Cal. LAB § 923.1 — California Code / Code lab / Division 2 / Part 3 / Chapter 1 / Section 923.1
Section 923.1
Status: in_force

(a) (1) All of the provisions of this section shall be liberally construed to ensure that all workers in California can effectively vindicate their fundamental rights to full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, free from retaliation or intimidation by their employer.

(2) The rights described in this subdivision mean that a worker shall be allowed to engage in collective action, to organize, form, join, or assist labor organizations, and, when they choose to do so collectively through selected or designated bargaining representatives, to engage in effective and expeditious collective bargaining that results in a collective bargaining agreement addressing their terms and conditions of employment.

(3) The state and its political subdivisions shall not, directly or indirectly, deny, burden, or abridge the rights described in this subdivision except as necessary to serve a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means.

(b) (1) A worker who meets the description in subparagraph (A) or (B) may petition the Public Employment Relations Board to protect and enforce the rights described in subdivision (a).

(A) The worker is employed in a position that is, or would have been, subject to the National Labor Relations Act as of January 1, 2025, but they lose coverage under the National Labor Relations Act because the National Labor Relations Act is repealed, narrowed, or its enforcement enjoined in a case involving that worker, whether through legislative, executive, or judicial action, and the worker is not otherwise covered by the federal Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. Sec. 151 et seq.) or by any law that subjects them to the jurisdiction of the Public Employment Relations Board, aside from this section, or the Agricultural Labor Relations Board.

(B) The worker is employed in a position which is or would be subject to the National Labor Relations Act as of January 1, 2025, but the National Labor Relations Board has expressly or impliedly ceded jurisdiction. The National Labor Relations Board will be deemed to have ceded jurisdiction to the states if any of the following conditions are satisfied as of January 1, 2026:

(i) For cases where a certification of the results of an election, including a certification of representative, or administrative law judge decision has been issued, or where challenges or objections to a representation election are pending before the National Labor Relations Board, when there is a lack of a quorum of the National Labor Relations Board, or when the National Labor Relations Board has lost its independence as a result of the Supreme Court finding that National Labor Relations Board members are unconstitutionally protected from removal or when the continued processing of a case is enjoined by a court due to constitutional challenges to the board’s structure or authority.

(ii) For cases where no certification or complaint or decision has been issued, when there are processing delays resulting in the worker’s case remaining pending before a regional director for more than six months without the issuance of a complaint or certification of an election, or remaining pending more than six months after a complaint has been issued without the issuance of a decision by an administrative law judge or without the issuance of a decision about the certification by the National Labor Relations Board.

(iii) For cases where a certification of the results of an election, including a certification of representative, or other reviewable order has been issued by the regional director or administrative law judge, when there are processing delays resulting in failure by the National Labor Relations Board to accept or decline review or grant special permission to appeal for more than six months following the filing of a request for review or for special permission to appeal.

(iv) For cases on review or exceptions before the National Labor Relations Board, when there are processing delays resulting in the case remaining pending for more than 12 months without the issuance of a final decision.

(2) If the Public Employment Relations Board determines that the conditions described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) no longer apply, the Public Employment Relations Board shall retain jurisdiction over pending matters and shall maintain jurisdiction from that point forward unless ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction to cede its jurisdiction.

(3) This subdivision shall not affect the rights of workers under other federal or state statutes.

(c) A worker who meets the conditions of subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) or their chosen representative may do any of the following:

(1) Petition the Public Employment Relations Board to process any representation petition previously filed with the National Labor Relations Board.

(2) Petition the Public Employment Relations Board to promptly certify an exclusive bargaining representative that has previously been certified by another state or federal agency, or that has been selected by the majority of employees in an appropriate bargaining unit through an election, through other legal processes recognized by the Public Employment Relations Board or the National Labor Relations Board at that time the selection is made, or through a written designation. All existing terms and conditions of employment between a certified exclusive bargaining representative and an employer shall remain in full force and effect during bargaining following certification.

(3) Petition the Public Employment Relations Board to decide unfair labor practice cases on the following timeline:

(A) As of January 1, 2026, cases involving an employer of more than 500 employees and alleging a refusal to bargain, a refusal to recognize, or a refusal to give effect to an election certification, or cases involving a unilateral withdrawal of recognition from the worker’s chosen representative by an employer of any size, and associated violations that are necessary to decide the bargaining or recognition violation. These shall be considered Category 1 cases and shall take priority over any Category 2 or 3 cases.

(B) As of July 1, 2026, cases involving an employer of any size and alleging a refusal to bargain, a refusal to recognize, or a refusal to give effect to an election certification, and associated violations that are necessary to decide the bargaining or recognition violation. These shall be considered Category 1 cases and shall take priority over any Category 2 or 3 cases.

(C) As of January 1, 2027, cases alleging that an employer has failed to bargain in good faith if the parties have been engaged in bargaining for a collective bargaining agreement for over six months without reaching agreement, and associated violations. These shall be considered Category 2 cases and shall take priority over any Category 3 cases.

(D) If the Public Employment Relations Board determines that it has insufficient resources to process all cases filed under subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (c), or that doing so would prevent it from meeting statutory deadlines applicable prior to July 1, 2026, the Public Employment Relations Board shall process and prioritize cases in accordance with the following before processing any Category 3 cases:

(i) Cases involving employers employing more than 500 workers affected or potentially affected by the case shall be priority 1.

(ii) Cases involving an active union organizing campaign and allegations of loss of employment shall be priority 2.

(iii) Cases involving an active union organizing campaign and allegations not involving loss of employment shall be priority 3.

(iv) Cases that have been pending before the NLRB for more than 18 months shall be priority 4.

(v) All other Category 1 or 2 cases shall be priority 5.

(E) As of January 1, 2027, all other cases not included in paragraph (A), (B), or (C) shall be considered Category 3 cases. The Public Employment Relations Board shall prioritize and process Category 3 cases, to the extent feasible, in accordance with the following:

(i) Cases involving allegations arising from an organizing campaign shall be priority 1.

(ii) Cases involving allegations of loss of employment shall be priority 2.

(iii) Cases involving allegations of retaliation for union activities or the exercise of rights under the NLRA or this section, not involving loss of employment, shall be priority 3.

(iv) Cases involving allegations of violation of Weingarten rights, failure to respond to union information requests, or unilateral changes by an employer engaging in first contract negotiation shall be priority 4.

(v) The Public Employment Relations Board may further prioritize the resolution of subcategories of cases within each of these categories, or within the group of cases not categorized above, to ensure the most efficient possible resolution of such cases and the maximum possible protection of employee rights.

(d) To pursue relief from the Public Employment Relations Board, a covered worker or their representative shall file both of the following with the Public Employment Relations Board:

(1) An unfair practice charge or petition that includes all of the following information:

(A) The charging party’s name, address, email address, and telephone number.

(B) The respondent’s name, address, email address, and telephone number.

(C) Where applicable, the original charge or petition filed with the National Labor Relations Board with all supporting documentation and evidence that was submitted to the National Labor Relations Board.

(D) All correspondence, communications, or other materials received by the charging party, or otherwise in the charging party’s possession, from the National Labor Relation’s Board regarding the original charge or petition filed with the National Labor Relation’s Board.

(2) The documentation and evidence filed with the Public Employment Relations Board shall not be served on the respondent.

(3) The Public Employment Relations Board shall hold the supporting documentation and evidence confidential and maintain it as part of its investigatory file.

(4) Documentation and evidence under paragraph (1) shall not be deemed to be public records for purposes of the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code).

(e) (1) In implementing this section, the Public Employment Relations Board may do all of the following pursuant to its own procedures:

(A) Conduct elections to determine whether a majority of workers in an appropriate bargaining unit have selected an exclusive representative for purposes of collective bargaining.

(B) Promptly certify an exclusive bargaining representative by determining whether a majority of workers in an appropriate bargaining unit have selected an exclusive representative for purposes of collective bargaining, and order that an employer bargain with that exclusive bargaining representative. Selection may be demonstrated through a previous certification by another state or federal agency, or through an election, or through other legal processes recognized by the Public Employment Relations Board or the National Labor Relations Board at that time the selection is made, or through a written designation. This shall include the ability to resolve pending objections or voter eligibility challenges in an election previously pending with the National Labor Relations Board.

(C) Order that an employer bargain with an exclusive bargaining representative and otherwise decide unfair labor practices and order all appropriate action and remedies.

(D) Order than an employer submit to binding arbitration to assist the parties in finalizing their negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement if the National Labor Relations Board or the Public Employment Relations Board has certified an exclusive bargaining representative, or if an employer has voluntarily recognized the exclusive bargaining representative of a group of workers, and more than six months have passed without the parties agreeing on and executing a collective bargaining agreement.

(E) Order any appropriate remedy, including injunctive relief and penalties, necessary to effectuate this section, including if an employer refuses to comply with an order under this section.

(2) The Public Employment Relations Board may rely on its own decisions and precedent under the National Labor Relations Act, and shall do so in a manner that most expansively effectuates the rights guaranteed under this section.

(3) The Public Employment Relations Board may order all appropriate relief for a violation of this section, including civil penalties. If the Public Employment Relations Board finds that an employer has engaged in a pattern or practice of committing unfair practices, it may assess civil penalties in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per worker per violation.

(4) Any action taken by the Public Employment Relations Board pursuant to this section may be reviewed by a state appellate court of competent jurisdiction. The decision of the court enforcing an order of the Public Employment Relations Board shall be final, subject to the right to petition the California Supreme Court for review, and the pendency of a petition for review shall not, except by express order of the courts, constitute a stay of the decision. The violation of a decision under this section shall be remediable by the court as contempt thereof.

(f) (1) The Public Employment Relations Board Enforcement Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury.

(2) Any civil penalty collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the Public Employment Relations Board Enforcement Fund.

(3) Moneys in the fund shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature for the Public Employment Relations Board for purposes of administering this section.

(g) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Charging party” means the party bringing an unfair labor practice charge.

(2) “Respondent” means the party that allegedly committed the unfair labor practice.