Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Decisions
After a Regional Director issues a complaint in an unfair labor practice case,
an NLRB Administrative Law Judge hears the case and issues a decision and
recommended order, which can then be appealed to the Board in Washington. If no
exceptions are filed, the judge's order becomes the order of the Board. An
administrative law judge's decision is not binding legal precedent in other
cases unless it has been adopted by the Board on review of exceptions; these
judges function much like trial court judges hearing a case without a jury.
Such hearings are conducted at the locality where the unfair labor practice
allegedly occurred. On occasion, administrative law judges also issue decisions
in non-complaint, post-election representation cases that may be appealed to
the Board.