If the Department or labor organization is charged by any person with having engaged in or engaging in an unfair labor practice, the General Counsel shall investigate the charge and may issue and cause to be served upon the Department or labor organization a complaint. In any case in which the General Counsel does not issue a complaint because the charge fails to state an unfair labor practice, the General Counsel shall provide the person making the charge a written statement of the reasons for not issuing a complaint.

Any complaint under subsection (a) shall contain a notice—

(1) of the charge;

(2) that a hearing will be held before the Board (or any member thereof or before an individual employed by the Board and designated for such purpose); and

(3) of the time and place fixed for the hearing.

The labor organization or Department involved shall have the right to file an answer to the original and any amended complaint and to appear in person or otherwise and give testimony at the time and place fixed in the complaint for the hearing.

If the General Counsel determines that the person filing any charge was prevented from filing the charge during the 6-month period referred to in paragraph (1) by reason of—

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no complaint shall be issued based on any alleged unfair labor practice which occurred more than 6 months before the filing of the charge with the Board.

If the General Counsel determines that the person filing any charge was prevented from filing the charge during the 6-month period referred to in paragraph (1) by reason of—

(A) any failure of the Department or labor organization against which the charge is made to perform a duty owed to the person, or

(B) any concealment which prevented discovery of the alleged unfair labor practice during the 6-month period,

The General Counsel may prescribe regulations providing for informal methods by which the alleged unfair labor practice may be resolved prior to the issuance of a complaint.

The Board (or any member thereof or any individual employed by the Board and designated for such purpose) shall conduct a hearing on the complaint not earlier than 5 days after the date on which the complaint is served. In the discretion of the individual or individuals conducting the hearing, any person involved may be allowed to intervene in the hearing and to present testimony. Any such hearing shall, to the extent practicable, be conducted in accordance with the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, except that the parties shall not be bound by rules of evidence, whether statutory, common law, or adopted by a court. A transcript shall be kept of the hearing. After such a hearing the Board, in its discretion, may upon notice receive further evidence or hear argument.

If the Board (or any member thereof or any individual employed by the Board and designated for such purpose) determines after any hearing on a complaint under subsection (f) that the preponderance of the evidence received demonstrates that the Department or labor organization named in the complaint has engaged in or is engaging in an unfair labor practice, then the individual or individuals conducting the hearing shall state in writing their findings of fact and shall issue and cause to be served on the Department or labor organization an order—

(1) to cease and desist from any such unfair labor practice in which the Department or labor organization is engaged;

(2) requiring the parties to renegotiate a collective bargaining agreement in accordance with the order of the Board and requiring that the agreement, as amended, be given retroactive effect;

(3) requiring reinstatement of an employee with backpay in accordance with section 5596 of title 5; or

(4) including any combination of the actions described in paragraphs (1) through (3) or such other action as will carry out the purpose of this subchapter.

If the individual or individuals conducting the hearing determine that the preponderance of the evidence received fails to demonstrate that the Department or labor organization named in the complaint has engaged in or is engaging in an unfair labor practice, the individual or individuals shall state in writing their findings of fact and shall issue an order dismissing the complaint.

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 1016, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2139.)