On April 14, 2016, the National Labor Relations Board marked one year since the implementation of its revised rules governing representation-case procedures, which became effective April 14, 2015. These rules were designed to remove unnecessary barriers to the fair and expeditious resolution of representation cases, simplify representation-case procedures, codify best practices, and make them more transparent and uniform across regions.  Addressing discrete, specifically identified problems, the Board’s updated representation case rules sought to streamline Board processes, increase transparency and uniformity across regions, eliminate or reduce unnecessary litigation, duplication, and delay, and modernize the Board’s rules on documents and communications in light of current communications technology.

Since the implementation of the revised rules, the total number of petitions has decreased by about 4%.  There was a negligible increase in Representation Petitions and a decrease in decertification, unit clarification and petitions for elections.  The number of days between the petition filings and the hearings and elections decreased significantly.