Quick answer

For most private-sector labor disputes, start by filing 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
Onsite at a Single Entry Assistance Desk of a DOLE regional, provincial, field, or satellite office, an NCMB office, or an NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch.

SEnA is conciliation-mediation—not yet a formal case deciding who is legally correct. If no settlement is reached, obtain the SEnA referral and file the appropriate formal complaint with the NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch, DOLE Regional Office, or another agency with jurisdiction.

Under the current Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025, the 30-calendar-day SEnA period begins at the initial conference where both parties appear. It may be extended by mutual agreement for no more than 15 calendar days when settlement remains possible.

Do not wait for repeated HR promises if a filing deadline is approaching. Ordinary employment money claims generally prescribe in three years, illegal-dismissal claims generally in four years, and unfair-labor-practice claims generally in one year.

DOLE, SEnA, and the NLRC are not the same proceeding

DOLE is the government department responsible for labor administration and enforcement. The NLRC, although attached to DOLE, is the quasi-judicial body whose Labor Arbiters decide cases such as illegal dismissal, unfair labor practice, damages arising from employment, and larger employment-related money claims.

SEnA is the usual entry step before either body formally acts on a dispute. The Supreme Court has confirmed that mandatory conciliation-mediation is generally a condition precedent to an NLRC complaint and is not a separate lawsuit creating forum shopping.

The usual route is:

File an RFA under SEnA.
Attend conciliation-mediation conferences.
If settled, obtain and enforce the written agreement.
If unresolved, obtain the referral.
File the formal complaint with the office that has legal authority to decide the dispute.

Which office should handle the formal complaint?

The correct forum depends on the remedy requested, the amount involved, whether employment is continuing, and whether a special law or collective bargaining agreement applies.

Nature of concern	Usual forum after initial screening or SEnA
Illegal or constructive dismissal, reinstatement, unfair labor practice, employment-related damages	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Employment-related money claims exceeding ₱5,000 per employee	NLRC Labor Arbiter
Simple recovery of wages or benefits not exceeding ₱5,000 per employee, with no reinstatement claim	DOLE Regional Director under Article 129
Labor-standards violations while the employment relationship still exists	DOLE inspection and enforcement process may apply
CBA interpretation or enforcement of company personnel policies covered by a grievance procedure	Grievance machinery, then voluntary arbitration
Actual or threatened strike, lockout, notice of strike, or preventive mediation	NCMB under its specialized procedures
Imminent-danger occupational-safety issue, dangerous occurrence, disabling injury, or inadequate PPE	DOLE occupational-safety enforcement; do not wait for ordinary SEnA scheduling
SSS, GSIS, Employees’ Compensation, or similar social-welfare claim	The agency and appeal process governing that benefit
Government employment	Civil Service Commission, the employing agency, or another public-sector forum—not ordinarily the NLRC
OFW or seafarer dispute	SEnA may accept the concern, but DMW rules, the employment contract, the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, or other specialized procedures may also apply

Under Republic Act No. 6715, the DOLE Regional Director’s summary jurisdiction under Article 129 is limited to claims not exceeding ₱5,000 per employee and not involving reinstatement. That limit should not be confused with DOLE’s separate visitorial and enforcement powers under Article 128. In an inspection involving an existing employment relationship, DOLE may issue compliance orders for labor-standards violations, subject to the governing inspection rules and evidence. The Supreme Court discussed the present scope of that authority in PLDT, Inc. v. Secretary of Labor and Employment.

If the proper forum is uncertain, file the RFA promptly and ask the receiving officer to identify the correct referral. Labels such as “consultant,” “manager,” “freelancer,” “partner,” or “corporate officer” do not by themselves determine employment status or jurisdiction.

Step 1: Organize the facts and preserve evidence

Prepare a short chronological account covering:

Date hired, position, workplace, and agreed salary;
Correct legal name and address of the employer;
Name of any agency, contractor, subcontractor, principal, recruiter, or individual employer involved;
What happened, when it happened, and who participated;
Amounts claimed and how they were computed;
Date and manner of dismissal, suspension, deduction, nonpayment, or other disputed act; and
The specific result requested, such as payment, reinstatement, correction of records, issuance of a certificate, or compliance with a settlement.

Preserve available copies of:

Employment contracts, job offers, appointment papers, and company ID;
Payslips, payroll records, bank-credit records, commissions, and allowance statements;
Daily time records, schedules, attendance logs, and approved leave records;
Notices to explain, written explanations, preventive-suspension notices, decisions, termination letters, and resignation documents;
Emails, text messages, chat messages, and HR tickets;
Company policies, handbooks, CBA provisions, and grievance records;
Final-pay or separation-pay computations;
SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG records relevant to the issue;
Names and contact details of witnesses; and
Proof that documents or written demands were delivered.

Keep original files and metadata. Export important chats before access is removed, but do not alter records, enter company systems without authority, or take confidential information unrelated to the dispute.

Step 2: File the SEnA Request for Assistance

Who may file?

The official DOLE ARMS system accepts requests from individual workers, groups of workers, unions, workers’ associations or federations, OFWs, kasambahays, and employers.

If the aggrieved person is absent or incapacitated, an immediate family member or authorized representative may file with a Special Power of Attorney. When the aggrieved person has died, an heir or representative may file with the required proof of death and relationship.

Where may an RFA be filed?

For onsite filing, the requesting party may generally choose a participating office nearest:

The requesting party’s residence;
The employer’s principal place of business; or
For a union, federation chapter, or workers’ association, its place of operation.

A request filed at a convenient office outside the employer’s region may be handled through coordinated conciliation-mediation between SEnA desks.

For online filing, use DOLE ARMS. Save the submission confirmation, reference number, screenshots, and any automated email or text message.

What information should be supplied?

Give the most accurate information available, particularly:

Full names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of the parties;
Employer’s registered or business name, if known;
Workplace and employment dates;
Nature of the employment relationship;
Clear description of each issue;
Amount and computation of each monetary claim; and
Relief requested.

A complete formal position paper is not normally required merely to submit an RFA. Nevertheless, a clear timeline and organized records make meaningful settlement more likely.

What happens during SEnA?

The SEnA officer first validates whether the issue is suitable for conciliation-mediation. An onsite RFA’s initial-conference date is set on the day of filing. For an online RFA, the date is set within two days from assignment to the SEnA officer.

The initial conference should be held within five calendar days—or on the earliest available date not exceeding 10 days—from assignment. The 30-calendar-day mandatory period starts when both parties appear at that initial conference.

During the conferences, the officer may:

Clarify the claims and defenses;
Narrow the disputed issues;
Discuss computations and supporting records;
Explore payment, reinstatement, clearance, or other settlement options; and
Help reduce any agreement to writing.

Conferences may be face-to-face or conducted through an available digital platform. SEnA is non-litigious, and a lawyer is not required. Representation is restricted and may require a Special Power of Attorney, board resolution, or secretary’s certificate granting authority both to represent the party and enter into a binding settlement.

Information exchanged during conciliation-mediation is generally confidential and privileged. The current rules prohibit parties from using voice, video, or other electronic recording devices during the proceeding, except for the limited official recording permitted when an online settlement is read and confirmed.

If the responding party fails to appear at two consecutive scheduled conferences despite notice, the RFA may be referred to the proper office. Either party may also request pre-termination and referral in accordance with Republic Act No. 10396 and the implementing rules.

Evaluate a proposed settlement carefully

A SEnA settlement must be written in a language or dialect understood by the parties, signed by them, and attested by the SEnA officer. It should identify:

All issues covered;
The exact amount and what each amount represents;
Payment dates and methods;
Installment amounts and due dates, if applicable;
Reinstatement, clearance, document-release, or other obligations;
The scope of any waiver; and
What happens if a party does not comply.

Do not sign:

Blank or incomplete pages;
A false resignation letter;
A computation you have not checked;
A waiver covering claims that were not discussed; or
An agreement that depends only on an unwritten promise of later payment.

An attested settlement is generally final and immediately executory. Under Department Order No. 249-25, a waiver and quitclaim should be issued only after full compliance with the settlement.

Quitclaims are not automatically invalid. A voluntary, informed, and reasonable settlement may bind the worker. Fraud, coercion, unlawful terms, or an unreasonable consideration may support a challenge, but the outcome depends on the evidence. The Supreme Court’s discussion in Naldo v. Corporate Protection Services Phils., Inc. illustrates why the circumstances surrounding a resignation or quitclaim matter.

If the settlement is not paid

Immediately notify the handling SEnA officer in writing and attach:

The signed settlement;
The payment schedule;
Proof of payments received, if any;
Bank records or returned-payment evidence; and
Your written demand for compliance.

The officer should first call the parties to exhaust voluntary compliance. If noncompliance continues, the matter may be referred to the DOLE Regional Office or NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch. The requesting party may then file the proper motion for execution.

Step 3: File the formal NLRC complaint

If the unresolved matter is within a Labor Arbiter’s jurisdiction, file with the proper NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch after obtaining the SEnA referral.

Under the 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure:

A complainant may choose the branch having jurisdiction over the workplace or the complainant’s residence.
An OFW complainant may generally choose the branch covering the complainant’s residence or the principal office of any respondent.
The complaint must state the names and addresses of all complainants and respondents.
Every complainant must sign the complaint and execute the verification and certification against forum shopping.
All causes of action against the other party arising from the same employment relationship must be included in one complaint.
The SEnA referral should form part of the case record.

Check the branch’s current filing instructions before submitting. The rules recognize personal filing, registered mail, and a courier authorized by the Commission for pleadings, but the initial complaint must still satisfy the branch’s form, signature, verification, and documentary requirements.

A worker may personally file and prosecute an NLRC complaint without hiring a lawyer. Unauthorized non-lawyers, fixers, and “ambulance chasers” cannot lawfully act as counsel. If legal assistance is needed, consider the Public Attorney’s Office, IBP legal-aid services, a legitimate union representative where allowed, or a private labor lawyer.

What happens after filing?

The complaint is raffled to a Labor Arbiter. The current rules provide that:

Summons should be issued within two working days from receipt of the complaint or amended complaint.
The summons states two settings for mandatory conciliation-mediation conferences.
If the complainant fails to attend both settings despite notice, the case may be dismissed without prejudice; a second dismissal for the same unjustified failure may be with prejudice.
If the respondent fails to attend both settings despite proper service, the respondent may be considered to have waived the right to file a position paper.
If no settlement is reached, verified position papers and supporting evidence are generally filed simultaneously on the date set by the Labor Arbiter, within 10 calendar days from termination of the mandatory conference.
A reply may generally be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt of the adverse position paper.
The case may be decided on the papers unless a clarificatory hearing is needed.

A position paper is not a casual letter. It should clearly state the facts, legal issues, requested relief, computations, defenses, affidavits, and supporting documents. Claims omitted from the complaint or amended complaint may not be considered merely because they appear later in a reply.

How to follow up a SEnA request

Keep the RFA reference number and the name of the receiving office. When following up, ask for a specific status:

Has the RFA been validated and docketed?
Which office and SEnA officer are handling it?
Was notice served on the responding party?
When is the next conference?
Has the 30-day period begun, and on what date?
Was the request settled, dropped, or referred?
If referred, when and how may the referral be obtained?
If settled, has compliance been reported and verified?

Use the official telephone number or email address of the handling office. Keep written proof of every follow-up. Do not file duplicate RFAs with several offices merely because one office has not replied; ask the original office to confirm the status or transfer instead.

A follow-up message does not replace attendance at a scheduled conference, a required written submission, or a formal request for referral.

How to follow up an NLRC case

Always use the complete NLRC docket number. Check the official NLRC website for available case-status services, or contact the Records and Docket Unit or branch listed on the NLRC contact page.

Useful questions include:

Which Labor Arbiter was assigned?
Has summons been issued and served?
What are the scheduled conference dates?
Has the mandatory conference been terminated?
When are position papers or replies due?
Has the case been submitted for decision?
Has a decision, order, or resolution been issued?
When and how was it served?
Was an appeal or motion for reconsideration filed?
Has the decision become final?
Has a writ of execution been issued?

Personally inspect or request access to the official case record when necessary. Do not rely solely on verbal updates, social-media messages, or information from the opposing party.

Notify the branch immediately in writing of any change in residential address, email address, telephone number, counsel, or authorized representative. Under the rules, service by registered mail or authorized courier can become complete even when the addressee fails to claim or accept delivery after the prescribed attempts. Ignoring a delivery notice can therefore cause a deadline to run.

File case-related requests through the docketing unit and furnish the opposing party with a copy and proof of service. Do not privately communicate with the Labor Arbiter about the merits of a pending case.

Critical deadlines

Prescription of claims

The general periods include:

Money claims: Three years from accrual under Article 306 of the Labor Code. For recurring underpayments, older installments may prescribe even while more recent installments remain recoverable. See the Labor Code and Villafuerte v. Court of Appeals.
Illegal dismissal: Generally four years from dismissal as an injury to rights under Article 1146 of the Civil Code. See Arriola v. Pilipino Star Ngayon, Inc..
Unfair labor practice: Generally one year from accrual under the Labor Code.

NLRC En Banc Resolution No. 08-17 states that filing a SEnA RFA interrupts the prescriptive period for the compulsory-arbitration complaint while mandatory conciliation-mediation is pending, and that the period resumes upon the requesting party’s receipt of the referral. Keep proof of both the RFA filing date and the referral-receipt date. Do not assume informal negotiations, an internal HR complaint, or filing in the wrong forum will protect the claim.

Appeals and reconsideration

A Labor Arbiter’s decision must generally be appealed to the NLRC within 10 calendar days from receipt.
A DOLE Regional Director’s Article 129 decision must generally be appealed within five calendar days from receipt.
If the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the deadline moves to the next working day.
The 2025 NLRC Rules do not allow an extension of the period for perfecting these appeals.
An employer appealing a monetary award must normally post the required cash or surety appeal bond.
A motion for reconsideration of an NLRC Commission decision must generally be filed within 10 calendar days from receipt, based on palpable or patent errors; only one such motion from the same party is allowed.
Judicial review of an NLRC ruling is ordinarily sought through a Rule 65 petition for certiorari in the Court of Appeals, generally within 60 days from the relevant notice. This is a specialized remedy based on grave abuse of discretion, not an ordinary re-appeal of the facts. See Rule 65 of the Rules of Court.

Because these periods are short and generally run from receipt, obtain legal help immediately after receiving an adverse decision or resolution.

Common mistakes to avoid

Naming only a supervisor or trade name instead of the correct employer or corporate entity;
Omitting a contractor, agency, principal, recruiter, or other potentially responsible party;
Filing only “money claims” while failing to plead dismissal, reinstatement, damages, or another actual cause of action;
Waiting for HR promises until prescription is close;
Missing conferences because notice was sent to an old address;
Filing a position paper without affidavits, computations, or supporting records;
Raising a new claim only in a reply;
Signing an unitemized quitclaim before payment;
Surrendering the only original copy of an important document;
Recording a confidential SEnA conference;
Treating an email follow-up as a formal pleading, appeal, or motion;
Filing with several offices without disclosing related proceedings; and
Paying a fixer or unauthorized representative who promises a guaranteed result.

When legal help is urgent

Seek immediate advice if:

You received a Labor Arbiter, DOLE, or NLRC decision and an appeal period is running;
A money claim, dismissal claim, or unfair-labor-practice claim may be near prescription;
The employer is closing, insolvent, transferring assets, or destroying records;
You are being pressured to sign a resignation, settlement, or quitclaim immediately;
The identity of the employer or existence of an employment relationship is disputed;
The case involves a CBA, strike, union rights, corporate office, or government employment;
You are an OFW or seafarer with a disability, medical, repatriation, contract, or third-doctor issue;
Workplace conditions create imminent danger, serious injury, violence, or threats; or
A final settlement or judgment remains unpaid and execution is needed.

For immediate physical danger or possible crime, contact the appropriate emergency or law-enforcement authorities. SEnA is not a substitute for emergency protection, criminal investigation, or an urgent occupational-safety stoppage process.

FAQ

Do I need a lawyer to file?

No. A worker may submit a SEnA RFA and personally file an NLRC complaint. Legal assistance becomes especially useful for position papers, disputed employment status, substantial claims, appeals, seafarer cases, and settlement review.

May I file while still employed?

Yes. Complaints involving unpaid wages, deductions, benefits, discrimination, suspension, labor standards, or other workplace issues do not necessarily require resignation or dismissal. The correct process depends on the remedy requested.

Can I go directly to the NLRC?

Most labor and employment disputes must first undergo SEnA and require a referral. The law and Department Order No. 249-25 recognize exceptions and specialized proceedings, so ask the receiving office to confirm whether SEnA applies.

What if the employer does not attend SEnA?

If the responding party fails to appear at two consecutive scheduled conferences despite due notice, the SEnA officer may issue a referral to the proper office.

Does SEnA decide whether I was illegally dismissed?

No. The SEnA officer facilitates voluntary settlement and does not issue a judgment on illegal dismissal. If the dispute remains unresolved, the Labor Arbiter decides it after the formal NLRC complaint and submission of evidence.

How long should SEnA take?

The mandatory period is 30 calendar days beginning with the initial conference where both parties appear. It may be extended by mutual agreement for no more than 15 calendar days if settlement remains possible.

What if I filed anonymously?

Under the current rules, an anonymous report alleging labor-standards or occupational-safety violations is generally treated as a request for technical assistance and may be referred for inspection after validation. It is not processed in the same way as a regular RFA between identified parties.

What if a signed settlement is not followed?

Report the default to the SEnA officer immediately. After efforts to obtain voluntary compliance, the matter may be referred to the DOLE Regional Office or NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch for execution.

Does a pending NLRC case stop reinstatement?

If a Labor Arbiter orders reinstatement, the reinstatement aspect is generally immediately executory even while an appeal is pending. Implementation and payroll-versus-actual reinstatement issues should be addressed promptly through the Labor Arbiter.

Official references

This article provides general legal information, not individualized legal advice or a prediction of any case’s outcome. Jurisdiction, entitlement, prescription, and procedure may depend on the complete facts, employment documents, applicable CBA or contract, parties’ status, evidence, and procedural history. Official sources and procedures were checked as of 6 August 2026.