievance machinery and voluntary-arbitration clause;
Notices of strike or lockout and preventive-mediation matters;
Inter-union or intra-union disputes;
SSS, Employees’ Compensation, PhilHealth, or Pag-IBIG benefit claims assigned by law to those agencies;
Government personnel disputes governed by civil-service rules;
Criminal complaints, which labor agencies do not prosecute merely because the conduct occurred at work;
Occupational-safety emergencies requiring immediate reporting or inspection;
Overseas-employment disputes subject to Department of Migrant Workers rules; and
Seafarer claims governed by the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers and its specialized dispute and medical-assessment rules.

If the receiving office says it lacks jurisdiction, ask for the legal basis and the name of the correct office. A referral does not necessarily preserve every deadline indefinitely.

Step 1: Prepare the essential information

Before filing, write a short chronological account covering:

The employer’s complete legal or business name;
The workplace and employer’s last known address;
Your position, hiring date, work arrangement, and salary;
What happened, with exact dates where possible;
Each unpaid amount or legal violation claimed;
Who communicated the dismissal or disputed decision;
What remedy you want, such as reinstatement, back wages, unpaid salary, benefits, separation pay, or correction of employment records; and
Earlier demands, grievance proceedings, or settlement offers.

If you were supplied through an agency or contractor, identify both the contractor or agency and the principal company. Include their addresses and explain who hired you, paid you, supervised the work, controlled your schedule, supplied equipment, and had the power to discipline or dismiss you.

Step 2: Preserve the evidence

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

Employment contracts, job offers, appointment papers, handbooks, and company policies;
Payslips, payroll records, bank statements, time records, schedules, and attendance logs;
Notices to explain, preventive-suspension notices, administrative findings, and termination letters;
Resignation letters or quitclaims, especially if coercion, forgery, or incomplete payment is disputed;
Emails, text messages, chat threads, and screenshots showing dates, senders, and surrounding context;
Performance evaluations, commendations, memoranda, and incident reports;
Proof of unpaid commissions, incentives, allowances, leave, overtime, holiday pay, or final pay;
IDs, company directories, organizational charts, and proof identifying the correct employer;
Medical records where illness, disability, discrimination, or fitness for work is relevant;
The applicable collective bargaining agreement and proof of grievance steps taken;
Names and contact information of witnesses; and
Your written demand and proof the employer received it.

Export electronic conversations when possible instead of keeping only cropped screenshots. Preserve the device or account containing the original messages. Do not secretly alter documents, manufacture computations, or coach witnesses.

Step 3: File a SEnA Request for Assistance

An RFA may generally be filed by a worker, group of workers, kasambahay, union, workers’ association, federation, employer, or overseas Filipino worker. If the aggrieved person is absent or incapacitated, an immediate family member may need a Special Power of Attorney. An heir may file when the worker has died, subject to proof of death and relationship.

Online filing

Use the official DOLE ARMS portal. Select the correct filer category and provide accurate contact and employer information. Save the electronic confirmation, reference number, submission date, and copies of all uploaded material.

The portal also permits status tracking using the reference or docket number.

In-person filing

An RFA may be filed at participating:

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

Use the official DOLE office directory or NLRC website to confirm the current address and office hours before travelling.

Bring identification, your chronology, employer details, and copies of the most important documents. Ask for a stamped receiving copy, docket or reference number, assigned officer, conference date, and official contact channel.

What happens during SEnA?

SEnA is a neutral conciliation-mediation process. The SEnA Desk Officer helps the parties identify the issues, exchange information, explore settlement, and record any agreement. The officer does not decide who wins an illegal-dismissal case.

Under the current revised SEnA rules, the mandatory conciliation-mediation period is generally 30 calendar days, counted from the initial conference at which both parties appear. When settlement remains realistically possible, the parties may mutually agree to a limited extension of up to 15 calendar days.

Actual elapsed time from filing may be longer because the RFA must be assigned, notices served, and the initial conference conducted.

At the conference:

Bring your computation and the documents supporting each item;
Separate amounts clearly—for example, salary, overtime, holiday pay, 13th-month pay, leave pay, commissions, and final pay;
Ask the employer to explain its computation and deductions;
Record every conference date and directive;
Request a copy of anything you are asked to sign; and
Do not accept an oral promise as a completed settlement.

A responding party’s absence does not automatically make the requesting party the winner. If the other party repeatedly fails to appear despite proper notice, the SEnA officer may terminate the process and issue the appropriate referral under the rules.

Review a settlement carefully

A SEnA settlement is generally binding, final, and immediately executory when properly executed. Read every page before signing.

Check that the agreement states:

The complete names of all parties;
The exact gross and net amounts;
Any lawful deduction and who will remit it;
Payment dates, method, and recipient;
Non-monetary obligations, such as issuance of a certificate of employment;
What happens upon late or incomplete payment;
Which claims are settled and which, if any, remain unresolved; and
Whether payment is being made immediately or by instalment.

Do not sign:

Blank or incomplete pages;
A quitclaim covering claims that were never discussed;
An inaccurate statement that payment was received;
A waiver you do not understand;
A computation you have not checked; or
An agreement dependent only on an unwritten side promise.

Ask for proof of each payment. A waiver or quitclaim is especially vulnerable to dispute when consideration is unreasonable, consent was not voluntary, or the document was obtained through fraud or coercion—but invalidity is not automatic and depends on evidence.

If the settlement is breached, notify the SEnA officer immediately and submit the agreement, payment schedule, and proof of default. Ask about the proper procedure for enforcement or referral.

Step 4: If unresolved, obtain the referral

Republic Act No. 10396 generally requires mandatory conciliation-mediation before a Labor Arbiter or appropriate DOLE office entertains the dispute. Either or both parties may request pre-termination of SEnA and referral to the proper office, subject to the governing rules.

Before leaving the SEnA process, obtain:

The referral or endorsement;
The RFA docket number;
A record of unresolved and partially settled issues;
Copies of the settlement, if only some issues were settled; and
Confirmation of the office where the formal complaint should be filed.

A Supreme Court decision has treated compliance with the SEnA referral requirement as significant, while recognizing that the effect of noncompliance can depend on the case’s procedural history. It is safer to secure and attach the referral rather than assume it can be supplied later.

Step 5: File the formal NLRC complaint

For a dispute within Labor Arbiter jurisdiction, file with the proper NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch. Venue ordinarily depends on where the workplace is located, subject to the current NLRC Rules and special venue provisions. Overseas workers, seafarers, multiple workplaces, and parties in different regions may be governed by more specific rules.

The NLRC provides complaint forms and assistance through its Complaint Unit. Under the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure, complaints must comply with current signing, service, and documentary requirements. The complainant should personally review and sign the complaint and ensure that all intended causes of action are expressly identified.

Bring or attach, as applicable:

The SEnA referral;
The completed complaint form;
Names and service addresses of every respondent;
Your chronology and claim computation;
Supporting documents;
Authority to represent another person or group;
Proof of partial settlement or payment; and
The required verification or certification appearing in the prescribed form.

List every claim you genuinely intend to pursue. Under the current rules, position papers generally cover the claims and causes of action stated in the complaint or properly amended complaint. Omitting “illegal dismissal,” reinstatement, damages, or a particular money claim may create avoidable procedural problems.

What happens after an NLRC complaint is filed?

The Labor Arbiter issues summons and schedules mandatory conciliation and mediation conferences. These conferences are part of the formal NLRC case and are different from the earlier SEnA proceedings.

If no settlement is reached, the Labor Arbiter normally directs the parties to file verified position papers with supporting documents and witness affidavits. Affidavits generally take the place of direct testimony, although clarificatory hearings may be held when necessary.

The position paper should:

State the material facts in chronological order;
Identify the legal and factual basis of every claim or defence;
Respond directly to the other side’s documents;
Include affidavits from witnesses with personal knowledge;
Explain the computation of each monetary claim; and
Attach legible, organized, and properly identified evidence.

Labor cases are decided on substantial evidence, not on an assumption that either side automatically wins. Workers still need coherent proof of the employment relationship and their claims. Once dismissal is established, the employer ordinarily bears the burden of proving a valid or authorized cause and compliance with the required procedure, subject to the facts and type of termination.

How to follow up a SEnA request

Use the reference or docket number—not only the worker’s name.

Check the RFA through the DOLE ARMS tracking function.
Contact the assigned SEnA office using its official government contact details.
State the filing date, reference number, parties, last conference date, and next action expected.
Ask whether notice was successfully served and whether another conference has been scheduled.
Confirm whether the matter is still within the conciliation period, extended by agreement, settled, or ready for referral.
Keep screenshots, emails, call notes, and names of personnel contacted.
If there has been unexplained inactivity, send a concise written status request and keep proof of receipt.

Do not submit duplicate RFAs to several regions merely to obtain a faster response. Duplicate filings can cause confusion and conflicting assignments.

How to follow up an NLRC case

For a formal case:

Use the complete NLRC case number;
Check with the Regional Arbitration Branch or Commission division handling the case;
Monitor the address, email, or electronic channel officially designated for service;
Confirm whether a summons, order, position paper, decision, or appeal has been filed;
Obtain receiving copies of your submissions;
Notify the office and the other parties properly if your address or contact details change; and
Record the actual date you or your counsel received each decision or order.

Never depend only on an informal text from a representative. Appeal and reconsideration periods are usually counted from formal receipt by the party, counsel, or authorized representative as the applicable rule provides.

Critical deadlines after a decision

Appeal from a Labor Arbiter

A Labor Arbiter’s decision generally must be appealed to the NLRC within 10 calendar days from receipt. The appeal requires a memorandum stating the grounds relied upon and compliance with filing, service, fee, and other requirements.

An employer appealing a monetary award must generally post a cash or surety bond equivalent to the monetary award, exclusive of damages and attorney’s fees as treated under the governing rule. A motion to reduce bond does not automatically perfect an appeal; the employer must comply with the strict conditions developed in the rules and Supreme Court decisions.

The reinstatement portion of a Labor Arbiter decision is generally immediately executory even during appeal. The employer may implement actual reinstatement or payroll reinstatement as permitted by law. Questions about compliance should be raised promptly before the Labor Arbiter.

Appeal from an Article 129 DOLE decision

A decision of a DOLE Regional Director or authorized hearing officer under Article 129 is generally appealable within five calendar days from receipt under the current NLRC Rules.

Reconsideration of an NLRC decision

A motion for reconsideration of an NLRC decision must generally be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt. Only one motion for reconsideration by the same party is ordinarily allowed, and it must satisfy the current rules.

Court review

Review of an NLRC ruling is not an ordinary appeal directly to the Supreme Court. Under St. Martin Funeral Home v. NLRC, the usual judicial remedy is a Rule 65 petition for certiorari in the Court of Appeals, generally filed within 60 days from notice of the ruling on the timely motion for reconsideration.

Rule 65 is limited to jurisdictional error or grave abuse of discretion; it is not simply a second appeal on the facts. Court proceedings have technical requirements, so legal assistance is strongly advisable before the deadline begins to run.

Prescription: do not wait too long

The usual periods are:

Claim	General limitation period
Wages and other employment-related money claims	Three years from accrual
Illegal dismissal	Four years
Unfair labor practice	One year

The filing of an RFA may toll the prescriptive period under the governing SEnA rules, but the safest course is to file early and proceed promptly after referral. Different causes of action can accrue on different dates. For recurring underpayments, each unpaid amount may require separate analysis.

A written demand or internal grievance should not be assumed to stop prescription in every situation. Get legal advice immediately when the relevant event occurred near the end of the applicable period.

Common mistakes to avoid

Naming only a trade name instead of the correct employer or corporate entity;
Giving an incomplete or obsolete service address;
Failing to identify the contractor, agency, principal, or responsible respondent;
Treating SEnA as if it were already a judgment on illegal dismissal;
Leaving a claim out of the formal complaint and trying to introduce it only in the position paper;
Signing a quitclaim before payment is complete;
Missing a conference without notifying the officer and documenting the reason;
Submitting cropped screenshots that hide dates or participants;
Relying on unsigned spreadsheets without source documents;
Waiting for an HR promise until the claim prescribes;
Counting an appeal period in working days instead of calendar days;
Assuming that a motion, email, or follow-up automatically suspends a deadline; and
Ignoring papers sent to counsel, an authorized representative, or the last address on record.

When legal help is urgent

Consult a lawyer, union counsel, the Public Attorney’s Office if eligible, or another authorized legal-assistance provider promptly when:

A 5-, 10-, 30-, or 60-day procedural deadline is running;
Prescription may expire soon;
You received a Labor Arbiter or NLRC decision;
The employer alleges abandonment, fraud, serious misconduct, or a criminal act;
You are being pressured to resign or sign a quitclaim immediately;
Several corporations, contractors, or foreign parties may be liable;
A collective bargaining agreement or voluntary-arbitration clause applies;
The case involves a strike, lockout, union activity, discrimination, retaliation, or workplace violence;
You are an overseas worker or seafarer subject to specialized rules;
The employer is insolvent, closing, rehabilitating, or disposing of assets; or
A settlement has been breached.

For threats, physical violence, trafficking, unlawful detention, or an immediate safety danger, contact the appropriate emergency or law-enforcement authority in addition to pursuing labor remedies.

Frequently asked questions

Can I file even if I am still employed?

Yes. SEnA may be used for unpaid wages, benefits, work arrangements, disciplinary disputes, and other employment concerns even if employment continues. Consider possible retaliation evidence and preserve all communications.

Do I need a lawyer for SEnA?

Usually not. SEnA is intended to be accessible and non-litigious. A lawyer may still be helpful when the amount is substantial, the facts are complex, or a settlement contains a broad waiver.

Is filing free?

SEnA filing is a government conciliation service and generally does not require a filing fee from the requesting worker. Formal appeals and particular procedural steps may involve prescribed fees, bonds, or costs.

Can I file anonymously?

A regular RFA ordinarily requires identified parties so notice and conciliation can occur. An anonymous report concerning labor standards or occupational safety may be evaluated under inspection or technical-assistance procedures rather than processed as an ordinary two-party RFA.

What if I do not know the company’s legal name?

Use payslips, contracts, BIR forms, SSS records, receipts, SEC information, permits, company IDs, and official correspondence to identify it. Give the SEnA officer every business name and address you know, but do not guess.

What if the employer refuses to attend SEnA?

There is no automatic default judgment. The officer may make further service attempts and, after the non-appearance contemplated by the rules, terminate SEnA and issue a referral to the proper office.

Can SEnA order reinstatement?

No. SEnA can record a voluntary agreement to reinstate. If the parties do not agree, the Labor Arbiter determines an illegal-dismissal claim and may order reinstatement when legally warranted.

Can I withdraw my complaint?

An RFA or formal complaint may be withdrawn subject to the applicable rules and any settlement already made. Understand whether dismissal will be with or without prejudice and whether prescription continues to run.

What if only some claims are settled?

The agreement should identify the settled claims precisely. Obtain a referral covering the unresolved issues and make sure those issues are included in the formal complaint.

How quickly will the NLRC decide?

The Labor Code and NLRC Rules aim for speedy resolution, but actual time varies with service, conferences, submissions, complexity, motions, appeals, and execution. A statutory decision period should not be mistaken for a guaranteed payment date.

Official sources

This article provides general legal information, not legal advice or a prediction of any case’s outcome. Jurisdiction, remedies, prescription, and procedure may depend on the complete facts, documents, parties’ status, applicable contract or CBA, and procedural history. Official sources and current procedures were checked as of August 31, 2026.