§102.64. Conduct of hearing. — Inbound Citations

(c) If the regional director believes, after preliminary investigation of the petition, that there are substantial issues which require determination before an election may be held, the director may order a hearing on the issues. This hearing is followed by regional director decision and direction of election, or other disposition. The procedures to be used in connection with such hearing and posthearing proceedings are the same, insofar as they are applicable, as those described in 29 CFR 102.63, 102.64, 102.65, 102.66, 102.67, 102.68, and 102.69, and the statement of the general course.

(c) Where a petition has been duly filed, the employer and any individual or labor organizations representing a substantial number of the employees involved may, with the approval of the Regional Director, enter into an agreement, referred to as a full consent election agreement, providing that pre- and post-election disputes will be resolved by the Regional Director. Such agreement provides for a hearing pursuant to §§ 102.63, 102.64, 102.65, 102.66, and 102.67 to determine if a question of representation exists. Upon the conclusion of such a hearing, the Regional Director shall issue a decision. The rulings and determinations by the Regional Director thereunder shall be final, with the same force and effect, in that case, as if issued by the Board. Any election ordered by the Regional Director shall be conducted under the direction and supervision of the Regional Director. The method of conducting such election shall be consistent with the method followed by the Regional Director in conducting elections pursuant to §§ 102.69 and 102.70, except that the rulings and determinations by the Regional Director of the results thereof shall be final, and the Regional Director shall issue to the parties a certification of the results of the election, including certifications of representative where appropriate, with the same force and effect, in that case, as if issued by the Board, and except that rulings or determinations by the Regional Director in respect to any amendment of such certification shall also be final.

(c) After a petition has been filed under § 102.61(d) or (e), the Regional Director shall conduct an investigation and, as appropriate, may issue a decision without a hearing; or prepare and cause to be served upon the parties and upon any known individuals or labor organizations purporting to act as representatives of any employees directly affected by such investigation, a Notice of Hearing before a Hearing Officer at a time and place fixed therein; or take other appropriate action. If a Notice of Hearing is served, it shall be accompanied by a copy of the petition. Any such Notice of Hearing may be amended or withdrawn before the close of the hearing by the Regional Director on the director's own motion. All hearing and post-hearing procedure under this paragraph (c) shall be in conformance with §§ 102.64 through 102.69 whenever applicable, except where the unit or certification involved arises out of an agreement as provided in § 102.62(a), the Regional Director's action shall be final, and the provisions for review of Regional Director's decisions by the Board shall not apply. Dismissals of petitions without a hearing shall not be governed by § 102.71. The Regional Director's dismissal shall be by decision, and a request for review therefrom may be obtained under § 102.67, except where an agreement under § 102.62(a) is involved.

(iii) The hearing on objections and challenges shall continue from day to day until completed unless the Regional Director concludes that extraordinary circumstances warrant otherwise. Any hearing pursuant to this section shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of §§ 102.64, 102.65, and 102.66, insofar as applicable. Any party shall have the right to appear at the hearing in person, by counsel, or by other representative, to call, examine, and cross-examine witnesses, and to introduce into the record evidence of the significant facts that support the party's contentions and are relevant to the objections and determinative challenges that are the subject of the hearing. The Hearing Officer may rule on offers of proof. Post-hearing briefs shall be filed only upon special permission of the Hearing Officer and within the time and addressing the subjects permitted by the Hearing Officer. Upon the close of such hearing, the Hearing Officer shall prepare and cause to be served on the parties a report resolving questions of credibility and containing findings of fact and recommendations as to the disposition of the issues. Any party may, within 10 business days from the date of issuance of such report, file with the Regional Director an original and one copy of exceptions to such report, with supporting brief if desired. A copy of such exceptions, together with a copy of any brief filed, shall immediately be served on the other parties and a statement of service filed with the Regional Director. Within 5 business days from the last date on which exceptions and any supporting brief may be filed, or such further time as the Regional Director may allow, a party opposing the exceptions may file an answering brief with the Regional Director. An original and one copy shall be submitted. A copy of such answering brief shall immediately be served on the other parties and a statement of service filed with the Regional Director. Extra copies of electronically-filed papers need not be filed. The Regional Director shall thereupon decide the matter upon the record or make other disposition of the case. If no exceptions are filed to such report, the Regional Director, upon the expiration of the period for filing such exceptions, may decide the matter forthwith upon the record or may make other disposition of the case.

(b) The provisions of §§ 102.60 to 102.71, inclusive, shall, insofar as applicable, apply to proceedings before the general counsel pursuant to this section, and the powers granted to regional directors in such provisions shall, for the purpose of this section, be reserved to and exercised by the general counsel. After the transfer of any petition and any proceeding which may have been instituted in respect thereto from one region to another pursuant to this section, the provisions of this subpart shall, insofar as applicable, govern such petition and such proceedings as if the petition has originally been filed in the region to which the transfer was made.

(b) If, after the investigation of such petition or any petition filed under subpart D of this part, and after the investigation of the charge filed pursuant to § 102.73, it appears to the Regional Director that an expedited election under Section 8(b)(7)(C) of the Act is warranted, and that the policies of the Act would be effectuated thereby, the Regional Director shall forthwith proceed to conduct an election by secret ballot of the employees in an appropriate unit, or make other disposition of the matter, except that in any case in which it appears to the Regional Director that the proceeding raises questions which cannot be decided without a hearing, the Director may issue and cause to be served on the parties, individuals, and labor organizations involved a Notice of Hearing before a Hearing Officer at a time and place fixed therein. In this event, the method of conducting the hearing and the procedure following, shall be governed insofar as applicable by §§ 102.63 through 102.68.

The method of conducting the hearing and the procedure following the hearing will be governed, insofar as applicable, by §§ 102.63 through 102.68.

If it appears to the Regional Director that the charge has merit and the parties to the dispute have not submitted satisfactory evidence to the Regional Director that they have adjusted, or have agreed-upon methods for the voluntary adjustment of, the dispute out of which such unfair labor practice has arisen, the Regional Director will serve on all parties to such dispute a Notice of Hearing under Section 10(k) of the Act before a Hearing Officer at a time and place stated in the Notice. The hearing date will not be less than 10 days after service of the notice of the filing of the charge. The Notice of Hearing must contain a simple statement of the issues involved in such dispute. Such Notice will be issued promptly, and, in cases in which it is deemed appropriate to seek injunctive relief pursuant to Section 10(l) of the Act, will normally be issued within 5 days of the date upon which injunctive relief is first sought. Hearings will be conducted by a Hearing Officer, and the procedure will conform, insofar as applicable, to the procedure set forth in §§ 102.64 through 102.68. Upon the close of the hearing, the proceeding will be transferred to the Board, and the Board will proceed either promptly upon the record, or after oral argument, or the submission of briefs, or further hearing, to determine the dispute or otherwise dispose of the matter. Parties who desire to file a brief with the Board must do so within 7 days after the close of the hearing. However, no briefs will be filed in cases designated in the Notice of Hearing as involving the national defense, and the parties, after the close of the evidence, may argue orally upon the record their respective contentions and positions; except that, upon application for leave to file briefs expeditiously made to the Board in Washington, DC, after the close of the hearing, the Board may for good cause shown, grant leave to file briefs and set a time for filing. Simultaneously upon such filing, a copy must be served on the other parties. No reply brief may be filed except upon special leave of the Board.

(a) The Regional Director may proceed, either forthwith upon the record or after oral argument, the submission of briefs, or further hearing, as the director may deem proper, to determine whether a question of representation exists in a unit appropriate for purposes of collective bargaining as provided in § 102.64(a), and to direct an election, dismiss the petition, or make other disposition of the matter. A decision by the Regional Director upon the record shall set forth the director's findings, conclusions, and order or direction.