Federal Agency Decisions
Federal workers' compensation appeals from the Department of Labor's Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB), federal-sector labor-relations cases from the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), Longshore Act and Black Lung Benefits Act appeals from the Department of Labor's Benefits Review Board (BRB), precedent decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), environmental permit and penalty appeals from the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB), and whistleblower and other labor appeals from the Department of Labor's Administrative Review Board (ARB), each with a plain-English summary, the law it cites, and whether it counts as precedent. More agencies are coming.
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Matter of Jose Israel Chamorro Castillo
Board upholds hearing notice mailed to the only address of record
The Immigration Court mailed a hearing notice to the only address in its record for Jose Israel Chamorro Castillo, but the mail was returned as undeliverable and he missed the hearing. An immigration judge ordered him removed in absentia and denied his motion to reopen. After the Ninth Circuit sent…
Matter of J-E-D-C-
Board dismisses appeal from refusal to reopen an in absentia removal order
A Mexican citizen missed his removal hearing and sought to reopen the resulting in absentia order. He said he expected another hearing notice despite receiving a notice to appear with the date, time, and place explained to him in Spanish. The Board held that immigration judges need not accept every…
Matter of L. Ramirez
Board denies further continuance to await a U visa
A Mexican citizen asked to postpone his removal case again while his U visa petition remained pending with USCIS. The immigration judge denied another continuance and ordered removal. The Board overruled its earlier presumption favoring a continuance for a prima facie approvable U visa petition and…
City of Manchester, New Hampshire, Division of Public Works
In re City of Manchester (EAB NPDES Appeal No. 25-05): permit appeal dismissed after negotiated resolution
The City of Manchester, New Hampshire petitioned the Environmental Appeals Board to review provisions of an NPDES permit issued by EPA Region 1. The Board stayed the appeal while the City and Region explored settlement. After the stay expired, the City reported a negotiated resolution, requested…
Timothy Wilson, d/b/a Wilson's Pest Control
In re Timothy Wilson, d/b/a Wilson's Pest Control (EAB FIFRA Appeal No. 26-(03)): Board declines review of initial order
Chief Administrative Law Judge Michael B. Wright issued an Initial Decision and Order in the case involving Timothy Wilson, doing business as Wilson's Pest Control. Neither party appealed. The Environmental Appeals Board examined the matter under 40 C.F.R. § 22.30(b) and elected to take no further…
Matter of B-S-A-N-
Board dismisses protection appeal by dual French and Gabonese citizen
A dual citizen of France and Gabon sought asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. She claimed that Gabonese government agents would harm her in France because of her family's opposition to the former Gabonese president's party. The Board found no…
Geo Home Renovations Inc.
Late contest dismissed and $53,460 penalty assessed
Geo Home Renovations received an OSHA citation after an inspection of its worksite in Athens, New York. The citation alleged eight serious and two other-than-serious violations of construction and recordkeeping standards, with proposed penalties totaling $53,460. The company submitted its notice of…
Matter of M-R-I-
Return to Nepal abandoned pending protection application
A Nepalese respondent sought asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). While that application was pending, he traveled to Nepal for about two months under a grant of advance parole. The Board agreed with the Immigration Judge that he had not shown…
Matter of M-S-V-
Bond order vacated and detention ordered
DHS appealed an Immigration Judge's order releasing the respondent, a Russian citizen, on a $20,000 bond. The Board found that he had not shown he posed no danger to the community: he worked as a long-haul truck driver without a valid commercial driver's license and had been arrested for failing to…
Matter of C-M-H-H-
Immigration Judge could decide the case on the existing record after remand
The Board had previously sent this El Salvador removal case back to the Immigration Judge for a new decision on withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture. The Immigration Judge denied both claims again without holding another hearing. The Board held that its remand…
Matter of Mike Singh Sethi, Attorney
Matter of Mike Singh Sethi (BIA ID 4254): six-month reciprocal attorney suspension
The Ninth Circuit suspended an attorney for six months after finding misconduct involving nonexistent legal citations and false statements about the use of artificial intelligence in a brief. The Board held that the court's suspension supported immediate suspension from practice before the Board…
Dels Exteriors LLC
Dels Exteriors defaults; $33,195 in OSHA penalties assessed
OSHA cited Dels Exteriors after inspecting a residential construction site in Illinois. The company contested two serious and three repeat serious items, then failed to participate after reporting a settlement in principle. Judge Coleman found that its owner missed required conferences and did not…
Victor Contracting L.L.C.
Commission dismisses Victor Contracting case after full settlement
The parties told the Commission they had resolved all contested OSHA citation items involving Victor Contracting. Because they agreed to end the proceedings, the Commission dismissed the case. The published order does not disclose the citation terms or any penalty amount.
Corral Construction
Defaults; $31,210 in OSHA penalties affirmed
OSHA cited Corral Construction after inspecting its Syracuse, New York worksite, proposing $31,210 for one serious and one willful item. After its lawyer withdrew, the company failed to respond to discovery, register for electronic filing, attend a conference, or answer a show cause order. Judge…
Matter of G-R-B-
Immigration Judge may reject insufficient claims without a DHS motion
The respondent appealed an Immigration Judge's decision to pretermit his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. The Board agreed that his application and supporting evidence did not set out a prima facie claim for those forms of relief…
David Hernandez d/b/a David Hernandez
Contest dismissed after repeated failure to participate
OSHA inspected a Wisconsin construction worksite and cited David Hernandez for three construction safety violations, proposing $24,685 in penalties. After his letter was treated as a notice of contest, he did not answer the Secretary's complaint or respond to an order to show cause. He also did not…
Matter of M-K-
Motion to reopen denied for insufficient new evidence
The respondent moved to reopen his removal proceedings after the Board had dismissed his appeal in an earlier decision. He argued that recusals, the pace of his case, and agency practices showed improper influence and denied him a fair hearing. The Board found that the new materials did not support…
Matter of Tirso Mendez Maldonado
Admission of cocaine use barred adjustment of status
The respondent appealed the denial of his application to adjust to permanent resident status. He had admitted possessing and using cocaine during an immigration interview and again under oath before the Immigration Judge. The Board held that these admissions made him inadmissible under the…
Matter of Ashley Briana Cuber
One-year reciprocal attorney suspension
The Washington Supreme Court suspended an attorney from practicing law for one year. EOIR and DHS disciplinary counsel requested the same sanction for practice before the Board, Immigration Courts, and DHS. The attorney did not answer their amended notice of intent to discipline. The Board held…
Matter of A-V-O-
Aggravated felony inadmissibility rule applied prospectively
The respondent appealed findings that her fraud convictions were aggravated felonies and that she was ineligible for a waiver, adjustment of status, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. The Board upheld the aggravated felony finding because the restitution order tied a loss above…
Matter of V-S-A-
Asylum grant vacated for new credibility review
The Department of Homeland Security appealed an asylum grant, arguing that the respondent's declaration resembled declarations from 12 other asylum cases. The Board held that redacting identifying details from the other declarations protected the applicants' confidentiality and that their authors…
Brandon Oliver v. Ash Grove Cement Company
Miner discrimination complaint dismissed
Brandon Oliver filed a Mine Act discrimination complaint against Ash Grove Cement Company after the company fired him following an accident involving a vehicle at its Nebraska mine. He argued that the company had not trained him to operate the vehicle and had adopted a safety policy only after his…
American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3403 and United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture
American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3403 and U.S. Department of Agriculture (FLRA 0-NG-3576): Authority dismisses annual dues-window petition
American Federation of Government Employees Local 3403 challenged the Agriculture Department's disapproval of a contract provision that limited dues-withholding cancellations to annual windows. The Authority denied the union's severance request because it did not explain how any severed part would…
Matter of A-E-V-M-
Asylum grant remanded for changed conditions and filing review
The Department of Homeland Security appealed an asylum grant to a Venezuelan applicant who feared harm because of her political opposition to the former Maduro government. The Board held that Maduro's removal from power and the transfer of executive authority were changed country conditions…
Finley Farmers Grain & Elevator
Partial EAJA fee award granted after fall-protection citation was vacated
Finley operates a grain elevator in North Dakota, where an employee was seriously injured after falling from a railcar while preparing it for loading. OSHA cited Finley under the personal protective equipment standard and, in the alternative, the general duty clause for not requiring fall…
Matter of Ifeanyi Emmanuel Diji
Notice mailed to last provided address upheld
The respondent sought to reopen and rescind a removal order entered after he missed a hearing. He said he had moved before the notice to appear was mailed and had not received the notices. Sitting en banc, the Board held that notice sent by regular mail to a person's most recently provided address…
Chase Cooling Systems LLC
In re Chase Cooling Systems LLC (EAB CAA Appeal No. 26-09C): HFC chiller import settlement ratified
Chase Cooling Systems LLC agreed to settle EPA’s allegation that it imported one stand-alone chiller for industrial process refrigeration using R-410A with a global warming potential of 2,087.5. The chiller arrived at the Port of Norfolk on March 27, 2026, and the agreement lists its value as…
Robert Thomas v. CalPortland Company
Thomas v. CalPortland (FMSHRC WEST 2018-0402-DM, WEST 2019-0205): Additional damages and fees ordered
Robert Thomas won a Mine Act discrimination case against CalPortland and returned to the judge after appeals to calculate amounts still owed. Judge Alan G. Paez denied CalPortland's request for more discovery and a hearing, finding that the parties' stipulations and existing record supported the…
Matter of Roberto Morales Cuxun
Bond grant vacated after danger assessment
The Department of Homeland Security appealed an Immigration Judge's decision releasing the respondent on a $9,000 bond. The Board found that the respondent had not shown he was not a danger to the community. It considered a driving while intoxicated conviction, arrests involving impaired driving…
Marvin Colegrove v. SMC Coal and Terminal Company
Colegrove v. SMC Coal and Terminal (BRB 26-0158): Employer withdraws opposition and appeal
Marvin Colegrove sought black lung benefits from SMC Coal and Terminal Company and its carrier. The employer had appealed but then filed a notice withdrawing its opposition to the claim. It asked the Board to dismiss the appeal and send the case to the district director for payment. The Board…
James D. McKnight v. Lone Mountain Processing, Inc.
McKnight v. Lone Mountain Processing (BRB 26-0132): Employer withdraws appeal and agrees to pay benefits
James D. McKnight sought black lung benefits from Lone Mountain Processing. The employer appealed an administrative decision but then asked to withdraw its appeal and return the case to the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs for payment. The Board treated the request as a withdrawal of the…
Matter of R-P-L-
$3,000 voluntary-departure fine upheld
The respondent, a citizen of India, received voluntary departure in 2003 and did not leave the United States after the Board reinstated a 30-day departure period in 2004. The Department of Homeland Security later imposed a $3,000 civil monetary penalty. The Board found that both the Immigration…
Derwood Ratliff (on behalf of Butchie Ratliff) v. CAM Mining, LLC
Ratliff v. CAM Mining (BRB 25-0263): Employer must reimburse black lung treatment costs
Derwood Ratliff pursued a medical-benefits dispute for Butchie Ratliff's estate after an earlier, unappealed black lung benefits award. The administrative judge ordered CAM Mining and its carrier to reimburse the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund $90,386.50 for pulmonary treatment. The employer…
Richard E. Currence v. Wolf Run Mining Company
Currence v. Wolf Run Mining (BRB 25-0248): Black lung benefits denial upheld
Richard Currence, a former coal miner, appealed the denial of his black lung benefits claim. The administrative judge found simple pneumoconiosis but did not find the complicated disease or a totally disabling respiratory impairment needed for the presumptions at issue. The Board rejected…
Arthur P. Blevins v. Clinchfield Coal Company
Blevins v. Clinchfield Coal (BRB 25-0245): Black lung benefits award affirmed
Arthur Blevins sought black lung benefits after working for Clinchfield Coal Company. The administrative law judge awarded benefits under a presumption available to miners with at least 15 years of qualifying coal mine work and a totally disabling respiratory impairment. The employer disputed the…
Linda G. Coleman (o/b/o and Widow of Mikeal Coleman) v. Westbury Coal Mining Partnership and Old Republic Insurance Company
Coleman v. Westbury Coal Mining (BRB 25-0199 and 25-0227): benefits awards vacated and remanded
The employer and its carrier appealed the administrative law judge's awards of miner's and survivor's black lung benefits. Linda Coleman was the claimant-respondent. The Board affirmed some findings, including the responsible operator determination and parts of the coal mine employment evidence…
Linda G. Coleman (on behalf of and widow of Mikeal Coleman) v. Westbury Coal Mining Partnership
Coleman v. Westbury Coal Mining (BRB 25-0199 and 25-0227): Benefit awards vacated for further findings
Linda Coleman pursued her late husband Mikeal Coleman's black lung claim and her own survivor's claim. The administrative judge credited him with more than fifteen years of coal mine work, applied a presumption of disability due to pneumoconiosis, and awarded benefits in both claims. The Board…
Matter of K-K-U-J-
Reopening of in absentia order reversed
The Immigration Judge reopened an in absentia removal order after the respondent said a person he hired to seek a continuance had misled him into thinking he need not appear at his hearing. The Department of Homeland Security appealed. The Board found that both continuance motions identified the…
Preston D. Hess v. Island Creek Coal Company
Hess v. Island Creek Coal (BRB 25-0191): Benefit award vacated for another disability finding
Preston Hess sought black lung benefits after working for Island Creek Coal Company. The administrative law judge awarded benefits under a presumption based on his coal mine work and total respiratory disability. The employer argued that the judge had not followed the Board's earlier instructions…
C.P. and U.S. Postal Service, Germantown Post Office
Postal carrier's benefit termination reversed (ECAB 26-0528)
A postal carrier received compensation for an accepted right shoulder condition, including a permanent aggravation of osteoarthritis. OWCP later terminated her wage loss and medical benefits after a second opinion physician concluded that the work related condition had resolved. The Board found…
R.W. and U.S. Postal Service, Timberlake Post Office
Rural carrier's fall during commute was in performance of duty (ECAB 24-0755)
A rural postal carrier who used his own vehicle to deliver mail slipped on ice while leaving a restaurant on his way to work. He had stopped to get food before a long route and was about to refuel his vehicle. OWCP denied his injury claim, finding that the fall did not occur in the performance of…
United States Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 246
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and NTEU Chapter 246 (FLRA 0-AR-5884): Authority sets aside full-time telework award
Two Customs and Border Protection employees sought to continue full-time telework after the COVID-19 emergency, but the agency approved four telework days per week instead. An arbitrator found that the agency violated its collective-bargaining agreement and reintegration memorandum and ordered it…
Yoder & Frey Auctioneers LLC
In re Yoder & Frey Auctioneers LLC (EAB CAA Appeal No. 26-08C): uncertified excavator imports settled
Yoder & Frey Auctioneers LLC is an Ohio auction house for industrial, construction, and agricultural equipment. EPA alleged that the company imported or caused the importation of 20 excavators with new nonroad diesel engines that lacked required certificates of conformity. The company agreed to…
Teresa Leftwich (o/b/o and Widow of Billy C. Leftwich) v. Lambert Coal Company, Incorporated and Arrowood Indemnity
Leftwich v. Lambert Coal (BRB 25-0252 and 25-0253): black lung benefits award affirmed
The employer and its carrier appealed the administrative law judge's award of miner's and survivor's black lung benefits. Teresa Leftwich was the claimant-respondent and supported the award. The judge found legal and clinical pneumoconiosis, total disability, and disability due to legal…
Teresa Leftwich (on behalf of and widow of Billy C. Leftwich) v. Lambert Coal Company, Incorporated
Leftwich v. Lambert Coal (BRB 25-0252 and 25-0253): Miner and survivor benefits affirmed
Teresa Leftwich pursued her late husband Billy Leftwich's black lung claim and her own survivor's claim. The administrative law judge found that he had legal pneumoconiosis, a disabling lung condition related to coal mine dust, and awarded benefits in his claim. She also awarded survivor benefits…
Teddy E. Varney v. Rockhouse Creek Development Corporation
Varney v. Rockhouse Creek (BRB 25-0230): Black lung benefits award affirmed
Teddy Varney sought black lung benefits after working in underground coal mines. The administrative law judge awarded benefits under a presumption for miners with at least 15 years of qualifying work and a totally disabling respiratory impairment. Rockhouse Creek and its insurer challenged the…
Kenneth D. Reynolds v. Paramont Coal Company Virginia, LLC
Reynolds v. Paramont Coal (BRB 25-0224): Denial of black lung benefits affirmed
Kenneth Reynolds sought black lung benefits after more than 30 years of qualifying coal mine work. The administrative law judge denied benefits because the evidence did not establish complicated pneumoconiosis or a totally disabling respiratory impairment. Reynolds appealed without a lawyer. The…
Barbara Stump (o/b/o and Survivor of Eldeen Stump) v. Meister, Incorporated and Old Republic Insurance Company
Stump v. Meister (BRB 25-0208 and 25-0209): black lung benefits awards affirmed
The employer and its carrier appealed the administrative law judge's awards of miner's and survivor's black lung benefits. Barbara Stump was the claimant-respondent and supported the awards. The judge found at least fifteen years of underground coal mine employment, total disability due to…
Barbara Stump (on behalf of and survivor of Eldeen Stump) v. Meister, Incorporated
Stump v. Meister (BRB 25-0208 and 25-0209): Employer remains liable for miner and survivor benefits
Barbara Stump pursued her late husband Eldeen Stump's black lung claim and her own survivor's claim. The administrative law judge awarded benefits in both claims and found Meister and its insurer responsible for payment. They appealed the liability designation without challenging the benefit…
S.S. and Department of Veterans Affairs, Tomah VA Medical Center
VA nursing assistant's benefit termination reversed (ECAB 26-0526)
A VA nursing assistant injured his left knee at work in 2013, and OWCP accepted his claim. OWCP later ended his wage loss compensation and medical benefits after a second opinion physician said the work related condition had resolved. The physician attributed a later knee surgery to age related…
A.D. and U.S. Postal Service, Hyde Park Post Office
Postal carrier's late reconsideration request denied (ECAB 26-0460)
A postal carrier had an accepted back injury claim, but OWCP later terminated wage loss benefits. He asked OWCP to reconsider its most recent merit decision more than a year after that decision. OWCP rejected the request as untimely and found no clear evidence that its earlier decision was wrong…
Matter of W-F-D-
Bond order vacated after final removal order
The Board reviewed the Department of Homeland Security's appeal from an Immigration Judge's order releasing the respondent from custody on a $1,500 bond. The respondent, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had an administratively final removal order and had been granted withholding…
Carl E. Gardner, Sr. v. Drummond Company, Incorporated
Gardner v. Drummond (BRB 25-0234): Benefit award vacated for a new disability analysis
Carl Gardner sought black lung benefits after coal mine work for Drummond Company. The administrative law judge awarded benefits under a presumption based on at least 15 years of qualifying work and total respiratory disability. Drummond challenged the disability finding and the judge's treatment…
Ronald P. Mills v. Kitchekan Fuel Corporation
Mills v. Kitchekan Fuel (BRB 25-0229): Black lung benefits affirmed on medical evidence
Ronald Mills sought black lung benefits after coal mine work for Kitchekan Fuel. The administrative law judge found that he had legal pneumoconiosis, was totally disabled, and that the disease substantially contributed to his disability. The employer and its carrier challenged those findings…
B.A. and U.S. Postal Service, Mobile Annex
Late reconsideration request denied in postal worker's therapy case (ECAB 26-0534)
A postal worker with an accepted right hamstring condition sought additional physical therapy. OWCP declined to authorize more treatment without further supporting information. She requested reconsideration more than a year after OWCP's last decision on the merits. The Board found the request…
L.N. and U.S. Postal Service, Newburg Post Office
Postal carrier's wage loss termination reversed (ECAB 26-0506)
A rural postal carrier injured her shoulder and neck while loading a package. OWCP ended her wage loss compensation after she declined a temporary light duty assignment. The Board found that OWCP had not finished developing the medical evidence before ending compensation. Its examining physician…
B.H. and Department of Veterans Affairs, Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center
VA nurse's left knee claim returned for medical review (ECAB 26-0479)
A VA nurse injured his right ankle while pushing a patient in a wheelchair. He later asked OWCP to add a left knee condition to his accepted claim, saying it followed from changes in how he bore weight after the ankle injury. OWCP denied the request. The Board found that his physician's reports…
Matter of Sarah J. M. JONES
Reinstatement denied after attorney restriction
The Board considered a petition by an attorney who had been indefinitely suspended from practice before the Board, the Immigration Courts, and the Department of Homeland Security in 2011. She argued that reinstatement was available because she had been restored to good standing in Illinois. The…
T.T. and U.S. Postal Service, Processing & Distribution Center
Postal worker's late hearing request denied (ECAB 26-0517)
A postal processing clerk sought reimbursement for medical travel expenses connected to an accepted back injury. OWCP approved some expenses but denied others. She requested an oral hearing more than 30 days after that decision. The Board held that the request was late and that OWCP reasonably…
E.S. and Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Safford Federal Correctional Institution
Prison worker's injury claim returned for causation review (ECAB 26-0477)
A federal prison materials handler fell while using a pallet jack at work and reported knee, ankle, and head symptoms. OWCP denied his injury claim, finding no medical diagnosis connected with the accepted incident. The Board found that an emergency physician had diagnosed a concussion in discharge…
What these documents are
- The agencies: Federal workers' compensation appeals from the Department of Labor's Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB), federal-sector labor-relations cases from the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), Longshore Act and Black Lung Benefits Act appeals from the Department of Labor's Benefits Review Board (BRB), precedent decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), environmental permit and penalty appeals from the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB), and whistleblower and other labor appeals from the Department of Labor's Administrative Review Board (ARB). Each decision page names its agency.
- Commission, Board and Authority decisions: Rulings by the agency's highest review level (the Commission at OSHRC and FMSHRC, the Authority at FLRA, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Administrative Review Board at Labor, and the Environmental Appeals Board at EPA). These are citable as precedent, though a decision may have been appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals after issuance.
- ALJ decisions: Rulings by the agency's Administrative Law Judges after a hearing. When no Commissioner directs review, an ALJ decision becomes a final order that binds the parties in that case but is not binding precedent: under 29 U.S.C. § 661(j) at OSHRC, and after the 40-day window of 30 U.S.C. § 823(d)(1) at FMSHRC.
- Why finality matters: Every page here says which kind of decision you are reading, so you know whether it is precedent you can cite or a final order that only shows how one judge ruled on one set of facts.
- Where they come from: Every page links the official public release from the deciding agency, and the full text on the page is that release. The plain-English summaries are written by Ezel.