Thomas Tso
Solicitor
Office of the Solicitor
Federal Labor Relations Authority
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20424
Telephone:  771-444-5775
Fax:  202-343-1007
Email:  solmail@flra.gov

Erika Balkum
Chief, Case Intake and Publication
Federal Labor Relations Authority
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20424
Telephone:  (771) 444-5809
Fax:  202-482-6657
Email:  ebalkum@flra.gov

A request for documents from any FLRA component other than the Office of Inspector General should be sent to the Office of the Solicitor, which will then forward your request to the component(s) it believes are most likely to maintain the records you seek.  That address is:

Office of the Solicitor
Federal Labor Relations Authority
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20424
Telephone:  771-444-5775
Fax:  202-343-1007
Email:  solmail@flra.gov

In a request for Office of the Inspector General (OIG) records, you should specify that you are seeking IG records, and you should address your request to:

 Office of the Inspector General
 1400 K Street, NW
 Washington, DC 20424
 Telephone: 771-444-5712
 Fax: 202-208-4535
 Email:  oigmail@flra.gov

Component Description:

The Authority is a quasi-judicial body with three full-time Members who are appointed for five-year terms by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The President designates one Member to serve as Chairman of the Authority and as the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the FLRA.  As the FLRA's chief executive and administrative officer, the FLRA Chairman is responsible for decisions regarding agency-wide administrative functions, such as purchasing, human resources, budgeting, finance, information technology, leasing of office space, and agency performance management.  The Chairman carries out these duties through the Office of the Executive Director.  The Chairman also chairs the Foreign Service Labor Relations Board.

In addition to its responsibility for immediate Authority staffing, the Authority Members are also responsible for appointing Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) to hear and prepare decisions in cases involving alleged unfair labor practices, as well as decisions involving applications for attorney fees filed pursuant to the Back Pay Act or the Equal Access to Justice Act.  The FLRA also provides full staff support to two other organizations – the Foreign Service Impasse Disputes Panel and the Foreign Service Labor Relations Board (created by the Foreign Service Act of 1980).   

The Authority adjudicates disputes arising under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (the Statute), decides cases concerning the negotiability of collective-bargaining-agreement proposals, appeals concerning unfair labor practices and representation petitions, and exceptions to grievance-arbitration awards.

Component Description:

The OGC is the FLRA's independent investigator and prosecutor.  The General Counsel (GC), who the President appoints with the advice and consent of the Senate for a five-year term, is responsible for the general, day-to-day management of the OGC, including the management of the FLRA's Regional Offices located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.  The OGC is initially responsible for processing unfair-labor-practice (ULP) allegations and representation matters filed with the FLRA.  As to ULP matters, cases originate in the Regional Offices through the filing of a charge.  After an investigation, the OGC Regional Director determines whether to dismiss or prosecute ULP charges, although the GC retains ultimate prosecutorial discretion.  The GC also decides appeals of a Regional Director's decision not to issue a ULP complaint.  The Regional Offices also ensure compliance with all ULP orders issued by the Authority.  The resolution of representation matters includes, among other things, conducting elections and making appropriate unit determinations.  

Component Description:

The Panel has seven Presidential appointees who serve on a part-time basis, one of whom serves as Chairman.  The Panel resolves impasses between Federal agencies and unions representing Federal employees arising from negotiations over conditions of employment under the Statute, the Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act, and the Panama Canal Act of 1979.  If bargaining between the parties, followed by mediation assistance, proves unsuccessful, the Panel has the authority to recommend procedures and to take whatever action it deems necessary to resolve the impasse.  The Panel's staff also supports the Foreign Service Impasse Disputes Panel.

In a request for Office of the Inspector General (OIG) records, you should specify that you are seeking IG records, and you should address your request to:

Office of the Inspector General
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20424
Telephone: 771-444-5712
Fax: 202-208-4535
Email:  oigmail@flra.gov

Office Description:

The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, (IG Act) establishes the responsibilities and duties of the OIG, and it provides for an independent Inspector General (IG).  The office provides leadership in promoting economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in FLRA programs, and addressing fraud, waste, and abuse.  The IG reports directly to the Chairman of the FLRA and to Congress.  As set forth in the IG Act, the IG:

• conducts and supervises investigations, internal reviews, audits and evaluations of the programs and operations of the FLRA;
• provides leadership and coordination, and recommends actions to management which (1) promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness in agency programs and operations; and (2) prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement of government resources;
• provides Hotline and IG assistance to FLRA and other Federal employees regarding systemic fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement; and
• keeps the Chairman, Authority management and the Congress fully informed regarding problems and deficiencies, as well as the necessity for and the progress of corrective action.