Quick answer

Start most private-sector labor complaints by filing 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; or
File onsite at a Single Entry Assistance Desk of a DOLE Regional, Provincial, Field, or Satellite Office; an NCMB office or regional branch; or an NLRC office or Regional Arbitration Branch.

SEnA is conciliation-mediation, not yet a formal case. A neutral officer helps the parties explore a voluntary settlement. Under Republic Act No. 10396 and DOLE Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025, the ordinary conciliation period is 30 calendar days beginning with the initial conference at which both parties appear. It may be extended by mutual agreement for no more than 15 calendar days when settlement still appears possible.

If settlement fails, ask for the written referral or endorsement to the proper office. File a formal NLRC complaint when the dispute falls within a Labor Arbiter’s jurisdiction, particularly for illegal or constructive dismissal, reinstatement, unfair labor practice, employment-related damages, and most employer-employee money claims exceeding ₱5,000.

Do not wait for the full SEnA period if a prescriptive or appeal deadline is near. Either party may pre-terminate conciliation and request referral to the proper forum.

DOLE, NLRC, or another forum?

The correct forum depends on the relief sought, the amount involved, whether employment continues, and whether a collective bargaining agreement or special law applies.

Concern	Usual route after or instead of SEnA
Unpaid wages, overtime, holiday pay, 13th-month pay, unlawful deductions, or other labor-standard violations while employment continues	DOLE Regional Office may use its inspection and enforcement powers under Labor Code Article 128
Simple monetary claim with no reinstatement claim and an aggregate claim of not more than ₱5,000 per employee	DOLE Regional Director or authorized hearing officer under Article 129
Illegal or constructive dismissal; reinstatement; unfair labor practice; employment-related damages; or most money claims exceeding ₱5,000	NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch, before a Labor Arbiter
CBA interpretation, implementation, or enforcement of company personnel policies covered by the CBA	Contractual grievance machinery, then voluntary arbitration
Actual strike or lockout, notice of strike or lockout, or preventive mediation	NCMB under its separate procedures
Inter-union or intra-union dispute	Bureau of Labor Relations or the proper DOLE labor-relations office
SSS, Employees’ Compensation, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, or another social-welfare benefit	The agency and appeal process designated by the applicable law
Imminent workplace danger, dangerous occurrence, disabling injury, or missing or inadequate PPE	Report directly to the DOLE Regional Office or occupational-safety authority; these urgent matters are excluded from ordinary SEnA
Government employee covered by civil-service law	The agency, Civil Service Commission, Ombudsman, or other proper administrative forum—not ordinarily the NLRC
OFW employment money claim	SEnA may accept the request; formal money claims may fall within NLRC jurisdiction, while recruitment, welfare, or administrative issues may belong to the Department of Migrant Workers

The ₱5,000 threshold in Article 129 does not mean DOLE can never address larger labor-standard deficiencies. Under Article 128, DOLE may issue compliance orders based on an inspection when the employer-employee relationship still exists, subject to the conditions and exceptions in the law. The statutory provisions appear in the Labor Code of the Philippines.

If the proper forum is unclear, describe every issue accurately in the RFA. The SEnA officer should provide technical assistance and route unresolved matters to the office with jurisdiction.

What SEnA does not ordinarily cover

Department Order No. 249-25 excludes matters governed by separate procedures, including:

Actual strikes or lockouts, notices of strike or lockout, and notices of preventive mediation;
CBA interpretation or implementation and personnel-policy disputes that must pass through grievance machinery;
Applications for exemption from wage orders;
Certain permit, licence, registration, and accreditation matters, including alien employment permits, private employment-agency licences, working-child permits, contractor registration, professional licences, and TESDA accreditation;
Urgent occupational-safety matters involving imminent danger, dangerous occurrences, disabling injury, or inadequate PPE;
Social-security and welfare claims;
Claims already covered by a settlement, quitclaim, and release executed before a SEnA officer; and
Inter-union and intra-union disputes.

An excluded matter may still require immediate referral, inspection, investigation, or proceedings under another law. “Not covered by SEnA” does not mean “no remedy.”

Before filing: identify the claim and the employer

Write a short, date-based account answering:

Who hired, supervised, paid, disciplined, and dismissed you?
What work did you perform, where, and during what dates?
What happened, and on what exact dates?
Which wages, benefits, documents, or employment remedies remain due?
How did the employer respond to your written requests?
What result do you want—payment, reinstatement, lifting of suspension, correction of records, or another specific remedy?

Use the employer’s correct legal name. If a contractor, agency, franchise, principal, owner, or several related companies may be responsible, identify each one and provide every known business address. Do not name an individual officer merely because that person works in HR; personal liability depends on the law and evidence.

For a money claim, prepare an understandable computation. Separate basic wages, overtime, holiday or rest-day pay, night-shift differential, service incentive leave, 13th-month pay, commissions, final pay, separation pay, and disputed deductions. State the period covered and explain the rate used. Mark estimates as estimates.

Evidence to preserve

Keep originals secure and prepare readable copies or PDF files of relevant evidence, including:

Employment contract, job offer, appointment letter, job description, handbook, and company policies;
Payslips, payroll records, bank statements, cash vouchers, time records, schedules, biometric logs, and leave records;
Notices to explain, written explanations, preventive-suspension notices, investigation records, and termination notices;
Resignation letters, clearance records, final-pay computations, quitclaims, and proof that company property was returned;
Emails, text messages, chat exports, work-platform records, and instructions showing supervision or control;
Performance evaluations, commendations, warnings, and attendance records;
CBA provisions, union records, grievance documents, and relevant company memoranda;
Names and contact information of witnesses with personal knowledge;
Government contribution records, when relevant;
Photographs, medical records, incident reports, and safety complaints; and
Written demands and proof of delivery.

Preserve complete conversations rather than isolated screenshots. Keep metadata, dates, sender information, attachments, and the original device or account where practical. Do not secretly alter, fabricate, or selectively edit records.

Do not take confidential company files unrelated to your claim, disclose trade secrets, or access an account after authority has been withdrawn. Preserve only evidence you may lawfully possess or request its production during the proceedings.

How to file a SEnA Request for Assistance

1. Choose an authorized filing channel

For online filing, use DOLE ARMS. Avoid unofficial pages that ask for payment or credentials.

For onsite filing, go to the SEnA desk nearest your residence, the place where your union, federation chapter, or workers’ association operates, or the employer’s principal place of business. If the employer is in another region, the receiving desk may coordinate with the SEnA desk nearest the employer.

SEnA is available to individual workers, groups of workers, unions and workers’ associations, kasambahays, OFWs, and employers. An immediate family member or authorized representative may file in permitted cases with a Special Power of Attorney. A corporation’s representative should bring a board resolution, secretary’s certificate, or other required authority. An heir filing for a deceased person will need proof of death and relationship.

2. Complete the RFA accurately

Provide:

Your full name, address, mobile number, and email;
The employer’s complete name, address, contact details, and known representative;
Your position, pay, workplace, and employment dates;
A concise chronology;
Every issue for which assistance is requested;
The amount or remedy sought; and
Information about any related complaint, case, settlement, or proceeding.

Check the submission before signing. Giving an incomplete employer address is a common cause of failed notices and delay.

3. Save proof of filing

Keep the reference or docket number, confirmation page, email, screenshot, stamped receiving copy, and the name of the receiving office. Record the date and filing channel.

For an online or message-based request, the office may contact you for an interview and validation before docketing the RFA. Respond promptly and check spam, filtered messages, and unknown calls.

4. Attend the conferences

The initial conference should ordinarily be conducted within five calendar days—or the earliest available date not exceeding ten days—from assignment of the RFA to a SEnA officer. Conferences may be face-to-face, online, or blended.

SEnA is non-litigious and non-technical. Parties generally appear and represent themselves. Lawyers are not encouraged to participate except in the circumstances allowed by the current rules, including when properly authorized to represent a party who has relocated, is abroad, is a minor, is incapacitated, or has died.

Bring your computation and key documents. Explain what is undisputed, what is disputed, and what settlement terms would be workable. The officer facilitates negotiation but does not decide who legally wins.

Either party may request early termination and referral. This is particularly important when a filing deadline is approaching, the other party refuses meaningful participation, or urgent adjudicative relief is needed.

Evaluate any settlement carefully

A SEnA settlement should be written in a language or dialect the parties understand and should clearly state:

Every issue being settled;
The exact amount and its components;
Whether payment is gross or net of lawful deductions;
The payment method, account, place, and date;
Each instalment amount and due date, if applicable;
Reinstatement, lifting of suspension, document release, or other required action;
Which claims, if any, are being waived; and
What will happen if a party fails to comply.

Do not sign a blank, backdated, incomplete, or unexplained document. Compare the settlement with your own computation and documents. A general waiver may affect claims arising from the issues identified in the RFA.

Under Department Order No. 249-25, a settlement reached by the parties and attested by the SEnA officer is final and immediately executory, unless it is established to be contrary to law, morals, public order, or public policy. Where compliance involves instalments, reinstatement, lifting of suspension, or another positive act, the responding party must report compliance for verification. The quitclaim should be issued only upon full compliance.

If no settlement is reached

Obtain and keep:

The minutes terminating the RFA;
The referral or endorsement to the proper office;
Your RFA number and filing date;
Any notices and proof of attendance; and
A copy of any partial settlement identifying the issues that remain unresolved.

A referral is not itself a judgment. If the matter is referred to the NLRC, you must still file the formal complaint and comply with the NLRC’s requirements.

How to file a formal NLRC complaint

1. File in the correct Regional Arbitration Branch

Under the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure, a Labor Arbiter case may be filed in the Regional Arbitration Branch covering either:

The workplace; or
The complainant’s residence,

at the complainant’s option.

“Workplace” includes certain assignments, reporting locations, places where mobile or itinerant workers receive instructions or wages, and the alternative workplace of telecommuting workers.

For an OFW case, venue may be the Regional Arbitration Branch where the complainant resides or where the principal office of any respondent is located.

2. Complete the complaint properly

The complaint must state the names and addresses of all complainants and respondents. Every complainant must sign it and execute the required verification and certification against forum shopping.

Include every cause of action arising from the same employment relationship. Examples may include illegal dismissal, reinstatement, underpayment, overtime, holiday pay, unlawful deductions, 13th-month pay, service incentive leave, separation pay, damages, and attorney’s fees—but claim only relief supported by the facts and law.

Bring or attach the SEnA referral slip and available supporting records. Obtain the current complaint form and branch-specific checklist from the NLRC downloadable-forms page or the receiving branch.

The 2025 Rules recognize personal filing, registered mail, and courier service authorized by the Commission for pleadings. Confirm the receiving branch’s current requirements before sending an initiating complaint, especially the required copies, original signatures, proof of identity, notarization, and proof of service.

3. Keep the stamped copy and docket number

Your stamped complaint and assigned docket number are essential for follow-up. Check that the caption lists the correct parties and that every cause of action you intended to file appears on the form.

4. Attend both mandatory-conference settings

The Labor Arbiter’s summons will state two settings for mandatory conciliation and mediation.

If the complainant fails to attend both settings despite proper notice, the complaint may be dismissed without prejudice. A second dismissal for the same unjustified non-appearance may be with prejudice. If the respondent fails to attend both settings despite proper summons, the respondent may waive the right to file a position paper, and the case may proceed on the evidence of record.

A postponement ordinarily requires meritorious grounds and a motion filed at least three calendar days before the scheduled conference.

5. Prepare the position paper immediately

If no settlement is reached, the Labor Arbiter will direct the parties to file verified position papers, normally on a date set within ten calendar days after termination of the mandatory conference.

The position paper should contain the facts, legal grounds, relief requested, computations, supporting documents, and witness affidavits. The affidavits generally take the place of direct testimony. A reply may be filed within ten calendar days from receipt of the opposing party’s position paper on the date set by the Labor Arbiter.

Do not hold important evidence for a supposed trial. NLRC proceedings are commonly decided from the position papers, affidavits, and documents. A clarificatory hearing is conducted only when the Labor Arbiter finds it necessary.

A complainant who fails to submit a position paper risks dismissal. A respondent who fails to submit one risks having the case decided from the existing record.

6. Monitor the decision and appeal period

A Labor Arbiter should render a decision within 30 calendar days after the case is submitted for decision. An OFW case should be decided within 90 calendar days after filing.

A Labor Arbiter decision must be appealed to the Commission within 10 calendar days from receipt. A DOLE Regional Director’s Article 129 decision has a five-calendar-day appeal period. No extension to perfect these appeals is allowed.

An appeal requires a verified memorandum stating the grounds, arguments, relief, and material dates, together with proof of the required fees and service. When an employer appeals a monetary award, perfection ordinarily requires a cash or accredited surety bond equivalent to the monetary award, excluding damages and attorney’s fees.

A motion for reconsideration of a Commission decision is allowed only for palpable or patent errors, must be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt, and is limited to one motion from the same party. Judicial review after the NLRC generally involves a technical Rule 65 petition before the Court of Appeals; obtain legal help immediately because a separate strict deadline applies.

If a Labor Arbiter orders reinstatement, the reinstatement aspect is immediately executory even while an appeal is pending.

How to follow up effectively

For a SEnA request

Use the Check RFA Status feature in DOLE ARMS with your reference number.
Contact the exact DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC office handling the RFA.
State your name, RFA number, filing date, employer, last conference date, and the specific action requested.
Ask whether the RFA has been assigned, whether notice was served, and when the next conference is scheduled.
Confirm any telephone discussion by email or written submission and keep proof.
Immediately report any change in your phone number, email, or address.

If no initial conference has been set within the expected period, make a documented follow-up. If a prescriptive deadline is near, request pre-termination and referral rather than relying solely on repeated status inquiries.

For an NLRC case

Use the docket number and contact the docket or records unit of the Regional Arbitration Branch handling the case. The official NLRC contact directory lists branch contact details. The NLRC website also provides case-status services where available.

Ask for the status of a specific filing or scheduled action, such as:

Service of summons;
Mandatory conference;
Order to submit position papers;
Submission of the case for decision;
Release and service of the decision;
Appeal transmittal;
Entry of judgment; or
Issuance or implementation of a writ of execution.

Do not rely on an oral statement that a case is “pending.” Note the name and office of the person contacted, the date, and the exact response. Preserve emails and stamped follow-up letters.

Check registered mail, authorized courier deliveries, email, and your address of record. Under the 2025 Rules, service by registered mail or authorized courier may become complete even if the recipient does not personally collect or accept the item after the prescribed notices or delivery attempts. Service on counsel or an authorized representative may also start the deadline.

File a written notice of any address change and furnish the other party a copy.

If a SEnA settlement is not followed

Report the default immediately to the SEnA officer and attach:

The settlement agreement;
The payment or performance schedule;
Proof of amounts received;
Bank records or returned-payment evidence;
Written follow-ups; and
A clear statement of what remains unpaid or unperformed.

The officer should call the parties to a conference to seek voluntary compliance. If non-compliance continues, the officer may issue a referral to the DOLE Regional Office or NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch for enforcement and execution.

Do not sign a final quitclaim or acknowledgment of full payment when only part of the settlement has been performed.

Filing deadlines that should not be ignored

Different claims have different prescriptive periods:

Ordinary money claims arising from employment: generally three years from the date each cause of action accrued under the Labor Code.
Unfair labor practice: generally one year from accrual.
Illegal dismissal: generally four years from accrual under Article 1146 of the Civil Code. The Supreme Court explains this rule in Arriola v. Pilipino Star Ngayon, Inc. (G.R. No. 175689, August 13, 2014).
Appeal from a Labor Arbiter: 10 calendar days from receipt.
Appeal from an Article 129 decision: five calendar days from receipt.
Motion for reconsideration of an NLRC Commission ruling: 10 calendar days from receipt.

Accrual can depend on when the amount became due, when employment was actually terminated, and what documents or communications preceded the claim. Related claims in one complaint can have different deadlines.

Do not assume that an HR grievance, verbal promise, demand letter, incomplete online request, or prolonged settlement discussion protects every deadline. When time is short, obtain legal advice and request immediate referral to the adjudicating office.

Common mistakes

Treating an RFA as if it were already a formal NLRC case;
Filing against a trade name but omitting the actual company, contractor, agency, or principal;
Providing an incomplete employer address;
Describing the dispute vaguely without dates, amounts, or requested relief;
Omitting dismissal or another cause of action and raising it only in the position paper;
Filing duplicate cases in several offices without disclosure;
Missing conferences because notices went to an old address or filtered email;
Expecting a full courtroom trial and withholding documents from the position paper;
Signing a quitclaim before payment or without understanding its scope;
Accepting an instalment promise without exact amounts and due dates;
Following up only by telephone and keeping no record;
Waiting for the full SEnA period while prescription approaches;
Recording a confidential SEnA conference without authority; or
Paying a fixer for a government service that should be accessed through official channels.

When help is urgent

Contact the proper government office or a Philippine labor lawyer promptly when:

There is imminent danger, serious injury, unsafe equipment, or inadequate PPE;
A one-year, three-year, four-year, five-day, or 10-day deadline is close;
You have received a Labor Arbiter or Commission decision;
The employer is closing, liquidating, transferring assets, or leaving the Philippines;
The dispute involves a strike, lockout, union representation, or CBA deadline;
The employer denies that an employment relationship existed;
Several contractors, agencies, principals, or foreign entities are involved;
A resignation or quitclaim may have been obtained through force, fraud, or intimidation;
The case involves substantial damages, criminal accusations, retaliation, violence, or sexual misconduct;
A settlement has been breached; or
You are an OFW and questions of foreign law, recruitment liability, repatriation, insurance, disability, or seafarer law arise.

Qualified workers may ask the Public Attorney’s Office or an Integrated Bar of the Philippines legal-aid office whether they qualify for assistance. For general routing information, DOLE’s official hotline is 1349.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer to file?

No lawyer is required to submit a SEnA RFA or to represent yourself before a Labor Arbiter. Legal assistance becomes especially valuable for position papers, disputed employment status, large claims, appeals, CBA issues, OFW cases, or settlements containing broad waivers.

Is filing with HR required first?

Usually not as a universal condition for SEnA or an NLRC complaint. However, an employment contract, handbook, CBA, grievance procedure, or special law may require internal steps. A written HR demand can also clarify the employer’s position and create useful evidence, but it should not cause you to miss a legal deadline.

Can I file while still employed?

Yes. Workers may request assistance for unpaid benefits, deductions, suspension, working conditions, or other employment issues without first resigning. Whether continued work affects the correct DOLE enforcement route depends on the facts.

Can a group of workers file together?

Yes. A group may file an RFA, and employees with related causes may file an NLRC complaint together when procedurally proper. Each complainant should identify the individual employment dates, rates, computations, and relief sought.

What if the employer ignores SEnA?

SEnA does not automatically produce a judgment against an absent employer. Ask the officer to document the failed notices or non-appearance and issue the appropriate referral so a formal complaint, inspection, or other proceeding can begin.

Does the employer’s absence stop an NLRC case?

Not necessarily. If the respondent fails to appear at both mandatory-conference settings despite proper summons, the respondent may waive the right to file a position paper, and the Labor Arbiter may decide on the evidence of record. The complainant must still prove the claim with substantial evidence.

Can I amend an NLRC complaint?

Under the 2025 Rules, a complaint may be amended before the position paper is filed. An amendment afterward requires the Labor Arbiter’s or Commission’s permission. Adding a respondent requires proper summons, so identify all potentially responsible parties as early as possible.

Is the process free?

The NCMB Citizen’s Charter lists no government processing fee for filing and handling a SEnA RFA. Parties may still incur personal costs for copies, notarization, transport, communications, representation, or particular later pleadings. Use official payment channels and demand a government receipt for any required fee.

Is barangay conciliation required first?

A barangay certificate is not an ordinary requirement stated in the SEnA or NLRC filing rules. Labor disputes follow the specialized procedures under the Labor Code and Republic Act No. 10396. If the dispute includes a separate personal, property, or criminal matter, barangay conciliation may need separate analysis.

Official sources

This article provides general Philippine legal information, not legal advice for a particular case. Jurisdiction, liability, remedies, and deadlines may change based on the facts, employment documents, CBA, applicable special law, and proof of receipt of official notices. Official sources and procedures were checked as of 6 August 2026.