Category Archives: Workplace Investigations

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Johnnie’s on the Spot; Board Reaffirms Standards for Employer Interrogations of Employees in Preparation for NLRB Proceedings

On the eve of the last day of Member Ring’s term, and in the third in a string of significant rulings by the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) (which we reported on here and here)—with potentially more to come—the Board, in Sunbelt Rentals, Inc., 372 NLRB No. 24 (2022), affirmed the standards applicable … 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

Employee’s Failed Attempt To Secure Union Representation Sufficient Notice of Weingarten Request, Divided NLRB Rules

By Mark Theodore on June 28, 2018 Posted in NLRA, NLRB, Section 8(a)(1), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices, Workplace Investigations

One area of labor relations that continues to vex practitioners is the scope of the so-called Weingarten rights. NLRB v. J. Weingarten Inc., 420 U.S. 251 (1975). Some 43 years after the Supreme Court set forth the right that represented employees are entitled to union representation when facing an interview that could lead to discipline, … Continue Reading

NLRB Ditches Effort To Expand Weingarten Rights to Non-Union Workplaces

By Mark Theodore on September 19, 2017 Posted in Advice, General Counsel, NLRA, NLRB, Non-Union employers, Section 8(a)(1), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices, Workplace Investigations

Since the change in Presidential administrations, the main topic has turned to what rules will a newly constituted NLRB change? With the addition of Marvin E. Kaplan the Board now has four members, which makes undoing some of the past few years a difficult task. But a four member Board also means there likely will be … Continue Reading

NLRB’s Attempt To Incrementally Expand Weingarten Rights Rebuffed By Federal Appeals Court

By Mark Theodore on August 24, 2017 Posted in General Counsel, NLRA, NLRB, Section 7, Section 8(a)(1), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices, Workplace Investigations

The NLRB suffered a setback this week when its interpretation of Weingarten rights was rebuffed by the D.C. Court of Appeals. This is the same court that recently declared the agency was acting more as an “advocate than adjudicator” in a case involving access to an employer’s premises. Weingarten, which derives its name from the United … Continue Reading

Union Represented Employee Not Entitled To Co-Worker Witness During Investigatory Interview, NLRB Rules

By Mark Theodore on May 19, 2015 Posted in General Counsel, Investigations, Mandatory submissions, NLRA, NLRB, Non-Union employers, Protected activity, Section 7, Section 8(a)(1), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices, Workplace Investigations

The last few months at the NLRB have been relatively quiet, save of course for the ambush election rules which went into effect on April 15; the true impact of these rules has yet to be revealed. Many of the recent Board cases involve correcting decisions that were invalidated by the Supreme Court in its Noel Canning recess appointment decision. … Continue Reading

Search Of Company Vehicle Not Employee Interview Triggering Weingarten Rights, NLRB Division of Advice

By Mark Theodore on February 27, 2015 Posted in Advice, Investigations, Investigations, NLRA, NLRB, Section 7, Section 8(a)(1), Uncategorized, Unfair Labor Practices, Workplace Investigations

The scope of a union-represented employee’s right to have a union representative present during an investigatory interview is one of the more interesting areas of labor law. Even though most people who practice labor relations know the basics of the so-called Weingarten rights, the same types of questions continue to arise because there are an … Continue Reading

NLRB Divides Sharply on Employee Concerted Activity for “Mutual Aid or Protection”

By Ronald Meisburg on August 18, 2014 Posted in NLRA, Protected activity, Section 7, Uncategorized, Workplace Investigations

In a complex, twenty-eight page opinion, a sharply divided NLRB has ruled that when an individual employee seeks assistance from fellow employees with respect to a violation under Title VII (or other workplace laws), the action is not only concerted but also presumptively for the purpose of mutual aid or protection, and thereby also covered … Continue Reading

Supreme Court Invalidates Recess Appointments To NLRB: Several Labor Board Decisions Now In Doubt

By Mark Theodore on June 26, 2014 Posted in Collective Bargaining, NLRA, NLRB, Recess appointments, Unfair Labor Practices, Workplace Investigations

In a rare 9-0 decision issued today, the United States Supreme Court invalidated the recess appointments President Obama made to the NLRB on January 4, 2012, while the Senate was in a three day recess. The decision in National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning (USSC June 26, 2014) means that the NLRB was operating without the requisite … Continue Reading

NLRB: Employee’s Outburst In Calling Manager “Trouble” Not So Egregious As To Render Conduct Unprotected

By Mark Theodore on June 29, 2013 Posted in Due Process, Healthcare Employers, NLRA, NLRB, Non-Union employers, Protected activity, Section 7, Section 8(a)(1), Uncategorized, Workplace Investigations

A theme we have followed here with interest is protected concerted activity, and what kinds of conduct might render otherwise protected activity “unprotected.” We noted, for instance, that the Board recently held that an employee’s use of derogatory gender-based comments may not not render a protected outburst “unprotected,” even if the EEOC and the myriad State … Continue Reading

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