Opinion ID: 2824665
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: nlrb general counsel vacancy

Text: Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the General Counsel of the NLRB must be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. 29 U.S.C. § 153(d). He is primarily responsible for prosecuting ULP cases before the Board. Id. Indeed, the Board cannot adjudicate a ULP dispute until the General Counsel decides a charge has merit and issues a formal complaint. See id. § 160(b); 29 C.F.R. §§ 102.9, 102.15. To manage the volume of ULP charges filed each year, the General Counsel has delegated his authority to investigate charges and issue complaints to thirty-two regional directors. See NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 421 U.S. 132, 139 (1975) (citing 29 C.F.R. §§ 101.8; 102.10). The General Counsel, however, retains “final authority” over charges and complaints and exercises “general supervision” of the regional directors. 29 U.S.C. § 153(d). In June 2010, Ronald Meisburg resigned as NLRB General Counsel. The President directed Lafe Solomon, 6 then–Director of the NLRB’s Office of Representation Appeals, to serve as the Acting General Counsel in Meisburg’s stead. See Memorandum from the White House for Lafe E. Solomon (June 18, 2010). The President cited the FVRA as the authority for Solomon’s appointment. See id. (invoking “section 3345(a) of title 5”). 2 On January 5, 2011—six months into Solomon’s temporary appointment—the President nominated him to be General Counsel. 157 CONG. REC. S69 (daily ed. Jan. 5, 2011). The Senate, however, returned Solomon’s nomination. 159 CONG. REC. S17 (daily ed. Jan. 3, 2013). The President resubmitted Solomon’s nomination on May 24, 2013, 159 CONG. REC. S3884 (daily ed. May 23, 2013), but ultimately withdrew it and nominated Richard Griffin instead, who was confirmed by the Senate on October 29, 2013. 159 CONG. REC. S7635 (daily ed. Oct. 29, 2013). All told, Solomon served as Acting General Counsel from June 21, 2010 to November 4, 2013.