81 FR 4069 - Restructuring of National Labor Relations Board's Headquarters' Offices

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 15 (January 25, 2016)

This notice advises the public that the National Labor Relations Board is restructuring and realigning the location and lines of authority of certain of its Headquarters' offices in the Division of Legal Counsel reporting to the Office of the General Counsel. These administrative changes are being adopted in order to improve the delivery of services, and streamline, integrate and enhance management functions.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 15 (Monday, January 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4069-4070]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01322]


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NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD


Restructuring of National Labor Relations Board's Headquarters' 
Offices

AGENCY: National Labor Relations Board.

ACTION: Notice of Reorganization; Restructuring of National Labor 
Relations Board's Headquarters' Offices.

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    Authority:  Sections 3, 4, 6, and 10 of the National Labor 
Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3, 4, 6, and 10.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the National Labor 
Relations Board is restructuring and realigning the

[[Page 4070]]

location and lines of authority of certain of its Headquarters' offices 
in the Division of Legal Counsel reporting to the Office of the General 
Counsel.
    These administrative changes are being adopted in order to improve 
the delivery of services, and streamline, integrate and enhance 
management functions.

DATES: Effective Date: January 25, 2016.

ADDRESSES: National Labor Relations Board, 1015 Half Street SE., Room 
5117, Washington, DC 20570.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William B. Cowen, Solicitor, National 
Labor Relations Board, 1015 Half Street SE., Room 5117, Washington, DC 
20570. Telephone: (202) 273-2910 (this is not a toll-free number), 1-
866-315-6572 (TTY/TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2013, the National Labor Relations Board 
centralized the services of several Headquarters' offices and 
restructured them into one independent Division of Legal Counsel with 
three branches--(1) Contempt, Compliance and Special Litigation, (2) 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Branch, and (3) Ethics, Employment 
and Administrative Law. In addition, it housed a Lead Technology 
Counsel, who directly reports to the Division Head. When dealing with 
matters on behalf of the five-member Board or the various Board-side 
offices, the Division of Legal Counsel coordinates through the Office 
of the Solicitor. For further information regarding this restructuring 
please see the related Federal Register Notice published at 78 FR 
44981-44982.
    Experience operating under this new structure has demonstrated that 
a further restructuring is appropriate. Specifically, Labor Relations 
and Special Counsel do not fit as well as anticipated in a Division 
that is typically engaged in casehandling of Board matters and in 
ancillary litigation that may affect our statutory mission as the staff 
handles Agency collective bargaining and defense of Agency employee 
claims. Treating the Labor Relations and Special Counsel staff in a 
similar manner to the Agency's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity 
is deemed more appropriate. Further, while government and legal ethics 
staff performs some functions that assist with casehandling, it 
predominantly provides guidance that inures to the benefit of Agency 
employees, e.g., outside employment, outside practice of law, Hatch Act 
violations, and conflicts of interest. Further, upon reflection, it is 
deemed more appropriate for the Designated Agency Ethics Official 
(DAEO) to report directly to the Agency heads, rather than through an 
intermediary. Finally, in assessing the Agency's substantial litigation 
needs, it is deemed appropriate to create an E-Litigation Branch and 
hire sufficient staff to support the overwhelming e-litigation 
workload.
    Accordingly, as of the effective date of this notice, the Ethics, 
Employment and Administrative Law Branch will cease to exist as a 
branch within the Division of Legal Counsel. Labor Relations and 
Special Counsel will move from the Division of Legal Counsel to 
directly report to the Office of the General Counsel and the Chairman 
as a new office entitled Special Counsel and Labor Relations Office, 
and Government and Legal Ethics will move from the Division of Legal 
Counsel to directly report to the Office of the General Counsel and the 
Chairman as a new office entitled Ethics Office. In addition, an E-
Litigation Branch will be created in the Division of Legal Counsel, and 
the Lead Technology Counsel will continue to directly report to the 
Associate General Counsel of that Division, and will also supervise and 
manage a staff. Finally, the Associate General Counsel of the Division 
of Legal Counsel will act as the Chief FOIA Officer for the Agency.
    These administrative changes are being adopted in order to improve 
the delivery of services, and streamline, integrate and enhance 
management functions. Because these administrative changes relate to 
the internal management of the Agency, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, they 
are exempted from the notice and comment requirements of the 
Administrative Procedure Act.

    Dated: Washington, DC, January 19, 2016.

    By direction of the Board.
William B. Cowen,
Solicitor.
[FR Doc. 2016-01322 Filed 1-22-16; 8:45 am]
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