Follow the SEnA process from filing and referral through conciliation conferences, possible settlement, referral, and further labor remedies.
Filing a complaint with DOLE can mean a SEnA Request for Assistance, a labor standards inspection complaint under Article 128, or a call to DOLE Hotline 1349 depending on the problem. This guide breaks down each pathway, what to prepare, and what happens after you file.
Last materially reviewed: August 28, 2026Sources rechecked as of: August 28, 2026 Some labor disputes belong within the original and exclusive jurisdiction of a Labor Arbiter at the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC). But “go directly to the NLRC” can be misleading: many labor disputes that ultimately belong before a Labor Arbiter ordinarily pass first…
A practical checklist of the documents and information to prepare before filing a DOLE SEnA Request for Assistance or labor complaint in the Philippines.
What happens if SEnA does not result in a settlement? Learn what referral or endorsement means, when a case may proceed to DOLE, the NLRC, voluntary arbitration, or another proper forum, and what documents to prepare next.
A clause-by-clause guide to the release, waiver and quitclaim Filipino workers are asked to sign at separation — what each part does, which clauses carry the least weight, and how the forum you sign in changes how final it is.
Learn what labor complaints can be filed online through DOLE ARMS and how to prepare and file a formal case with the proper NLRC branch.
Learn when employer action may be unlawful retaliation, what evidence to preserve, and whether to approach DOLE, SEnA, or the NLRC.
Learn how to file a case against your employer in the Philippines, prepare evidence, use SEnA, and proceed through DOLE or the NLRC.
Should you file with the NLRC or DOLE? Compare their jurisdiction, procedures and remedies to identify the proper Philippine labor complaint route.
Learn how to document a possible endo scheme, file through SEnA, and pursue an illegal-dismissal or regularization claim through DOLE or the NLRC.