On March 19, 2020, the NLRB announced that it was suspending all representation elections through April 3, 2020. The Board stated that the suspension was necessary to ensure the safety of its own employees, as well as those members of the public involved in the elections.
Today, the Board announced that it will not extend the temporary suspension past April 3, 2020, and elections will resume beginning Monday, April 6, 2020. In a short statement, the Board indicated that over the last two weeks, the General Counsel had developed solutions to the logistics problems caused by the closure of several Regional Offices and limited staffing at others.
The Board concluded that going forward, elections will resume in a “safe and effective manner, which will be determined by the Regional Directors.” Though the announcement provided no further information on what procedures will be required, additional guidance is sure to come. Early indications from Regional Offices suggest that mail ballot elections may become standard until the pandemic has passed.
We will keep you updated on any new developments.