On Sept. 28, ABC submitted comments to the National Labor Relations Board on its proposed rule amending the agency’s representation election regulations under the National Labor Relations Act. Additionally, the ABC-led Coalition for a Democratic Workplace submitted comments in support of the NLRB’s proposal, officially titled Representation-Case Procedures: Voter List Contact Information; Absentee Ballots for Employees on Military Leave.

According to an NLRB news release, the proposed amendments include eliminating the requirement for employers to provide available personal email addresses and home and personal cellular telephone numbers of all eligible voters to the regional director and other parties during an election campaign and providing absentee ballots for employees who are on military leave.

In its comments, ABC expressed support for the long-overdue change to the NLRB’s required disclosure of personal email addresses and phone numbers of eligible voters. Further, ABC members have found the current voter eligibility list requirements to be unduly burdensome for employers, intrusive into employee privacy and an infringement on the rights of employers and employees to a fair preelection process.

Additionally, ABC expressed its support for the agency’s amendment to provide absentee mail ballots for employees on military leave, provided that employers are not subjected to additional burdens posed by the potential logistical challenges.

ABC’s general counsel, Littler Mendelson P.C., published an analysis with more information on the NLRB proposal.

ABC will continue to keep members informed of any developments about this rulemaking in Newsline.