The NLRB Creates a New Standard for Evaluating Workplace Rules’ Effect on the Right to Unionize
In The Boeing Company and Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, IFPTE Local 2001 the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) articulated a new standard for determining whether employers’ rules and handbook provisions violate the National Labor Relations Act’s (NLRA) prohibition on rules that interfere with employees’ right to join labor organizations and bargain collectively. Cases 19-CA-09032, 19-CA-090948, and 19-CA-095926. The NLRB believes that this new standard will be easier to apply on a case-by-case basis, and will invalidate fewer “common-sense rules and requirements that most people would reasonably expect every employer to maintain.”
Background
In The Boeing Company, Boeing had a policy that banned the use of “devices to capture images or video” without a valid business need and camera permit (No-Camera Rule). The No-Camera Rule prohibited only the use of the camera–not the entire device–therefore employees were allowed to use cellphones and laptops on company property. The question before the Board was whether the No-Camera Rule violated the NLRA’s prohibition against employers interfering with employees’ right to unionize.
Section 7 of the NLRA guarantees employees the right to self-organize and join labor organizations. Section 8(a)(1) makes it an unfair labor practice for an employer to interfere with that right. Under prior law, if a rule did not explicitly interfere with employees’ right to unionize, the NLRB would consider whether: (1) employees would reasonably construe the language to prohibit Section 7 activity; (2) the rule was promulgated in response to union activity; or (3) the rule has been applied to restrict the exercise of Section 7 rights. Lutheran Heritage Village-Livonia, Case 7-CA-44877 (emphasis added). The administrative judge held that Boeing’s No- Camera Rule was unlawful because it failed prong (1) of the test; that is, employees would “reasonably construe” the rule to prohibit Section 7 activity.
NLRB Decision
The NLRB overruled the “reasonably construe” standard iterated in Lutheran Heritage and held that, under its new test, the No-Camera Rule was lawful. The NLRB listed many reasons why the test was insufficient. Among those reasons, was that the “reasonably construe” test “entails a single-minded consideration” in that it does not consider justifications for having the employer’s rule in place. The NLRB noted that the test created confusion for employers because outcomes were unpredictable, and that the test was based on the false premises that employees are best served by not having employment policies.
Under the NLRB’s new test, the first question is whether the rule would potentially interfere with the exercise of NLRA rights. If not, then the rule is lawful. If yes, then the NLRB considers (1) the nature and extent of the potential impact on NLRA rights, and (2) legitimate justifications associated with the rule. Then the NLRB will classify the rules it evaluates under this new standard into one of the three categories. Category 1 includes rules that are lawful because they don’t interfere with NLRA rights or the potential adverse impact on rights is outweighed by the rule’s justification. Category 2 includes rules that warrant individualized scrutiny in each case as to whether the rule would prohibit or interfere with NLRA rights, and if so, whether any adverse impact is outweighed by justifications. Finally, Category 3 includes rules that the NLRB designates as unlawful because they violate NLRA-protected conduct and are not properly justified.
As for Boeing, the NLRB determined that the No-Camera Rule fell under Category 1 because it only had a slight adverse impact on Section 7 activity and Boeing had legitimate justifications for the rule. Boeing has highly sensitive and classified information because it manufactures military aircrafts for the federal government.
Take-Away
The NLRB’s ruling affects union and non-union workplaces because non-union workplaces must also comply with the provisions in the NLRA prohibiting interference or restraint on collective bargaining and self-organizing. Therefore the ruling has a widespread impact. The new test is more employer friendly in that it gives weight to the reasoning behind implementing a workplace rule or policy. Additionally, the categorization scheme should provide employers with more guidance in creating lawful work policies.
The case is available at: https://dlbjbjzgnk95t.cloudfront.net/0995000/995170/decision.pdf
