Key points
- The Single Entry Approach (SEnA) is DOLE’s free 30-day conciliation-mediation for labor and employment problems, required under R.A. 10396 before most labor cases.
- File a Request for Assistance online at DOLE ARMS (arms.dole.gov.ph), or walk in at a Single Entry Assistance Desk at DOLE, NCMB or NLRC offices.
- Workers (including kasambahay and OFWs), groups, unions and employers may file; a family member with an SPA can file for an absent worker.
- DOLE Labor Advisory 06-20: final pay within 30 days of separation, and a Certificate of Employment within 3 days of request. 13th month pay is due by December 24.
- If there is no settlement within 30 days, your request is referred to the office with jurisdiction, such as the NLRC. This is general information, not legal advice.
Your employer has not paid your salary, your final pay is months late, or your 13th month pay never came? Before a labor case is filed, most workplace problems in the Philippines go through the Single Entry Approach (SEnA): a free, 30-day conciliation-mediation run by DOLE and its agencies. This guide explains what SEnA covers, how to file a Request for Assistance (RFA) online or in person, what happens at the conference, and what to do if there is no settlement.
Last checked: October 28, 2026, against DOLE’s ARMS portal (arms.dole.gov.ph), NCMB’s SEnA pages, R.A. 10396, P.D. 851 and its implementing rules, and DOLE Labor Advisory No. 06, Series of 2020. This is general information, not legal advice.
Quick answer
- Where to file online: DOLE’s Assistance for Requests Management System (ARMS) at arms.dole.gov.ph, launched January 20, 2025 as the central platform for Requests for Assistance.
- Where to file in person: any Single Entry Assistance Desk at DOLE Regional/Provincial/Field Offices, NCMB offices, or NLRC offices.
- Cost: free. SEnA is a conciliation-mediation process, not a court case.
- How long: a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation period.
- No settlement? Your request is referred or endorsed to the DOLE office or agency with jurisdiction (for example, the NLRC labor arbiter).
Problems you can bring to SEnA
Under R.A. 10396, all issues arising from labor and employment are subject to mandatory conciliation-mediation, except as provided in the Labor Code or excepted by the Secretary of Labor. Common examples:
- Unpaid or underpaid wages, overtime, holiday pay or night differential
- Unreleased final pay after you resigned or were terminated
- Unpaid 13th month pay
- Unauthorized deductions from your salary
- Non-remittance of SSS, PhilHealth or Pag-IBIG contributions
- Refusal to issue a Certificate of Employment
- Dismissal or other employment disputes you want to settle early
Who can file
According to DOLE ARMS and NCMB, an RFA may be filed by any aggrieved person: a worker (including a kasambahay), a group of workers, local or overseas, a union, workers’ association or federation, or an employer. If the worker is absent or incapacitated, an immediate family member with a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) may file. If the worker has died, the legitimate heirs may file.
What to prepare
- A valid ID
- Your employer’s complete name and address, and the name of the owner, manager or HR contact
- Your employment details: position, date hired, date separated (if any), salary rate and pay schedule
- Proof of work and pay: contract or job offer, ID, payslips, payroll or bank records, time records
- Messages, emails or letters about the unpaid amount (for example, a promise to release final pay)
- Your own computation of what you are claiming, even if rough
- An SPA, if someone is filing for you
How to file a Request for Assistance online (ARMS)
- Go to arms.dole.gov.ph. Use only this official address.
- Choose the type of requesting party (for example, individual worker, OFW, kasambahay).
- Fill in your details, your employer’s details, and your issues. Be specific about amounts and dates.
- Submit the form and keep your reference details. ARMS lets you track your request.
- Wait to be contacted. NCMB says that after you submit online, its personnel will notify and contact you for the next steps; DOLE’s system has an interviewer validate the request and assign a SEnA desk officer.
Filing in person
Walk in at the Single Entry Assistance Desk of a DOLE Regional/Provincial/Field Office, an NCMB branch, or an NLRC office. Bring the documents above. The desk officer encodes your request in the same system. You can also call the DOLE hotline 1349 for directions to the nearest office.
What happens after filing
- Validation. Your request is reviewed to see if it can be docketed under SEnA, and that you have no duplicate request with another office.
- Notice of conference. A SEnA Desk Officer (SEADO) sends a notice to you and your employer.
- Conciliation-mediation conference. The SEADO helps both sides talk and reach a settlement. It is not a trial; there is no judge.
- Settlement. If you agree, the terms (amount, payment date, other promises) are put in writing. Read it carefully before signing.
- No settlement within 30 days. Either party may also pre-terminate the process. Your request is then referred or endorsed to the office with jurisdiction, or, if both sides agree, the unresolved issues go to voluntary arbitration (R.A. 10396).
Which office receives an unresolved case depends on the issue and the amount. For example, money claims connected with termination usually go to the NLRC labor arbiter, while labor standards issues may be handled by the DOLE regional office. The SEADO will tell you where your case goes.
Final pay and Certificate of Employment: the DOLE rules
Under DOLE Labor Advisory No. 06, Series of 2020:
- Final pay must be released within 30 days from the date of separation or termination, unless a more favorable company policy, individual or collective agreement applies.
- A Certificate of Employment must be issued within 3 days from the employee’s request.
13th month pay basics
- Who is entitled: rank-and-file employees in the private sector who worked at least one month during the calendar year, regardless of position or how they are paid (P.D. 851, as amended, and DOLE’s guidelines). Employees who resigned or were terminated during the year get a proportionate amount.
- Formula: total basic salary earned during the calendar year ÷ 12. Basic salary generally does not include overtime, premium and holiday pay, night shift differential, COLA, or cash conversion of unused leave, unless these are treated as part of basic salary by agreement, policy or practice.
- Deadline: not later than December 24 every year.
- Not received by the deadline? You can file a SEnA Request for Assistance.
| Sample only (made-up figures) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic salary earned Jan–Dec | ₱216,000 |
| ÷ 12 | ₱18,000 13th month pay |
Tips
- Do not wait too long. Under the Labor Code, money claims arising from employer-employee relations must generally be filed within three years from the time the cause of action accrued.
- Keep copies of everything you submit, and screenshots of your online filing.
- Before signing a settlement or quitclaim, make sure the amount and dates are clear. Ask the SEADO to explain anything you do not understand.
- SEnA is free. Do not pay anyone who offers to “process” your RFA.
Free legal help
You do not need a lawyer for SEnA. If your case moves to the NLRC or court and you cannot afford a lawyer, the Public Attorney’s Office handles labor cases for qualified clients.
Questions people ask
Is there a fee to file SEnA?
No. SEnA is a free conciliation-mediation service of DOLE and its agencies.
Can I file even if I already resigned?
Yes. Former employees can file, for example for unpaid final pay or 13th month pay.
Can I file for a family member who is abroad or sick?
Yes. An immediate family member with a Special Power of Attorney may file. If the worker has died, the legitimate heirs may file.
Is SEnA the same as filing a labor case?
No. SEnA is a 30-day conciliation-mediation step. If you do not settle, your request is referred to the office that can decide the case.
Can OFWs and kasambahay use SEnA?
Yes. DOLE ARMS lists OFWs and kasambahay among the requesting parties.
What is the official website for online filing?
DOLE ARMS at arms.dole.gov.ph. NCMB also links to online filing on its website, ncmb.gov.ph.
Official sources
- DOLE ARMS: file and track a Request for Assistance
- NCMB: DOLE launches ARMS (January 20, 2025)
- NCMB: Single Entry Approach (who may file, where to file)
- R.A. 10396 (mandatory conciliation-mediation)
- DOLE Labor Advisory No. 06-20: final pay and Certificate of Employment
- P.D. 851 and its implementing rules (13th month pay)
- dole.gov.ph
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. DOLE procedures, systems and advisories may change. For your own situation, consult DOLE, NCMB, PAO, the IBP or a lawyer. Pilipinas Guide is not DOLE or any government office and does not process requests.
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