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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Maxwell Air Force Base and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 997
Maxwell Air Force Base and AFGE Local 997 (FLRA 4-CA-70746): Contact information ordered
AFGE Local 997 requested names and home addresses for employees in two bargaining units at Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Air Force Station. The base refused, arguing that privacy law barred disclosure and that compiling the information from several systems would be too burdensome. The Authority…
National Treasury Employees Union and Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt
NTEU and Bureau of the Public Debt (FLRA 0-NG-1453): Union negotiator travel proposal negotiable
NTEU proposed that the Bureau of the Public Debt pay travel and per diem allowances for union negotiating committee members on official time, subject to the Federal Travel Regulations. The bureau asserted that the proposal did not concern working conditions and conflicted with government wide…
323rd Flying Training Wing, Mather Air Force Base and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1692
Mather Air Force Base and AFGE Local 1692 (FLRA 9-CA-70270): Unit employee addresses ordered
AFGE Local 1692 sought names and home addresses for employees at Mather Air Force Base. Its request mentioned both appropriated and nonappropriated fund workers, but it represented the appropriated fund bargaining unit, and the Authority's order covered that unit. The base argued that privacy law…
Internal Revenue Service, Indianapolis District Office and National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 49
IRS Indianapolis and NTEU Chapter 49 (FLRA 5-CA-70039): Employee preference poll did not bypass union
The IRS Indianapolis District planned a new Northside satellite office and asked employees whether they wanted to work there. NTEU Chapter 49 alleged that asking employees directly bypassed its role as exclusive representative. The Authority found that the IRS notified the union before the poll…
Association of Civilian Technicians, Pennsylvania State Council and Adjutant General of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Civilian Technicians and Adjutant General (FLRA 0-NG-1379): Reconsideration leaves proposal rulings in place
The Association of Civilian Technicians asked the Authority to reconsider an earlier negotiability decision about aligning National Guard technicians' civilian and military assignments. The Authority agreed it had wrongly treated the union's response as late and considered its arguments. It…
Matter of Church Scientology International
Religious entities had to meet the same L-1 relationship standards
The Commissioner affirmed the denial of a sixth-preference immigrant visa petition filed by the Mother Church of the Church of Scientology for a beneficiary who worked as an establishment executive. The decision held that religious organizations may seek L-1 or Schedule A, Group IV benefits, but…
Lowry Air Force Base and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1974
Lowry Air Force Base and AFGE Local 1974 (FLRA 7-CA-70181): Dues offset unlawful
Lowry Air Force Base mistakenly deducted union dues from an employee outside AFGE Local 1974's bargaining unit and sent the money to the union. It later repaid the employee by withholding $129 from dues deducted from current bargaining unit members. The Authority changed its earlier approach in…
Defense Contract Administration Services Region, Boston and National Association of Government Employees
Defense Contract Administration Boston and NAGE (FLRA 1-CA-60389): Promotion file disclosure ordered
A bargaining unit employee asked NAGE to investigate his nonselection for a computer systems analyst position. The Defense Contract Administration's Boston region withheld parts of the promotion file and the selected applicant's qualifications form, SF-171. The Authority found the records necessary…
Department of the Navy, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Richard Pearl, Victor Porro, and Portsmouth Federal Employees Metal Trades Council
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Metal Trades Council (FLRA 1-CA-30303): Complaint dismissed on court order
The First Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that an earlier Authority decision on remand had not followed its mandate in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard dispute. The court ordered the Authority to dismiss the unfair labor practice complaint. The Authority complied and dismissed all three docketed…
Matter of Gutierrez
Withdrawal of an admission application requires a narrow justice-based showing
The Board sustained the Service's appeal from an immigration judge's decision allowing a Mexican applicant to withdraw his application for admission to the United States. The Board held that withdrawal requires factors directly related to admissibility showing that justice would be served, along…
United States Mint, Washington and Denver and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 695
United States Mint and AFGE Local 695 (FLRA 7-CA-70735): Current and former employee addresses ordered
AFGE Local 695 was pursuing grievances over alleged asbestos exposure and environmental differential pay at the Denver Mint. It requested names and home addresses for current unit employees and former unit employees who left since the grievances were filed in December 1985 so it could communicate…
American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1923 and Health Care Financing Administration
AFGE Local 1923 and Health Care Financing Administration (FLRA 0-NG-1452): Special rate detail proposal negotiable
AFGE Local 1923 proposed special rate pay for clerical employees detailed more than 20 days to positions covered by special salary rates. The Health Care Financing Administration argued that a government wide pay regulation and management assignment rights barred bargaining. The Authority found…
Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service, Tucson Program Area and National Federation of Federal Employees
Indian Health Service Tucson Program Area and NFFE (FLRA 8-CA-70471): Employee addresses ordered disclosed
NFFE requested names and home addresses of employees in bargaining units represented by its constituent locals at the Indian Health Service's Tucson Program Area. The agency refused, arguing that privacy law barred disclosure and that the union had other ways to contact employees. The judge found…
Naval Plant Representative Office, Bethpage, New York and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2693
Naval Plant Representative Office and AFGE Local 2693 (FLRA 2-CA-70178): Employee addresses ordered disclosed
AFGE Local 2693 asked the Naval Plant Representative Office at Bethpage for names and home addresses of the employees it represented. The office refused, arguing that privacy law barred disclosure and that the union had other ways to reach employees. The judge found that the office maintained the…
Matter of Hernandez-Ponce
PCP convictions supported deportability under amended drug law
The Board dismissed a Mexican lawful permanent resident's appeal from an immigration judge's deportation order. The respondent had twice been convicted in California of using and being under the influence of phencyclidine, or PCP, and the Board held that the amended drug provision covered…
Veterans Administration, Washington, D.C. and Dallas Veterans Administration Medical Center and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2437
Veterans Administration and Dallas VA Medical Center (FLRA 6-CA-70060): Agency ordered to direct address disclosure
AFGE Local 2437 requested the names and home addresses of employees it represented at the Dallas VA Medical Center. The Veterans Administration directed the medical center to refuse. The Authority adopted the judge's finding that the agency violated the federal labor statute by blocking disclosure…
Defense Logistics Agency and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2501
Defense Logistics Agency and AFGE Local 2501 (FLRA 0-AR-1456): Interest exception dismissed for lack of jurisdiction
The Defense Logistics Agency removed an employee for two incidents of intoxication on duty and one absence without leave. An arbitrator reduced the penalty to a five-day suspension, restored the employee to his position, and awarded backpay with interest. The agency challenged only the interest…
Matter of Arias
Speculative marriage concerns did not support visa petition revocation
The Board sustained a United States citizen petitioner's appeal from revocation of approval of an immediate-relative visa petition filed for her husband. The Board held that a revocation may be based only on the factual allegations identified in the notice of intention to revoke, and that…
Matter of Hilaire
Certified copies do not replace originals when the Service requests them
The Board dismissed a lawful permanent resident's appeal from denial of a visa petition filed for his unmarried daughter. The petitioner submitted certified copies of Haitian birth and marriage records, but the Immigration and Naturalization Service requested the original documents to verify their…
Department of the Navy, Navy Public Works Center, Norfolk, Virginia and Tidewater Virginia Federal Employees Metal Trades Council
Navy Public Works Center and Tidewater Metal Trades Council (FLRA 34-CA-60867): Employee addresses ordered disclosed
The Tidewater Virginia Federal Employees Metal Trades Council asked the Navy Public Works Center for the names and home addresses of employees in its bargaining unit. The center refused, citing employee privacy and claiming the information was not reasonably available or necessary. The judge found…
Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Portsmouth, Virginia and International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 10
Supervisor of Shipbuilding and IFPTE Local 10 (FLRA 34-CA-60737): Employee addresses ordered disclosed
IFPTE Local 10 asked the Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair for names and home addresses of employees in its bargaining unit. The office refused, arguing that privacy law barred disclosure and that the union had other ways to communicate with employees. The judge found that the office…
HHS, Indian Health Service, W. W. Hastings Indian Hospital and National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 414
W. W. Hastings Indian Hospital (FLRA 6-CA-70212): Union entitled to employee names and addresses
The union representing employees at W. W. Hastings Indian Hospital requested the names and home addresses of employees in its bargaining unit. The hospital refused, citing the Privacy Act and questioning the union's need for the information. The administrative law judge found no material factual…
Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Graphic Communications International Union, Local Union No. 4-B
Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Graphic Communications Local 4-B (FLRA 3-CA-70496): Employee addresses ordered disclosed
Graphic Communications International Union Local 4-B requested names and home addresses of employees in its bargaining unit. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing refused. The parties stipulated that the bureau normally maintained the information and that it was reasonably available. Applying its…
U.S. Army Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1858
Army Missile Command and AFGE Local 1858 (FLRA 0-AR-1478): Removal award exceptions dismissed
An arbitrator denied a grievance and upheld the removal of an Army Missile Command employee from federal service. AFGE Local 1858 filed exceptions to the award. The Authority held that it could not review an arbitration award concerning an employee removal because the matter falls under 5 U.S.C. §…
Veterans Administration Medical Center, Leavenworth, Kansas and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 85
Leavenworth VA Medical Center and AFGE Local 85 (FLRA 0-AR-1453): Privacy Act and recording exceptions denied
A VA medical center introduced an employee's leave application at an arbitration hearing without her consent. An arbitrator later found that its use fit a published routine use under the Privacy Act and denied the employee's grievance. The arbitrator also rejected the union's objection to a court…
National Association of Government Employees, Local R5-168 and Department of the Army, Fort Polk
Fort Polk reduction in force proposal (FLRA O-NG-1505): Negotiability petition dismissed
The Army's Fort Polk activity told National Association of Government Employees Local R5-168 that two reduction in force proposals were nonnegotiable. The union asked the Authority to review one proposal, concerning the length of advance notice. The Department of the Army then asked to withdraw the…
U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service and American Federation of Government Employees, National Border Patrol Council
Border Patrol rough duty trousers (FLRA 8-CA-70178): Unilateral change violated bargaining duty
San Diego Border Patrol agents had been allowed to wear green Levi-style trousers for rough duty. The Immigration and Naturalization Service announced it would end that practice, and the union proposed keeping it until national contract negotiations concluded. The Authority found the proposal was a…
National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 1639 and South Carolina National Guard
South Carolina National Guard uniform provision (FLRA O-NG-1502): Negotiability petition dismissed
The head of the agency disapproved a South Carolina National Guard contract provision on employee uniform procurement as nonnegotiable. National Federation of Federal Employees Local 1639 petitioned the Authority for a ruling on the provision. The National Guard Bureau then asked to withdraw the…
Matter of Walsh and Pollard
Specialized treaty-investor employees qualified for admission
The Board reviewed the Service's appeal from an order admitting two British automotive design engineers under the treaty-investor visa classification. Their employer had formed a United States subsidiary, invested in offices, equipment, employees, and operating funds, and sent the engineers to…
American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2052 and Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Institution, Petersburg
Petersburg prison contract proposals (FLRA O-NG-1410): Limited safety and contracting provisions negotiable
AFGE Local 2052 proposed rules for contracting out work and for employees facing an imminent risk of death or serious physical harm. The Authority found negotiable a requirement that management comply with the applicable OMB contracting circular, but held that a related sentence and a separate…
Department of Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration and American Federation of Government Employees
Mesa Social Security office changes (FLRA 8-CA-60434 and 8-CA-60435): Bargaining required on office layout and workflow
The Social Security Administration changed how its Mesa office interviewed applicants and rearranged work areas to support the new process. The Authority agreed that management could decide to adopt Front End Interviewing, but found that the changed layout and work procedures had foreseeable…
Department of the Air Force, F. E. Warren Air Force Base and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2354
F. E. Warren Air Force Base employee interview (FLRA 7-CA-60398): Complaint dismissed
An Air Force attorney interviewed a bargaining unit employee while preparing for an unfair labor practice hearing. The employee was not expressly told that participation was voluntary or that refusing would bring no reprisal. The Authority found that he knew the interview's purpose, declined…
Indian Health Service, Oklahoma City Area and Oklahoma Area Indian Health Service Council, National Federation of Federal Employees
Indian Health Service tobacco policy (FLRA 6-CA-60184): Area-wide change required bargaining
The Indian Health Service moved to bar smoking and other tobacco use at five Oklahoma City Area facilities, replacing policies that allowed smoking in designated areas. The union requested bargaining over the change and proposed ventilated smoking rooms and a committee to work out implementation…
ACTION and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 2027
ACTION travel expense bargaining (FLRA 3-CA-60177): Ground rule did not waive union's right
The union asked ACTION to bargain over travel and per diem for representatives conducting union business on official time. ACTION refused, arguing that an agreed bargaining ground rule barred the proposal after the union had withdrawn an earlier version. The administrative law judge accepted that…
American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3232 and Social Security Administration, Region II
Social Security employee details (FLRA 0-NG-1445): Extra commute time proposal rejected
The Social Security Administration detailed claims representatives to teleservice centers in the Philadelphia region. AFGE Local 3232 proposed administrative leave for any extra commuting time when the temporary office was farther from an employee's home. The Authority found that the proposal…
National Treasury Employees Union and Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Nuclear Regulatory Commission bargaining proposals (FLRA 0-NG-1442): Most proposals negotiable
The National Treasury Employees Union challenged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's objections to contract proposals on performance appraisals and reduction in force procedures. The agency withdrew its objections to two provisions, leaving the Authority to decide the remaining disputed text. The…
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 3097 and Department of Justice, Justice Management Division
Justice Department library study (FLRA 0-NG-1372): Five union proposals found negotiable
The Justice Management Division studied whether to contract out work performed by its library staff. AFSCME Local 3097 proposed that the agency follow OMB Circular A-76 and applicable rules during the study and contracting decision. The union also proposed receiving aggregate survey figures and the…
Merit Systems Protection Board Professional Association and Merit Systems Protection Board
MSPB reduction in force rights (FLRA 0-NG-1370): Earlier bargaining order later reversed
The Merit Systems Protection Board Professional Association proposed giving its bargaining unit employees second round assignment rights, including bumping and retreat, during a reduction in force. The Authority initially found the proposal consistent with government-wide reduction in force rules…
National Federation of Federal Employees, Council of Veterans Administration Locals and Veterans Administration
VA medical employee proposals (FLRA 0-NG-1273): Earlier bargaining ruling later displaced
The National Federation of Federal Employees sought bargaining over numerous proposals concerning professional medical employees in the Veterans Administration's Department of Medicine and Surgery. The proposals addressed matters including grievances, leave, ratings, schedules, and staffing. The…
Department of Defense Dependents Schools, Pacific Region and Overseas Education Association
Defense schools counselor qualifications (FLRA 0-AR-1413): Job placement and backpay remedies removed
Two Defense Department school employees grieved the agency's decision that they did not meet its counselor qualification standards. An arbitrator ordered their counselor certifications restored and directed the agency to offer them counselor positions with backpay. The Authority upheld the…
Philadelphia Metal Trades Council and Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard holiday furloughs (FLRA 0-AR-1412): Backpay award upheld
The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard curtailed operations over the Christmas and New Year's holidays and furloughed employees without enough annual leave to cover the closure. An arbitrator found that the collective bargaining agreement required those employees to remain in paid duty status and awarded…
Commander, Carswell Air Force Base, Texas and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1364
Carswell Air Force Base contract arbitration (FLRA 0-AR-1380): Steward provision removed from award
An arbitrator resolved a contract negotiation impasse between Carswell Air Force Base and AFGE Local 1364. The union challenged several award provisions, including one making the number and location of union stewards subject to mutual agreement. The Authority held that the arbitrator had imposed…
National Treasury Employees Union and Department of the Treasury, U.S. Customs Service
Customs Service contract provisions (FLRA O-NG-1431): Mixed ruling on disapproval and bargaining
The National Treasury Employees Union challenged Treasury's disapproval of contract terms and Customs Service objections to proposals raised during negotiations. The Authority found that restrictions on detailing union officers to supervisory roles interfered with management rights, and that a…
National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 2058 and U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground, Installation Support Activity
Aberdeen Proving Ground drug testing (FLRA O-NG-1342): Some testing safeguards negotiable
NFFE Local 2058 proposed ten provisions for the Army's civilian employee drug testing program. The Authority found negotiable a bar on using testing as punishment and provisions allowing part of a sample to be retained for possible retesting. It rejected or dismissed proposals requiring…
National Treasury Employees Union and U.S. Customs Service
Customs sensitive position drug tests (FLRA O-NG-1330): Collection procedures negotiable
The Customs Service screened people selected for sensitive positions involving drug interdiction, firearms, or classified information. The National Treasury Employees Union proposed procedures for collecting samples and allowing another day when an employee could not provide enough urine for a…
National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 178 and U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground, Installation Support Activity
Aberdeen Proving Ground drug testing (FLRA O-NG-1324): Three safeguards found negotiable
NFFE Local 178 proposed rules for the Army's testing of civilian employees in critical jobs. The Authority found negotiable provisions barring punitive testing, treating documented legal drug use as an explanation for a positive result, and retaining part of a sample for possible retesting. It…
Tidewater Virginia Federal Employees Metal Trades Council and Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard contract terms (FLRA O-NG-1311): Weekend scheduling terms negotiable
The Navy disapproved several terms negotiated with the Tidewater Virginia Federal Employees Metal Trades Council. The Authority found two weekend overtime scheduling provisions negotiable because they operated as procedures and left management able to assign needed work to qualified employees. It…
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 726 and Naval Air Rework Facility, North Island
North Island naval facility contract terms (FLRA O-NG-1305): Shop overtime provision approved
The Navy disapproved seven terms in a negotiated agreement with Machinists Local 726 at the North Island Naval Air Rework Facility. The Authority found one term negotiable: when a shop had overtime work and qualified volunteers in that shop, the Navy would select them before bringing in employees…
Federal Aviation Administration and National Association of Air Traffic Specialists
FAA employee assistance confidentiality (FLRA O-AR-1265): Arbitration award set aside
The FAA required air traffic specialists who referred themselves to its employee assistance program for drug treatment counseling to consent to limited disclosure to a flight surgeon and facility manager. An arbitrator found that making consent a condition of referral violated the applicable…
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local Lodge 2424 and U.S. Department of the Army, Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen drug testing procedures (FLRA 0-NG-1337): Part of earlier ruling later dismissed as moot
Machinists Local Lodge 2424 proposed procedures for Aberdeen Proving Ground's civilian employee drug testing program. The Authority initially found negotiable a provision delaying testing until bargaining was complete, specified sample handling procedures, and a prohibition on selecting employees…
Matter of Michael Hertz Associates
Industrial designers qualify as professionals for specialty work
The Commissioner approved a nonimmigrant visa petition for an industrial designer after reviewing the denial by the Eastern Regional Service Center. The decision held that an industrial designer with a bachelor's degree in industrial design, or an equivalent foreign degree, is a member of the…
Overseas Education Association and Department of Defense Dependents Schools, Atlantic Region
DOD overseas school teacher (FLRA O-AR-1363): Wage survey remedy limited to future pay
A half-time home economics teacher at Lakenheath High School in England was assigned a fourth class period without a pay increase. An arbitrator found that the added class was within management's rights, but could not determine from the record whether her pay met the Overseas Teachers Pay Act. He…
American Federation of Government Employees, Council of Prison Locals, Local 1661 and Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury
Danbury prison drug testing procedure (FLRA 0-NG-1331): Employee notice proposal negotiable
AFGE Local 1661 proposed that employees ordered to take a drug test be told which drugs the test covered, receive up to four hours of administrative leave for sample collection, and possibly be accompanied by a supervisor and union representative at the agency's choice. The Authority found that…
National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 1437 and U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center
Dover Army research center testing (FLRA 0-NG-1318): Split sample ruling later dismissed
NFFE Local 1437 proposed protections for Army civilian employees subject to drug testing at a research center in Dover, New Jersey. The Authority initially found negotiable a ban on punitive selection for testing and a provision retaining part of a sample for later testing at the employee's…
Fort Bragg Association of Educators, NEA and Department of the Army, Fort Bragg Schools
Fort Bragg school employees (FLRA O-NG-1405): Drug testing ban outside bargaining duty
The Fort Bragg Association of Educators proposed that Army school management never request a polygraph examination or urine test to detect an employee's drug use. The Authority had decided 43 other proposals in the same appeal and separately considered this one. It found that the proposed ban would…
National Association of Government Employees, Local R14-5 and Pueblo Depot Activity
Pueblo Army depot (FLRA O-NG-1286): Three drug testing restrictions found nonnegotiable
NAGE Local R14-5 proposed limits on the Pueblo Depot Activity's drug testing program for civilians in critical jobs. One proposal would bar observation of urine sample collection under all circumstances, though Executive Order 12564 allows observation when management has reason to suspect…
Bureau of Indian Affairs and National Council of Bureau of Indian Affairs Educators
Bureau of Indian Affairs educators (FLRA 6-AC-70006): Review granted and regional decisions stayed
The National Council of Bureau of Indian Affairs Educators changed its affiliation from the National Education Association to the American Federation of Teachers. A regional director amended its certifications and dismissed Interior Department petitions questioning whether the council still…
American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2185 and Tooele Army Depot
Tooele Army Depot (FLRA O-NG-1288): Drug testing limits rejected, one proposal moot
AFGE Local 2185 challenged parts of Tooele Army Depot's drug testing program for civilian employees in critical jobs. The Authority rejected proposals that would limit testing to probable cause, require written consent before observation of sample collection, prevent consent forms, or delay the…
Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Institution Bastrop and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3828
Bastrop federal prison (FLRA 6-CU-70007): Secretary excluded from bargaining unit
AFGE Local 3828 asked whether the associate wardens' secretary at the Bastrop federal prison belonged in its bargaining unit. The regional director excluded her because she worked in a confidential capacity for an associate warden involved in labor relations policy. Her duties included typing and…
National Treasury Employees Union and United States Customs Service
Customs preclearance inspectors (FLRA 0-NG-1449): Ten-year tour proposal negotiable
The Customs Service planned to shorten overseas preclearance assignments for inspectors from a maximum of ten years to five. NTEU proposed that inspectors already assigned under the older policy be allowed to complete the longer tour. The Authority agreed that the proposal limited management's…
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.