SEADO Number Requirement in a DOLE–SEnA Complaint

(Philippine legal perspective, updated to 29 May 2025)

1. What is SEnA?

The Single-Entry Approach (SEnA) is an administrative, non-litigious, and mandatory 30-day conciliation-mediation mechanism created by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to forestall full-blown cases before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) or other fora.

Legal bases
- Department Order (D.O.) No. 107-10 — original “SEnA Rules of Procedure” (2010).
- D.O. No. 151-16 (2016) — institutionalised electronic docketing and stricter timelines.
- D.O. No. 18-21 (2021) — current consolidated guidelines, integrating the e-SEnA platform and tightening reportorial duties.
- Various regional/circular issuances refine procedure but may not override the national rules.

2. The SEADO and the SEADO Number

Term	Meaning	Where It Appears	Who Issues It
SEADO	Single Entry Assistance Desk Officer – the DOLE officer who receives, dockets, and mediates every Request for Assistance (RFA).	All SEnA proceedings.	Designated by the Regional Director; recorded in the e-SEnA Master List.
SEADO Number	The unique identifier assigned to a specific SEADO (not to the case). Think of it as an employee-code that also flags the desk where the RFA is pending.	(a) RFA Form box “SEADO No.”; (b) electronic docket header; (c) notices and minutes; (d) endorsement to NLRC if unresolved.	Automatically generated by the e-SEnA system when a SEADO is enrolled; confirmed by the regional SEnA Focal Person.

Practical mnemonic SEADO No. = SEADO’s personal code RFA No. = Request’s case code

3. Why Is the SEADO Number Required?

Traceability & statistics — DOLE’s Performance Governance System benchmarks conciliator caseloads, settlement rates, and age of cases.
Accountability — D.O. 18-21 §14 makes the SEADO personally responsible for keeping the 30-calendar-day clock. Omission of the SEADO No. voids that tracking.
Audit & COA compliance — The Commission on Audit flagged “anonymous” docket entries as audit exceptions in several regional reports (2022-2023).
Digital integration — The e-SEnA portal rejects RFAs whose PDF upload lacks a matching SEADO Number barcode.

4. When and How Must It Be Indicated?

Stage	Document	Specific Box or Line
Filing	Request for Assistance (RFA) Form	Upper-right corner, “SEADO No.” (hand-written or auto-filled).
Notices of Conference	Form SE-02	Below “Case/Docket No.” – this ties the notice to the correct officer.
Minutes/Settlement Agreements	Form SE-04	Footer, “Prepared by: (SEADO Name / SEADO No.)”.
Referral to NLRC or Other Office	Endorsement Memo	First paragraph, e.g., “...handled by SEADO No. R03-012-2024-A.”
Subsequent Complaint with NLRC	NLRC Form 1-A (if SEnA failed)	Page 1, field “SEnA Reference (RFA & SEADO Nos.)”. The complaint will be raffled back if blank.

Tip If the desk officer forgets to write the SEADO No. on your copy, ask for it immediately; NLRC sheriffs now routinely demand it before docketing a subsequent complaint.

5. Legal Consequences of Omission

During SEnA — The request is not dismissed, but the Secretariat issues a deficiency slip and the 30-day period does not start until the SEADO No. is supplied (D.O. 18-21 §8 ¶3).
Escalation to NLRC, NCMB or POEA — A complaint filed without the SEADO No. (and the RFA No.) is considered premature; the labor arbiter or mediator will order re-filing or attachment of proof of compliance.
Prescription/limitations — The deficiency period is excluded from computing the four-year prescriptive period for money claims (Art. 306, Labor Code), but only if the RFA was initially timely.
Administrative liability of SEADO — Repeated failure to stamp or record the SEADO No. is a light offense under the DOLE 2017 Revised Administrative Disciplinary Rules, punishable by reprimand to suspension.

6. How to Locate or Verify a SEADO Number

Printed on every notice you receive.
Ask the SEnA Secretariat at the regional or field office.
Use the public-facing e-SEnA Tracker (since 2022) → input the RFA No. and it returns the assigned SEADO No. plus mediation schedule.
Email: sena@dole.gov.ph with subject “SEADO No. Verification – [RFA No.]”.

7. Interaction with Other Numbers

Number	Purpose	Possible Confusion
RFA or SEnA Docket No.	Case identifier (e.g., NCR-SE-24-05-12345)	Sometimes mistaken for SEADO No.; they are distinct.
NLRC Case No.	Assigned only after failure of SEnA (e.g., NLRC-NCR-00-05-12345-2025)	Must reference both the RFA No. and the SEADO No. in the pleadings.
BARMM-LEB Tracking No.	Used when disputes arise in Bangsamoro; SEADO No. still appears because DOLE-SEnA continues to service BARMM under an MOA.

8. Practical Workflow for Complainants

Prepare: bring any government ID, employment records, and rough computation of claims.
File RFA: At DOLE Field/Provincial/Regional Office; the desk staff assigns a SEADO immediately.
Check the forms: ensure both SEADO No. and RFA No. are present before you leave.
Attend conferences: usually within five days, with two to three settings inside the 30-day window.
Settlement: if a compromise is reached, it bears the SEADO No.; if not, you will receive a referral letter quoting the number.
Escalation: file with NLRC or voluntary arbitration, attaching (a) RFA print-out, (b) referral, (c) SEADO No. label.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

Question	Answer
Can I choose my SEADO?	No. Assignment is by electronic raffle to prevent “forum shopping.”
Is the SEADO No. confidential?	No. It is public information used for accountability; personal data of the officer, however, is protected by the Data Privacy Act.
Does an incorrect SEADO No. nullify a settlement?	Generally no, if the parties signed knowingly; the defect is formal. But it can delay enforcement because the writ of execution will need correction.
Can I complain against the SEADO?	Yes—file an Administrative Complaint with the Regional Director citing the SEADO No. and incident details.
I lost my documents; how do I get the number?	Email or visit the SEnA Secretariat with your name, employer’s name, and date of filing; they will reprint the RFA page containing the SEADO No.

10. Key Take-aways

The SEADO Number is a mandatory entry on all SEnA documents; it pinpoints the officer handling the case and activates system monitoring.
Without it, the 30-day clock stalls and later complaints may be bounced.
Always double-check the SEADO No. at filing and keep copies—doing so saves time, guards prescription, and smooths escalation if mediation fails.

*Prepared by: [Your Name], Labor-Management Relations Counsel — 29 May 2025*