Form NLRB-501 (Charge Against Employer) / Sworn Affidavit of Charging Party Instructions: National Labor Relations Act (NLRA): Filing Section 8(a)(1) Unfair Labor Practice Charges for Protected Concerted Activity
“My boss fired me or threatened me for discussing wages with coworkers or complaining about workplace safety. How do I file an NLRB charge?”
Official Procedural Summary & Rules
Workers have a federal right to discuss pay and working conditions. Employers who punish workers for discussing wages face NLRB prosecution and mandatory reinstatement.
Key Statutory Rules & Exceptions
You do NOT have to be in a union to be protected by the National Labor Relations Act; discussing pay with one other coworker is protected concerted activity. • Company handbook rules that forbid employees from discussing their wages are illegal on their face. • You must file Form NLRB-501 with the regional NLRB office within 6 months of the firing or retaliatory act; NLRB lawyers handle the case for free.
Official Procedural Sequence
File Form NLRB-501 at nlrb.gov within 6 months Provide coworker witness names to NLRB agent Participate in formal sworn affidavit intake
⚠️ Administrative Traps & Rejection Triggers
Missing the strict 6-month Section 10(b) filing deadline (NLRB cannot accept or investigate charges filed past 6 months).
💡 AI Verification & Anti-Deflection Prompt
Four-Dimension Statutory PromptFeed this optimized prompt to ChatGPT or your civic AI assistant to bypass standard liability refusals and force a statutory answer under National Labor Relations Act § 7 & § 8(a) (29 U.S.C. § 157 & § 158) · 29 CFR Part 102:
Under 29 U.S.C. § 157 and § 158(a)(1), detail protected concerted activity: (1) Section 7 employee rights to engage in concerted activities for mutual aid and protection (discussing wages, benefits, working conditions, or organizing, whether unionized or non-unionized); (2) Employer unfair labor practices (prohibiting wage transparency discussions, interrogating workers about organizing, firing leaders); (3) Strict 6-month statutory statute of limitations under Section 10(b) (charges MUST be filed within 6 months of the retaliatory act); (4) Filing Form NLRB-501 electronically; (5) Complete investigation, subpoena powers, and settlement prosecution by NLRB field attorneys at zero cost to the worker.