How to File SEnA in DOLE: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide
Last materially reviewed: August 1, 2026
The Department of Labor and Employment’s Single Entry Approach, commonly called SEnA, gives workers and employers a practical first route for resolving many labor and employment disputes through conciliation-mediation. A person starts the process by filing a Request for Assistance or RFA, either onsite or through an authorized online system.
SEnA is designed to be accessible and non-technical. You do not need to prepare a full legal complaint before asking for assistance. However, accurate employer information, a clear timeline, and organized supporting records can make the process faster and more productive.
Direct Answer
To file SEnA, submit a Request for Assistance onsite at a DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC Single Entry Assistance Desk, or file online through the official DOLE Assistance for Request Management System. A SEnA officer will interview you, evaluate whether the concern is appropriate for conciliation-mediation, assign a docket or reference number, notify the other party, and schedule a conference.
If the parties reach an agreement, the settlement is put in writing and monitored for compliance. If the matter remains unresolved or belongs in another process, the requesting party may receive a referral to the proper DOLE office, NLRC branch, NCMB process, voluntary arbitration mechanism, or another competent agency.
Legal Basis
Statute: Republic Act No. 10396 institutionalized mandatory conciliation-mediation for issues arising from labor and employment, subject to recognized exceptions. The rule is reflected in Article 234 of the renumbered Labor Code, formerly Article 228.
Current implementing rules: DOLE Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025 governs filing, validation, notices, conferences, settlement documentation, limited extensions, referral, and monitoring of compliance.
Role of the officer: The Single Entry Assistance Desk Officer facilitates voluntary settlement and does not issue a judgment on the legal merits. Unresolved matters are referred to the office, agency, or tribunal with jurisdiction.
Key Points at a Glance
| Question | General rule |
|---|---|
| Who may file? | Workers, groups of workers, unions, workers’ associations, federations, OFWs, kasambahays, employers, and authorized representatives in permitted cases. |
| Where may an RFA be filed? | At participating DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC offices, or through an authorized online filing system. |
| Do you need a lawyer? | No. SEnA is intended to be accessible and non-technical, although legal advice may be useful before signing a major settlement or quitclaim. |
| How long is the process? | The current rules provide a 30-calendar-day mandatory conciliation-mediation period, subject to the rules on when the period begins and a limited agreed extension. |
| Does filing prove the claim? | No. The SEnA officer facilitates settlement and does not issue a judgment deciding who legally wins. |
| What happens if settlement fails? | The unresolved issue may be referred to the agency or forum with jurisdiction. |
Table of Contents
- What Is SEnA?
- Who May File and What Cases Qualify?
- Documents to Prepare Before Filing
- Step-by-Step SEnA Filing Process
- How Long Does SEnA Take?
- What Happens During the Conference?
- What Happens After SEnA?
- Practical Examples
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Official Sources
What Is SEnA?
SEnA is an administrative dispute-resolution process intended to provide a speedy, impartial, inexpensive, and accessible way of addressing labor issues before they develop into full formal cases. The process is implemented through Single Entry Assistance Desks in DOLE offices and attached agencies.
The statutory foundation is Republic Act No. 10396, which institutionalized mandatory conciliation-mediation for issues arising from labor and employment, subject to recognized exceptions. The provision is found in Labor Code Article 234, formerly Article 228.
The current implementing rules are contained in DOLE Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025. These rules revised the earlier SEnA guidelines and address filing, intake, representation, conference scheduling, settlement, compliance, and referral.
A SEnA officer, often called a Single Entry Assistance Desk Officer or SEADO, acts as a neutral facilitator. The officer may clarify the issues, help the parties communicate, discuss settlement options, and assist in reducing an agreement to writing. The officer does not act as either party’s private lawyer and does not issue a formal decision on the merits.
For a detailed explanation of accepted and excluded disputes, read our guide to SEnA coverage in the Philippines.
Who May File and What Cases Qualify?
Who may submit a Request for Assistance?
The official DOLE ARMS portal recognizes requests from:
- Individual workers
- Groups of workers
- Unions, workers’ associations, and federations
- Overseas Filipino workers
- Kasambahays
- Employers
When the aggrieved person is absent or incapacitated, an immediate family member may be allowed to file with a Special Power of Attorney. When the person has died, legitimate heirs may file subject to the required proof of death and relationship. A corporation or other juridical entity should send a representative with proper written authority.
Common issues submitted under SEnA
SEnA generally covers labor and employment disputes that may be addressed through voluntary settlement, including:
- Unpaid wages or salary differentials
- Overtime, holiday pay, rest-day pay, and night-shift differential
- Unpaid 13th-month pay or service incentive leave
- Final pay and separation-pay disputes
- Unauthorized salary deductions
- Dismissal, constructive dismissal, or suspension disputes
- Redundancy, retrenchment, closure, or floating-status concerns
- Contracting, subcontracting, agency, and deployment disputes
- Employment-related OFW claims
- Kasambahay complaints
- Gig, platform, and other non-standard work concerns where an employment issue may exist
Not every workplace concern belongs in ordinary SEnA. Strikes and lockouts, CBA grievance disputes, urgent occupational safety enforcement, inter-union or intra-union disputes, permit or licensing violations, and claims administered by SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, or another specialized agency may require a different procedure.
Documents to Prepare Before Filing
There is no single documentary checklist that fits every RFA. A worker should not assume that filing is impossible merely because the employer holds some of the records. Still, organized evidence helps the officer understand the dispute and helps the parties discuss a realistic settlement.
Basic information
- Your full name, address, mobile number, and email address
- The employer’s correct business or legal name
- The workplace, branch, and employer address
- Available HR, manager, owner, or company contact details
- Your position, department, employment dates, and salary or wage rate
- A short chronological statement of what happened
- The specific payment, document, correction, reinstatement, or other result you are requesting
Proof of employment
- Employment contract, appointment letter, or job offer
- Company ID
- Payslips, payroll records, or bank-transfer records
- Daily time records, schedules, or attendance logs
- Work emails, chat messages, and supervisor instructions
- SSS, PhilHealth, or Pag-IBIG contribution records
- Certificate of Employment
A missing written contract does not automatically prevent filing. Other authentic records may help show that work was performed, compensation was paid or expected, and the respondent was involved in the working arrangement.
Records supporting the dispute
- Notice to Explain and written response
- Suspension, termination, redundancy, or retrenchment notice
- Resignation letter and proof of delivery
- Clearance and turnover documents
- Final-pay or separation-pay computation
- Payroll deduction records
- Overtime logs and work schedules
- Leave records
- Demand letters and HR replies
- Relevant company policies or CBA provisions
- Agency, contractor, platform, or overseas-employment documents
Prepare a simple money-claim computation
For an unpaid-wages or benefits dispute, prepare a table showing the type of claim, the period covered, the applicable rate, how the amount was computed, payments already received, and the remaining amount requested. The officer does not adjudicate the final amount, but a clear computation makes negotiation more concrete.
Step-by-Step SEnA Filing Process in DOLE
Step 1: Write a clear factual summary
Prepare a short timeline that states when you started working, what position you held, what happened, when the dispute began, what steps you took, how the other party responded, and what outcome you are requesting.
Keep the statement factual. Avoid insults, assumptions about motives, and unrelated workplace history. Dates, documents, amounts, and specific events are more useful than general statements that the employer acted unfairly.
Step 2: Choose where and how to file
An RFA may be filed onsite at a participating:
- DOLE regional, provincial, field, or satellite office
- National Conciliation and Mediation Board central or regional office
- National Labor Relations Commission central office or regional arbitration branch
Online filing is available through the official DOLE Assistance for Request Management System and other authorized agency filing channels.
Use the correct respondent name and address. The office must be able to send a notice of conference to the other party.
Step 3: Complete the Request for Assistance
Provide accurate information about the requesting party, the responding party, the workplace, the employment relationship, the issues requiring assistance, and the resolution being requested.
An RFA is not the same as a full formal complaint. Its immediate purpose is to request conciliation-mediation, technical assistance, or referral.
Step 4: Attend the intake interview and evaluation
For onsite filing, the SEnA officer interviews the requesting party and verifies the issues. For electronic submissions, the office may contact the requesting party to validate the information and complete the interview.
The officer then determines whether the matter is suitable for SEnA. If it is, the request is docketed and assigned. If the issue belongs in another process, the filer should receive technical guidance or referral to the appropriate office.
Step 5: Keep the docket number and conference notice
Once the RFA is accepted for conciliation-mediation, keep copies or screenshots of:
- The submitted RFA
- The docket or reference number
- The notice of conference
- Emails, text messages, and portal updates
- The handling office’s contact details
Conference notices may be served through personal service, email, courier, messaging applications, or another reliable method allowed under the current rules.
Step 6: Attend the conciliation-mediation conference
Bring your organized records and be ready to explain the facts, your computation, and the result you are seeking. Conferences may be conducted face-to-face or through an accessible digital platform, depending on the office and circumstances.
The officer may clarify the issues, ask each party to explain its position, identify undisputed amounts, carry settlement proposals between the parties, and help draft workable terms.
Step 7: Sign a settlement or obtain a referral
If the parties agree, the terms should be written in a language they understand and should clearly state:
- The issues being settled
- The amount or action required
- The payment or compliance deadline
- Whether payment will be made in one amount or installments
- What claims are being released
- What happens if the agreement is not followed
When no settlement is reached, the officer may issue a referral to the office or agency with jurisdiction. Referral may also be appropriate when the responding party repeatedly fails to attend despite proper notice, only some issues are settled, or a settlement is not performed.
How Long Does SEnA Take?
SEnA is commonly described as a 30-day process, but the starting point matters. Under the current rules, the mandatory conciliation-mediation period begins when both parties appear at the initial conference.
| Stage | General current rule |
|---|---|
| Onsite filing | The initial conference date should be set during filing. |
| Online RFA | The conference date should be set promptly after assignment to the SEnA officer. |
| Initial conference | Generally scheduled within the period provided by Department Order No. 249-25. |
| Mandatory conciliation period | 30 calendar days beginning when both parties appear at the initial conference. |
| Possible extension | Up to 15 additional calendar days by mutual agreement when settlement remains possible. |
Actual elapsed time may be affected by service of notices, the parties’ attendance, office schedules, the complexity of the dispute, coordinated handling between regions, and whether another agency must receive the matter.
SEnA is usually much faster and less technical than a fully contested labor case, but it should not be treated as a guaranteed 30-day payment deadline. The 30 days refer to the conciliation-mediation period under the rules, not an automatic judgment date.
What Happens During the SEnA Conference?
The conference is non-litigious. It is a structured settlement discussion, not a courtroom trial. The SEnA officer remains neutral and helps the parties focus on the actual issues.
The requesting party should be ready to explain:
- What happened and when
- What amount or benefit remains unpaid
- What documents support the position
- What result is being requested
- Whether a payment schedule or partial settlement is acceptable
- Whether non-monetary terms may resolve part of the dispute
The responding party may present payroll records, attendance data, policies, notices, payment records, clearance documents, disciplinary records, or its own computation.
Do you need a lawyer?
No lawyer is required to file or attend ordinary SEnA proceedings. The process is intended to allow parties to represent themselves. However, obtaining legal advice before accepting a major settlement may be sensible when the dispute involves a substantial amount, reinstatement, a broad waiver or quitclaim, serious misconduct allegations, or a complicated employment-status issue.
Can the parties negotiate?
Yes. The parties may negotiate full payment, partial payment, installments, reinstatement, lifting of suspension, issuance of employment documents, correction of records, return of property, or another lawful solution. The agreement must be voluntary and should not be contrary to law, morals, public order, or public policy.
Are discussions confidential?
The current SEnA rules treat conciliation-mediation communications as confidential and privileged. Parties should not secretly record the proceedings. Keep your own written timeline and documents, but follow the officer’s conference rules.
What Happens After SEnA?
If settlement is reached
A properly executed SEnA settlement is written, signed by the parties, and attested to by the handling officer. It is final and immediately executory, subject to the rule that the agreement must not be contrary to law or public policy.
When the agreement requires installment payments, reinstatement, issuance of a document, lifting of suspension, or another future action, the office may monitor compliance. Do not sign a final quitclaim before understanding the terms and confirming whether the agreed obligations have been fully performed.
If the settlement is not followed
The requesting party may return to the handling office and report non-compliance. The officer may call the parties back to discuss voluntary performance and may issue the appropriate referral for enforcement or execution before the proper DOLE or NLRC office.
If no settlement is reached
The unresolved matter may be referred to the office with jurisdiction. The correct destination depends on the issue:
| Unresolved issue | Possible next forum |
|---|---|
| Illegal dismissal or termination dispute | NLRC Regional Arbitration Branch or Labor Arbiter |
| Labor-standards or wage issue within DOLE authority | Proper DOLE regional or enforcement office |
| CBA interpretation or personnel-policy grievance | Grievance machinery and, when applicable, voluntary arbitration |
| Strike, lockout, or preventive mediation | NCMB process |
| Social-security or welfare claim | SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, ECC, or the responsible agency |
| OFW matter | DMW, NLRC, or another competent office depending on the claim |
A referral is not a ruling that the requesting party has won. The party may still need to file the proper complaint, submit evidence, and comply with the receiving office’s procedures.
Practical Examples
Example 1: Unpaid final pay
Facts: Ana resigned, completed her turnover, and received no final-pay computation after repeated written follow-ups.
Useful preparation: Resignation letter, proof of delivery, clearance, payslips, employment contract, leave records, and a simple computation.
Possible SEnA outcome: The employer confirms the undisputed amount and agrees to pay on a stated date. A disputed leave conversion may remain subject to company policy and further records.
For more detail, see our guide to final pay for resigned employees.
Example 2: Employer misses the conferences
Facts: Ben files an RFA alleging dismissal without written notice. The employer receives the conference notices but repeatedly fails to appear.
Possible SEnA outcome: The officer documents the non-appearance and may issue a referral so Ben can pursue the termination dispute before the proper forum.
Important point: The referral does not automatically establish illegal dismissal. Ben must still present the claim and evidence in the formal proceeding.
Example 3: Platform worker with withheld earnings
Facts: A delivery rider claims completed-delivery earnings were withheld after the platform deactivated the account. The platform says the rider is an independent contractor.
Possible SEnA outcome: The parties may settle undisputed earnings. If employment status remains contested, the question may require referral to the office authorized to make a formal determination.
Practical Tips for a Better SEnA Conference
- Organize by date. A short, labeled file is more useful than hundreds of unsorted screenshots.
- State each claim separately. List unpaid salary, overtime, deduction, final pay, COE, dismissal, or another issue as separate items.
- Know your requested outcome. Be clear whether you want payment, reinstatement, correction, document issuance, or referral.
- Separate entitlement from compromise. Know what you believe is legally due and which terms you are willing to negotiate.
- Read before signing. Check the amount, due dates, installment schedule, waiver language, and consequences of default.
- Put every promise in writing. Do not rely only on verbal commitments made during the conference.
- Stay factual and calm. Clear records and realistic proposals are more persuasive than aggressive behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I file DOLE SEnA?
Submit a Request for Assistance onsite at a DOLE, NCMB, or NLRC Single Entry Assistance Desk, or file through an authorized online system such as DOLE ARMS. The office will validate the request, evaluate coverage, docket an eligible matter, notify the other party, and schedule a conference.
Can I file SEnA online?
Yes. The official DOLE ARMS portal accepts online Requests for Assistance and provides filing and status-management functions.
Is SEnA required before filing a labor case?
As a general rule, issues arising from labor and employment are subject to mandatory conciliation-mediation before the proper Labor Arbiter or DOLE office entertains the referred case. Statutory and administrative exceptions apply, and the law allows pre-termination and referral in permitted circumstances.
How long does SEnA take?
The mandatory conciliation-mediation period is 30 calendar days beginning when both parties appear at the initial conference. The current rules allow a limited mutually agreed extension when settlement remains possible.
What happens if the employer does not attend?
Non-attendance does not create an automatic judgment. After the required notices and conference settings, the officer may issue a referral or take another disposition allowed by the current rules.
Do I need a lawyer?
No. A lawyer is not required to submit an RFA or participate in ordinary SEnA proceedings. Legal advice may still be valuable before signing a substantial settlement, quitclaim, or reinstatement agreement.
Is filing free?
Official SEnA filing through government channels does not require an ordinary RFA filing fee. Be cautious of anyone demanding payment merely to submit a request through the official online system.
Can an employer file?
Yes. Employers are among the recognized requesting-party categories and may seek conciliation over an employment-related dispute suitable for SEnA.
Can I file without a written contract?
Yes. Bring other authentic evidence such as payslips, company identification, work schedules, messages, bank transfers, contribution records, and supervisor instructions.
Does the SEnA officer decide who wins?
No. The officer facilitates voluntary settlement. If the parties cannot agree, the matter may proceed to the agency or tribunal with authority to investigate, adjudicate, or enforce the claim.
Conclusion
The SEnA filing process begins with a Request for Assistance, not a full formal labor complaint. A worker, employer, group, union, OFW, or kasambahay may file through an authorized onsite or online channel and receive help from a trained SEnA officer.
The strongest preparation is a clear timeline, correct respondent information, an understandable computation, and organized supporting records. During the conference, focus on the specific dispute and the result you are seeking.
If settlement is reached, make sure every payment, deadline, action, and waiver is written clearly. If settlement fails, obtain the referral and proceed promptly before the proper DOLE office, NLRC branch, NCMB process, voluntary arbitrator, or other competent agency.
Related LaborCode.ph Guides
Additional Official References
- Republic Act No. 10396 — Supreme Court E-Library.
- DOLE Department Orders — Bureau of Working Conditions, including Department Order No. 249-25.
- DOLE Strengthens SEnA Implementation Through New Guidelines — Department of Labor and Employment.
- Faster, Easier Labor Dispute Resolution Takes Effect — Department of Labor and Employment.
- DOLE Assistance for Request Management System — official RFA filing portal.
- 1987 Constitution, Article XIII — Supreme Court E-Library.
- NLRC Contact and Regional Arbitration Branch Information — National Labor Relations Commission.
Sources and Legal Citations
- Republic Act No. 10396 — statute; institutionalizes mandatory conciliation-mediation for labor and employment issues, subject to recognized exceptions.
- Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025 — DOLE; administrative issuance; current filing, conference, settlement, referral, extension, and compliance-monitoring rules.
- DOLE Implements the New 30-Day Conciliation-Mediation Process — Bureau of Working Conditions; official explanation of the revised 30-calendar-day SEnA process.
- DOLE Assistance for Request Management System — official online Request for Assistance filing and tracking portal.
- 2025 NLRC Rules of Procedure — National Labor Relations Commission; current procedural rules that may govern unresolved cases referred to Labor Arbiters and the Commission. Effective January 13, 2026.
Disclaimer
This article is for general educational and legal-information purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Labor disputes depend on their specific facts, available evidence, employment arrangement, applicable agreements, jurisdiction, prescriptive periods, and current law. Workers and employers may need assistance from DOLE, the NLRC, NCMB, the Department of Migrant Workers, another competent government agency, or a qualified Philippine labor lawyer.
