Workers’ Rights: There’s an App for That
Got a question about your rights in the workplace? Just in time for Labor Day, there’s an app for that. Today, the National Labor Relations Board ( NLRB ) launched a new mobile app, available free of charge for iPhone and Android users, that guides workers, employers and unions with information regarding their rights and obligations under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
NLRB Chairman Mark Gaston Pearce says the NLRA guarantees the right of workers to join together, with or without a union, to improve their working lives.”
He adds:
The promise of the law can only be fulfilled when employers and employees understand their rights and obligations. With this app, we are using 21st century technology to inform and educate the public about the law and their rights.
The NLRB says that last year it received more than 82,000 public inquiries regarding workplace issues. Says Pearce:
It is clear that the American people have questions about the law. This app can help provide the answers.
The app provides information for employers, employees and unions, with sections describing the rights enforced by the NLRB, along with contact information for the agency’s regional offices across the country. The app also details the process the NLRB uses in elections held to determine whether employees wish to be collectively represented.
Each month, an average of 2,000 unfair labor practice charges and 200 representation petitions are filed with the NLRB. In 2012, the NLRB collected more than $44 million in back pay or the reimbursement of fees, dues and fines. More than 1,200 employees were offered reinstatement as a result of NLRB enforcement efforts.
The app is currently available for iPhone users in the Apple App Store and for Android users on Google Play .
