Mandatory Labor Conciliation (SECLO) in Buenos Aires: Process and Settlements
SECLO is the mandatory labor conciliation stage you have to go through in the City of Buenos Aires before you can file a labor lawsuit. Its purpose is to reach an approved settlement — one that guarantees you collect fair severance and carries the weight of a final court judgment. At Conti Abogados we represent you directly at every hearing.
Types of SECLO case: how did your file start?
- Worker's claim (opened after a telegram exchange): you formally demanded payment from your employer over a dismissal, unpaid differences or unregistered work. They refused, and an official conciliator is drawn by lot to press the claim.
- Spontaneous filing (a deal already agreed): you and the company already discussed a termination figure and you appear before SECLO only to formalise the exit agreement and have it approved.
- You were summoned by the company: if your employer opened the case, you must still appear with your own independent attorney — one you chose and trust.
The checklist that matters before your SECLO hearing
- 1. Do not show up with a lawyer the employer provided: your representation has to be independent, or you will be walked into waiving rights that cost you real money.
- 2. Bring your ID (DNI) and your bank account details (CBU): payments under approved settlements are made exclusively by transfer to an account in your own name.
- 3. Know what your claim is actually worth: to negotiate you need the full figure you would be awarded at trial — seniority severance under Art. 245 LCT, statutory fines and unpaid differences.
- 4. Check the fair balance of rights (Art. 15 LCT): a settlement cannot breach labour public policy or lock in a figure that amounts to an unlawful waiver of your rights.
Were you served with a SECLO hearing date?
We represent workers at virtual and in-person conciliation hearings across the City of Buenos Aires:
Arrange SECLO representation on WhatsApp (11 2604-4758)1. The legal framework: Law 24,635 in Buenos Aires
The Mandatory Labor Conciliation Service (Law 24,635) was created to give individual and multi-party labour disputes in the Capital Federal a fast, non-adversarial way out.
Three features define the procedure:
- Absolute confidentiality: nothing said or offered at the hearings can be used later as evidence at trial.
- Free for the worker: you pay no filing fees and no administrative fees for the conciliator.
- The limitation period stops running: filing your claim at SECLO interrupts and suspends the two-year labour limitation period (Art. 256 LCT).
2. The conciliator and ministerial approval of the settlement
The conciliator is an attorney listed on the National Registry of Labor Conciliators. Their job is to bring both sides close enough to reach a balanced solution.
What an approved settlement is worth (Art. 15 LCT)
Once the agreement is signed, the file goes to the SECLO Directorate for approval ("homologación"). A public official checks that it reflects a "fair composition of the rights and interests of the parties" (Art. 15 of the Employment Contract Law). Once the approval order is issued, the settlement carries the force of res judicata. If the company fails to deposit the money within the agreed term, enforcement begins immediately, with punitive interest and attachment of assets.
Traps and what NOT to do at SECLO
- Do not sign termination agreements before a notary: private notarial deals paying a "termination bonus" without SECLO's involvement can be void and give the employer no real release.
- Do not accept long instalment plans without a penalty clause: every financed settlement needs automatic penalties and full acceleration of the balance if a single instalment is missed.
- Do not take a token amount under pressure: if the offer is too low, the case is closed and a lawsuit is filed before the National Labor Courts, claiming interest and indexation on top.
Case law on the validity and nullity of settlements
The settled case law of the National Labor Court of Appeals holds that settlements simulating a resignation, or entered into where no real dispute existed, can be declared void when they breach the principle that labour rights cannot be waived (Art. 12 LCT) — leaving the worker free to claim the full amount still owed.
Frequently asked questions about the SECLO procedure
What is SECLO and why is it mandatory in Buenos Aires?
It is the mandatory administrative stage that comes before court in the Capital Federal. No worker and no employer can file an ordinary claim before a Buenos Aires labour court without going through SECLO first.
Can I attend the SECLO hearing without a lawyer?
No. Any hearing where the worker is not assisted by an attorney registered with the CPACF (the Buenos Aires City bar association) is void.
What legal weight does a settlement signed and approved at SECLO carry?
The same force and enforceability as a first-instance court judgment with the authority of res judicata, both formal and substantive.
What happens if no agreement is reached at the SECLO hearing?
The conciliator issues the Certificate of Closure for Non-Conciliation, which opens the way to sue before the labour courts on Lavalle and Diagonal Norte in Buenos Aires.
Are SECLO hearings held in person or online?
The vast majority are held over secure remote platforms with identity verification, so you can complete the procedure without unnecessary travel.
How long does a SECLO case take?
Between the draw of the conciliator and the first hearing there are usually 15 to 25 days. If you settle, ministerial approval normally takes another 15 to 30 business days.
Does filing at SECLO stop the two-year limitation period?
Yes. Filing your claim interrupts and suspends the two-year labour limitation period under Art. 256 LCT, which is one reason not to delay opening the case.
Can what I say at the hearing be used against me later at trial?
No. The procedure is strictly confidential: nothing discussed or offered at a SECLO hearing can be invoked as evidence in a subsequent lawsuit.
What if the company signs the settlement and then does not pay?
An approved settlement is enforced like a judgment. Your lawyer moves straight to judicial enforcement, with punitive interest and immediate attachment of the company's assets and accounts.
Related resources
- Our office and the labour courts Maipú 42, steps from the courthouses and the SECLO hearing rooms in Buenos Aires.
- Full severance calculation for dismissal without cause What you should be aiming for under Art. 245 LCT at the negotiating table.
- Glossary: Free Labor Telegram (Law 23,789) The formal step you normally have to take before opening a SECLO claim.