After the General Counsel issues a ULP complaint, any party can ask the Chief Administrative Law Judge to assign an Administrative Law Judge (Judge) or other appropriate official to help resolve the case using alternative dispute resolution (ADR). For information about how to request a settlement conference through the Settlement Judge Program, please review the frequently asked questions (FAQs) page.
The Chief Judge will assign a settlement official who is someone other than the Judge assigned to hear the case, unless otherwise mutually agreed to by the parties. The settlement official will schedule a settlement conference with the parties, usually before the filing of prehearing disclosures. During the conference, the settlement official helps the parties to explore ways to reach a negotiated resolution to the case. For this reason, the settlement official normally requires that the representative for each party be present during the settlement conference and that persons with full settlement authority be present or available by telephone.
The settlement official does not discuss any aspect of the case with the hearing Judge or Authority staff, should exceptions be filed. Section 2423.25(d) of the Authority’s Regulations describes the Settlement Judge Program. This regulation provides that no evidence regarding statements, conduct, offers of settlement, and concessions of the parties made in proceedings before the settlement official are admissible in any proceeding before the Judge or the Authority, except by stipulation of the parties.
For more information, review the Settlement Judge Program FAQs page, or contact the Office of Administrative Law Judges.
Office of Administrative Law JudgesFederal Labor Relations Authority
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20424 Phone: (202) 218-7950 Fax: (202) 482-6629