Category Archives: Confidentiality

Applying the Boeing Standard, NLRB Upholds Employer’s Policies Restricting Cell Phone Use, Non-Work Email Use and Disclosure of Confidential Information

Applying the facially neutral work rule test laid out in Boeing (see here), the Board recently reversed an Administrative Law Judge decision, concluding that the employer maintained lawful workplace rules restricting employee use of (i) cell phones in commercial vehicles, (ii) the company email server for purposes not related to work, and (iii) the disclosure … Continue Reading

Busy Board Returns to Rule Permitting Workplace Confidentiality Restrictions during an Employer’s Investigation

By Mark Theodore, Joshua Fox and Dominique Kilmartin on December 18, 2019 Posted in Confidentiality, Employer policies, Investigations, NLRA, NLRB, Protected activity, Section 7, Section 8(a)(1), Witness statements, Workplace Investigations

As anticipated, in one of the last decisions before the end of Member McFerran’s term, the NLRB issued another important opinion. Reverting back to precedent that preceded a 2015 decision, the Board, in Apogee Retail LLC d/b/a Unique Thrift Store, 368 NLRB No. 144 (2019), held that an employer’s confidentiality restrictions for information relating to … Continue Reading

Arbitration Class Waivers, Past Practice (not established) and Skirmishing Over Information Requests All Part of Recent NLRB Action

By Mark Theodore on August 8, 2018 Posted in Collective Bargaining, Confidentiality, Duty to furnish information, Duty to provide information, General Counsel, Handbook, Investigations, NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(5), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices, Workplace Investigations

Since December 2017, when the Board issued a number of decisions which restored precedent that had been changed in the last few years, (discussed here, here, here, and here), not much of note has been happening at the Board. Indeed, there was not a full complement at the Board until April when Chairman Ring was confirmed. Two upcoming events may see … Continue Reading

You’ve Got Mail: NLRB Requests Briefing on Standard for Employee Use of Employer Owned Electronic Communication Systems

By Michael Lebowich and Jordan Simon on August 3, 2018 Posted in Confidentiality, Email, Employer policies, NLRA, NLRB, Section 7, Social Media

In what could signify the beginning of the end for Purple Communications, Inc., 361 NLRB 1050 (2014) and guaranteed employee access to Employer computer systems for union organizing purposes, the NLRB issued a notice on August 1 inviting the filing of briefs on whether the Board should uphold, modify or overrule the decision. Under Purple … Continue Reading

Divided NLRB Rules Employer Policy Protecting Customer Information Is Lawful

By Mark Theodore on August 16, 2017 Posted in Confidentiality, Employer policies, General Counsel, Handbook, NLRA, NLRB, Protected activity, Section 7, Section 8(a)(1), Uncategorized

Employers can prohibit the use by employees of the names, social security numbers and credit card numbers of customers in furtherance of organizational activities. If this seems like it should have been a foregone conclusion, a recent case from the NLRB shows how the agency’s continued parsing of employer policies could easily have turned this notion on its … Continue Reading

Non-Compete Agreement A Mandatory Subject of Bargaining, NLRB Rules

By Mark Theodore on August 17, 2016 Posted in Collective Bargaining, Confidentiality, Employer policies, NLRA, NLRB, Section 7, Section 8(a)(1), Section 8(a)(5), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices

The first day of employment is often chaotic. New employees must learn their way around the jobsite, meet (and remember the names of) many new people and otherwise familiarize themselves with working at a new job. Oh, and there’s the paperwork. Seemingly endless mounds of paperwork. New employees are asked to sign a multitude of documents … Continue Reading

General Counsel’s Division of Advice Issues Helpful Guidance on Confidentiality Rules in Workplace Investigations

By Ronald Meisburg on April 23, 2013 Posted in Confidentiality, Investigations, NLRA, NLRB, Witness statements

As we reported here, in Banner Health System d/b/a Banner Estrella Medical Center, 358 NLRB No. 93 (July 30, 2012), the NLRB reviewed an employer’s blanket policy of requiring witnesses to maintain confidentiality during workplace investigations. The Board found that such a policy chilled the right of employees to engage in the protected concerted activity … Continue Reading