FLRA Issues Revised Arbitration Regulations to Improve and Expedite the Review of Arbitration Awards

The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) announced in a press release today final revisions to its regulations concerning the review of arbitration awards.  See 75 Fed. Reg. 42283. This is a significant step in the FLRA’s arbitration initiative, which includes updating the FLRA's arbitration regulations and creating an arbitration education program -- including training sessions and tools -- to make arbitration case processing more effective and efficient. FLRA Chairman Carol Waller Pope expressed appreciation for the wide participation by agency and union practitioners and arbitrators, stating that "the many comments received helped the FLRA finalize revisions that clarify and enhance the Federal sector arbitration review process.  Close to twenty-five years of experience under the rules originally adopted for the review of arbitration awards created the foundation for building new rules that will enable more expedited and responsive resolution of disputes involving arbitration awards.” The issuance of the final regulations is yet another step in the FLRA's efforts to better serve its customers and provide meaningful and clear guidance for the processing of cases before the Authority.