Question & AnswerQ&A (DOLE DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 107-10)
The primary purpose of the Single Entry Approach (SEnA) is to provide a speedy, impartial, inexpensive and accessible settlement procedure for all labor issues or conflicts to prevent them from escalating into full-blown disputes, using conciliation-mediation as immediate intervention.
Any aggrieved worker, union, group of workers, or employer may file a request for assistance.
Requests should be filed at any Single Entry Assistance Desk (SEAD) in the region where the employer principally operates. For unions or federations, the request must be filed at the office where the union or local chapter is registered.
The Desk Officer provides assessment, evaluation, counseling before the filing of complaints, initiates the 30-day conciliation-mediation process, facilitates conciliation meetings, and issues referrals if unresolved.
The Desk Officer shall reduce the agreement to writing, ensure parties understand and sign it, and attest to it as a voluntary act. The settlement agreement is final and binding.
The Desk Officer monitors compliance. If non-compliance occurs, the matter is endorsed to the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) for enforcement.
Failure to appear results in the issuance of a referral to the appropriate DOLE office or agency with jurisdiction over the dispute.
Lawyers may attend only to render advice to parties but may not intervene in the conciliation-mediation.
Statements and information given in confidence during conciliation-mediation are privileged communications and cannot be used as evidence in arbitration or court proceedings, except stipulations of facts voluntarily entered into by the parties.
The conciliation-mediation period is 30 calendar days from the filing of the request for assistance.
The Desk Officer must issue a referral to the appropriate DOLE agency, office, or arbitration entity having jurisdiction over the unresolved issues.
A Referral must contain the names and addresses of parties, summary of unresolved issues, causes of action, and relief sought, without prejudice to amendment of the complaint before the competent office or agency.
All pending cases upon effectivity shall be endorsed to the appropriate SEAD for the 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation. Pending cases may go through mediation upon joint request by parties, which suspends compulsory proceedings temporarily.