APPROPRIATE UNITS APPROPRIATE UNITS STATUTORY CRITERIA Section 7112a

APPROPRIATE UNITS

APPROPRIATE UNITS STATUTORY CRITERIA Section 7112(a) ➀Ensure a clear and identifiable community of interest ➁ ➂ Promote effective dealings Promote efficiency of operations All three criteria must be met before a unit is found appropriate!

APPROPRIATE UNITS OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Section 7112(a) recognizes that units can be established on an agency, plant, installation or functional basis ▸ All such units must meet the three criteria ▸ Unit is not appropriate solely on the basis of how employees in the unit have organized ▸ No limit as to the number of employees in a unit – Units of one employee cannot be established [GSA, 48 FLRA 1258 (1993)]

APPROPRIATE UNITS EXCLUSIONS FROM UNITS [§ 7112(b)] ▪ Units are not appropriate if they include: ▸ Management officials or supervisors [§ 7135(a)(2) exception] ▸ Confidential employees ▸ Employees engaged in personnel work in other than a purely clerical capacity ▸ Employees engaged in administering provisions of the Statute ▸ Both professional and nonprofessional employees [unless professionals agree]

APPROPRIATE UNITS EXCLUSIONS FROM UNITS [§ 7112(b)] ▪ Units are not appropriate if they include: ▸ Employees engaged in intelligence, investigative or security work which directly affects national security ▸ Employees primarily engaged in investigation or audit functions relating to the work of individuals employed by an agency whose duties directly affect the internal security of the agency, only if the functions are undertaken to ensure that the duties are discharged honestly and with integrity

UNIT EXCLUSIONS CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] Defined in § 7103(a)(13) “Confidential employees” means an employee who acts in a confidential capacity with respect to an individual who formulates or effectuates management policies in the field of labormanagement relations.

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] An employees is “confidential” if: ➀ there is evidence of a confidential working between an employee and a supervisor or manager and ➁ the supervisor or manager is significantly involved in labor-management relations. U. S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Arlington Field Office, 37 FLRA 1371 (1990).

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] This is called the “labor-nexus test” and is used to examine the nature of an employee's confidential working relationship. Both factors must be present for an employee to be considered "confidential" within the meaning of section 7103(a)(13). U. S. Army Plant Representative Office, Mesa, Arizona, 35 FLRA 181 (1990).

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] Determination of confidential status is dependent upon the work performed by the individual with whom the disputed employee works. This individual may be the disputed employee's supervisor or may be another manager.

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] • An individual who actually formulates or effectuates management policies in the field of labor-management relations is considered a confidential employee. • Other individuals who are aware of labor-management relations policies as they are developed are excluded on the basis of confidential status, because their inclusion in a bargaining unit would create a conflict of interest between the employee's work duties and unit membership. U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D. C. , 35 FLRA 1249, 1255 -57 (1990).

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] Other responsibilities identified by the Authority in this regard include: ● ● ● advising management on or developing negotiating positions and proposals preparing arbitration cases for hearing consulting with management regarding the handling of unfair labor practice cases U. S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, U. S. Penitentiary, Marion, Illinois (DOJ), 55 FLRA 1243 at 1247 (2000).

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] Other responsibilities identified by the Authority in this regard include: ● engaging in partnership activities that includes the formulation and effectuation of labor relations policies ● preparing arbitration cases for hearing ● consulting with management regarding the handling of unfair labor practice cases U. S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Standiford Air Traffic Control Tower, Louisville, Kentucky, 53 FLRA 312, 319 (1997); DOJ, 55 FLRA 1246 at n. 5.

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] Other responsibilities identified by the Authority in this regard include: ● attends meetings of managers and supervisors, where labor-management matters are being discussed ● may be in on intra-management deliberations regarding contract issues, grievance responses, disciplinary actions, etc.

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] Necessary to explore: ● ● the work of the employee whose status as a confidential is in dispute the work of the person with whom or for whom the disputed employee works

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] Focus on the stage at which the disputed employee is involved in the process by which management labor-relations policies are developed: ● is the employee present during the development of the policies? ● does the employee's involvement occur after the management policy has been developed and decided? An employee's mere access to labor-relations material does not justify unit exclusion.

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] Dep't of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations, Oak Ridge, Tenn. , 4 FLRA 644 (1980) Fed. Mediation & Conciliation Serv. , 5 FLRA 28 (1981) Headquarters, Fort Sam Houston, Tex. , 5 FLRA 339 (1981) United States Dep't of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Twin Cities Research Ctr. , Twin Cities, Minn. , 9 FLRA 109 (1982) Headquarters, 1947 th Administrative Support Group, U. S. Air Force, Washington, D. C. , 14 FLRA 220 (1984) Tick Eradication Program, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 15 FLRA 250 (1984) U. S. Envtl. Prot. Agency, Region IX, S. F. , Cal. , 16 FLRA 273 (1984) U. S. Dep’t of Justice, Immigration & Naturalization Serv. , W. Reg’l Office, 20 FLRA 71 (1985)

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] U. S. Dep’t of Labor, 33 FLRA 265 (1988) U. S. Dep’t of Hous. & Urban Dev. , 34 FLRA 207 (1990) Dep’t of Transp. , U. S. Coast Guard, 8 th Coast Guard Dist. , New Orleans, La. , 35 FLRA 84 (1990) U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D. C. , 35 FLRA 1249 (1990) Dep’t of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Serv. , Wash. , D. C. & Internal Revenue Serv. , Cincinnati Dist. , Cincinnati, Ohio, 36 FLRA 138 (1990) Dep’t of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Yuma, Ariz. , 37 FLRA 239 (1990). United States Dep't of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Arlington Field Office, 37 FLRA 1371 (1990)

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] U. S. Dep’t of Labor, Office of Admin. Law Judges, Pittsburgh, Pa. , 40 FLRA 1021 (1991) United States DHHS, Office of the General Counsel, Balt. , Md. , 45 FLRA 894 (1992) United States Dep't of Health & Human Servs. , United States Food & Drug Admin. , Northeast & Mid. Atlantic Regions, 48 FLRA 1008 (1993) Dep't of Veterans Affairs, Reg'l Office, Waco, Tex. , 50 FLRA 109 (1995) U. S. Dep’t of Justice, Fed. Bureau of Prisons, U. S. Penitentiary, Marion, Ill. , 55 FLRA 1243 (2000) Nat'l Mediation Board, 56 FLRA 1 (2000) Soc. Sec. Admin. , 56 FLRA 1015 (2000) U. S. Dep’t. of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Servs. , 68 FLRA 657 (2015) U. S. Dep’t. of the Navy, Navy Undersea Warfare Ctr. , Keyport, Wash. , 68 FLRA 416 (2015)

CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE [§ 7112(b)(2)] U. S. Dep’t. of Agric. , Nat’l. Fin. Ctr. , New Orleans, La. , 68 FLRA 206 (2015) U. S. Dep’t. of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, 67 FLRA 117 (2013) U. S. Dep’t. of the Army, U. S. Army Materiel Command, U. S. Army Research Dev. & Eng’r. ing Command, U. S. Aviation & Missile Research Dev. & Eng’r. ing Ctr. (AMRDEC), Redstone Arsenal, Ala. , 66 FLRA 852 (2012) U. S. Dep’t. of Veterans Affairs, Northern Cal. Health Care Sys. , Martinez, Cal. , 66 FLRA 522 (2012) Broadcasting Bd. of Governors, 64 FLRA 235 (2009) U. S. Dep’t. of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Affairs Med. Ctr. , Hampton, Va. , 63 FLRA 593 (2009) U. S. Dep’t. of the Air Force, Edwards Air Force Base, Cal. , 62 FLRA 159 (2007) U. S. Air Force, 82 nd Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Tex. , 61 FLRA 443 (2006)

UNIT EXCLUSIONS ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] Section 7112(b)(3) of the Statute excludes from an appropriate unit: “An employee engaged in personnel work in other than a purely clerical capacity. "

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] Nature of Personnel Work A position is excluded under section 7112(b)(3) of the Statute when: (1) the character and extent of involvement of the incumbent in personnel work is more than clerical in nature and (2) the duties of the position in question are performed in a non-routine manner or are of such a nature as to create a conflict of interest between the incumbent's union affiliation and job duties. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Washington, D. C. and Internal Revenue Service, Cincinnati District, Cincinnati, Ohio, 36 FLRA 138, 144 (1990).

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] Independent Judgment and Discretion Employees who: ● exercise independent judgment and discretion in initiating personnel actions or ● making recommendations to management on personnel actions are engaged in federal personnel work in other than a purely clerical capacity. U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 34 FLRA 207, 214 (1990); U. S. Naval Station, Panama, 7 FLRA 489 (1981).

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] Independent Judgment and Discretion Individuals whose duties only require: the recording and processing of completed personnel actions ● maintenance of personnel files or ● the screening of personnel actions for technical sufficiency ● are not subject to the exclusion in section 7112(b)(3) because their involvement in personnel work is in a clerical capacity. U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 34 FLRA 207, 214 (1990); U. S. Naval Station, Panama, 7 FLRA 489 (1981).

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] Personnel Work Must Pertain to Employees who are involved in recruiting efforts for the military or who process military personnel information are not engaged in "federal personnel work" within the meaning of section 7112(b)(3) of the Statute. U. S. Army District Recruiting Command - Philadelphia, 12 FLRA 409 (1983); 934 th Tactical Airlift Group, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 13 FLRA 549, 561, 562 (1983).

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] Examples of types of work which qualify– • Retirement determinations • Preparing grievance responses • Making determinations as to overtime compensation • Making recommendations regarding waivers of reimbursement to the government • Making decisions regarding qualifications for positions

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] U. S. Army Communications Sys. Agency, Fort Monmouth, N. J. , 4 FLRA 627 (1980) Dep’t of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations, Oak Ridge, Tenn. , 4 FLRA 644 (1980) Office of Pers. Mgmt. , 5 FLRA 238 (1981) Headquarters, Fort Sam Houston, Tex. , 5 FLRA 339 (1981) U. S. Dep’t of the Navy, U. S. Naval Station, Panama, 7 FLRA 489 (1981) Pa. Army National Guard, 8 FLRA 691 (1982) Nat’l Treasury Employees Union, 9 FLRA 175 (1982) Dep’t of Health & Human Services, Region X, Seattle, Wash. , 9 FLRA 518 (1982) Equal Employment Opportunity Comm’n, 9 FLRA 973 (1982)

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] Veterans Admin. , Wash. , D. C. , 11 FLRA 176 (1983) U. S. Envtl. Prot. Agency, Region III, 11 FLRA 354 (1983) U. S. Army Dist. Recruiting Command-Phila. , 12 FLRA 409 (1983) U. S. Army Med. Dep’t, Pers. Support Agency, Ne. Region (Reserve), 13 FLRA 334 (1983) Def. Mapping Agency, Hydrographic/ Topographic Ctr. , Providence Field Office, 13 FLRA 407 (1983) 934 th Tactical Airlift Group (AFRES), Minneapolis-St. Paul Int’l Airport, Minneapolis, Minn. , 13 FLRA 549 (1983) Envtl. Prot. Agency, Region VII, Kan. City, Mo. , 14 FLRA 25 (1984) Tick Eradication Program, Veterinary Services, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Serv. , U. S. Dep’t of Agric. , 15 FLRA 250 (1984)

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] Soc. Sec. Admin. , 17 FLRA 239 (1985) 832 nd Combat Support Group, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. , 23 FLRA 768 (1986) Veterans Admin. Med. Ctr. , Prescott, Ariz. , 29 FLRA 1313 (1987) U. S. Dep’t of Hous. & Urban Dev. , 34 FLRA 207 (1990) Dep’t of Transp. , U. S. Coast Guard, 8 th Coast Guard Dist. , New Orleans, La. , 35 FLRA 84 (1990) U. S. Dep’t of Hous. & Urban Dev. , Wash. , D. C. , 35 FLRA 1249 (1990) Dep’t of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Serv. , Wash. , D. C. & Internal Revenue Serv. , Cincinnati Dist. , Cincinnati, Ohio, 36 FLRA 138 (1990) U. S. Dep’t of the Army, Headquarters, 101 st Airborne Div. , Fort Campbell, Ky. , 36 FLRA 598 (1990)

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] U. S. Dep't of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Arlington Field Office, 37 FLRA 1371 (1990) U. S. Dep’t of Health & Human Services, Office of the Gen. Counsel, Balt. , Md. , 45 FLRA 894 (1992) Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp. , S. F. , Cal. , 49 FLRA 1598 (1994) United States Dep't of Justice, Fed. Bureau of Prisons, United States Penitentiary, Marion, Ill. , 55 FLRA 1243 (2000) Soc. Sec. Admin. , 56 FLRA 1015 (2000) AFGE, Local 3529, 57 FLRA 633 (2001) North Central Civilian Personnel Operation Ctr. , 59 FLRA 296 (2003)

ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK [§ 7112(b)(3)] U. S. Dep’t. of Justice, Immigration & Naturalization Serv. , Wash. , D. C. , 59 FLRA 304 (2003) Nat'l Credit Union Admin. , 61 FLRA 349 (2005) U. S. Envtl. Prot. Agency, 61 FLRA 417 (2005)

How to File a Petition Get a copy of your most recent certification from the FLRA Regional Office: ● If AFGE at the national level is certified, any petition about unit must be filed by AFGE. ● If an AFGE local is certified, a petition by the local may be filed.