The National Labor Relations Board issued 390 decisions in contested cases during the nine-month period following the restoration of its quorum in fiscal year 2026, marking the highest number since 2015. The agency resolved 10,684 field investigations and issued 507 decisions overall during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

Workers, employers and unions filed 21,587 charges and petitions with the board in fiscal year 2026, a 4.27% decrease from the previous year. On January 7, 2026, when Crystal Carey was sworn in as General Counsel, 18,221 cases were pending in field offices and 591 cases were pending before the board itself. Nearly 10,000 of the field office cases had been pending for more than six months.

To address the backlog, the board transferred approximately 3,500 unfair labor practice charges among regional offices in May 2026, with 1,810 of those charges moved to determination as of October 30. "By redistributing cases to offices with available capacity, collecting key information earlier, and streamlining investigations and settlements, we are taking practical steps to help our staff move cases forward more efficiently," Carey said.

The board published a notice titled "Amendment of Statement of Organization and Functions; Restructuring of National Labor Relations Board's Field Organization" on Oct. 29. The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division's Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the board to share information, refer matters, and coordinate investigations. Primary sources: federalregister.gov, justice.gov

"Our dedicated career staff have worked tirelessly to protect workers' rights and carry out the Agency's mission under challenging circumstances," Carey said. "Their professionalism and commitment are the foundation of our efforts to tackle the backlog and get answers to America's workers."

"Let me be clear though, there is no overnight solution to this massive backlog, but these improvements reflect our commitment to timely, fair, and consistent casehandling for America's workers, employers, and unions who rely on us," she added.