If your employer isn't paying you correctly, terminated you without due process, or is withholding benefits you're entitled to, you don't need to jump straight into a lawsuit. DOLE's Single Entry Approach (SEnA) is a free, mandatory first step designed to resolve labor disputes quickly through conciliation-mediation, before any case reaches NLRC or the courts. Here's how to actually file one.
This guide covers Step 1: Determine If Your Concern Is Covered by SEnA and Step 2: Gather Your Supporting Documents Before Filing, with the full details below.
- SEnA is a mandatory first step for most labor disputes — you generally can't go straight to NLRC without going through it first
- You can file online through the DOLE ARMS portal or onsite at any DOLE or NCMB office
- The process gives both sides 30 days of free conciliation-mediation before escalating further
- A settlement reached during SEnA is legally binding once signed by both parties
- If no settlement is reached, you get a Certificate to File Action, which lets you formally file at NLRC or DOLE proper
Step 1: Determine If Your Concern Is Covered by SEnA
SEnA covers most labor and employment issues, including unpaid wages, illegal deductions, non-payment of 13th month pay, illegal dismissal, unfair labor practices, and various labor standards violations. It's designed as the mandatory 30-day conciliation-mediation step before a case can formally proceed to the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) for illegal dismissal cases, or to DOLE's regular enforcement arm for straightforward labor standards violations.
Step 2: Gather Your Supporting Documents Before Filing
- A clear, factual narrative of what happened, with specific dates, amounts, and names involved
- Proof of employment (employment contract, company ID, payslips, or any document showing you worked there)
- Evidence supporting your claim (payslips showing incorrect deductions, termination notice, text/email exchanges, witness details if any)
- Valid government-issued ID
Being specific and organized speeds up the process significantly — a vague complaint without dates or amounts often needs to be clarified before it can even be scheduled for conciliation.
Step 3: File Your Request for Assistance (RFA) Online or Onsite
You have two filing options. Online: submit your Request for Assistance (RFA) through the DOLE ARMS online portal. Onsite: visit any DOLE Regional/Field Office or National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) Regional Branch nearest your workplace or residence and file in person at the SEnA desk. Both options are free — there is no filing fee to submit an RFA.
Step 4: Wait to Be Scheduled for a Conciliation-Mediation Conference
Once your RFA is filed, a Single Entry Approach Desk Officer (SEADO) will schedule a conciliation-mediation conference and notify both you and your employer of the date. This is meant to happen quickly since the entire process operates on a strict 30-calendar-day mandatory window from the date of filing.
Step 5: Attend the Conciliation-Mediation Conference
At the conference, the SEADO acts as a neutral third party helping both sides talk through the issue and explore a fair settlement — this is not a trial, and legal representation by a lawyer is generally discouraged at this stage to keep the atmosphere collaborative rather than adversarial. You may bring a representative such as a union officer, paralegal, or a trusted person to help you communicate your side, but you're expected to actively participate yourself.
Step 6: Sign a Settlement Agreement If Both Sides Agree
If you and your employer reach an agreement — whether it's payment of back wages, reinstatement, a severance package, or another resolution — this is documented in a settlement agreement, which becomes legally binding once both parties sign it. Keep a copy for your own records, since this document can be enforced if the employer later fails to comply with what was agreed.
Step 7: If No Settlement Is Reached, Get Your Certificate to File Action
If the 30-day period lapses without a settlement, the SEADO issues a Certificate to File Action (CFA). This certificate is what allows you to formally escalate your case — filing an illegal dismissal or unfair labor practice case with the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), or bringing a straightforward labor standards violation (like unpaid wages or benefits) to DOLE's regional office for enforcement action, depending on the nature of your complaint.
Step 8: Know the Difference Between NLRC and DOLE Enforcement After SEnA
Cases involving illegal dismissal, unfair labor practice, or claims exceeding a certain threshold combined with a dismissal issue generally go to the NLRC for adjudication. Simpler labor standards violations without a dismissal issue — like unpaid overtime, non-payment of holiday pay, or incomplete final pay — may instead be pursued through DOLE's regional office visitorial and enforcement power, which can issue compliance orders directly against the employer without a full NLRC case.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. SEnA is intentionally designed to be accessible without a lawyer — the process is meant to be simple, fast, and non-adversarial. You can bring a representative like a union officer or trusted person, but legal representation is not required and is often even discouraged during the actual conciliation conference to keep discussions cooperative.
Employers are officially notified and expected to attend, since SEnA is a DOLE-mandated process. If an employer repeatedly fails to appear without valid reason, the SEADO can still document this and may proceed to issue a Certificate to File Action so you're not indefinitely stuck waiting for a no-show employer.
Filing a Request for Assistance and going through the conciliation-mediation conference is completely free, whether you file online through DOLE ARMS or in person at a DOLE/NCMB office. There is no government filing fee for this stage of the process.
Retaliating against an employee for exercising their right to file a labor complaint is itself a potential labor law violation. While this doesn't eliminate all practical risk, DOLE processes are set up specifically so employees can raise workplace concerns; if retaliation does occur, it can itself become the basis for an additional complaint.
The 30-calendar-day period is the mandatory conciliation-mediation window under DOLE's guidelines. If both parties are close to a settlement and voluntarily agree to a short extension, this can sometimes be accommodated, but generally the process is designed to conclude — either with a settlement or a Certificate to File Action — within that 30-day window.
Yes, as long as your claim is still within the applicable prescriptive period for that type of labor claim (money claims generally prescribe after 3 years, while illegal dismissal claims have their own prescriptive period under labor law). Don't wait too long to file, since delays can affect your ability to pursue the claim later.
Conclusion
SEnA exists precisely so workers don't have to navigate a lawyer and a lengthy NLRC case just to resolve a straightforward workplace dispute — file your Request for Assistance online or at any DOLE/NCMB office, come prepared with specific facts and documents, and use the 30-day conciliation window in good faith. If it doesn't resolve there, your Certificate to File Action keeps your case moving forward instead of starting from zero.
