Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, NLRB NEWS—ULP cases transferred between regions in effort to address backlog, (May 7, 2026)

By Brandi O. Brown, J.D.

The agency has transferred approximately 3,500 ULP cases that had not been assigned agents.

Yesterday, the NLRB announced that it has transferred approximately 3,500 unfair labor practice cases between regions as part of an initiative to address the agency’s backlog of cases pending in regional offices prior to January 7, 2026.

Cases from 11 regions (Regions 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13,15,16, 22, 28 and 31) were transferred to other regions in order to “balance the aging cases across all regions nationwide.” Those cases will be assigned to board agents when the receiving region has the capacity to timely process the charge.

General Counsel Crystal Carey stated, “My top priority has always been, and continues to be, ensuring that all parties receive prompt resolution of their cases. Following a comprehensive review of pending Unfair Labor Practice cases throughout the Agency, it became evident that the inability to timely adjudicate aging cases necessitated their redistribution across various regions. The Agency cannot effectively fulfill its mission if cases grow stale in Regional Offices lacking the necessary capacity for timely processing. Through this strategic approach, the Agency will be able to implement the National Labor Relations Act more efficiently and provide determinations to parties who have been waiting months, or even years, for resolution."

Impacted parties will receive notification if their cases have been transferred and transfer orders will include updated regional contact information. Case numbers will not change.

Statements by agency officials in March indicated that the agency had approximately 17,000 open ULP cases at that time.

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