Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) at the FLRA is a collection of informal methods used by a neutral person to help prevent and solve problems that often arise during litigation. ADR practitioners at the FLRA help parties engage more constructively to develop interest-based solutions to pending negotiability appeals, arbitration exceptions, impasse bargaining disputes, unfair-labor-practice cases, and representation cases.
ADR methods used by various components of the FLRA can include facilitation, mediation, mediation-arbitration (med-arb), fact finding, early neutral evaluation, and some forms of training.
The FLRA has integrated ADR into virtually all of its processes, and it has expanded significantly its training, outreach, and facilitation activities. All components of the FLRA help parties to resolve disputes, using consensus decision-making and other ADR techniques, to reduce unnecessary litigation and its related costs.
Collaboration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Office (CADRO) ADR
CADRO creates value by helping agencies and unions more effectively perform their mission, improve quality of work life, and mend labor-management relationships.
CADRO training and facilitation services help prevent problems from arising, help parties make more effectively important decisions and solve difficult problems when they arise, and help parties develop and maintain constructive, collaborative relationships.
CADRO intervention and dispute-resolution services offer parties an informal, voluntary, and confidential way to minimize risk and increase opportunities to successfully resolve arbitration exceptions and negotiability cases pending before the FLRA, post‑complaint unfair-labor-practice (ULP) cases pending before FLRA Administrative Law Judges, as well as collective-bargaining matters and other workplace disputes.
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Office of the General Counsel ADR
The OGC also provides case-related ADR services, as set forth on the OGC's ADR page, and Statutory Training on the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, as well as Representation case-handling training, as set forth on the Training page. In addition, the OGC has partnered with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) to provide overview training on Executive Order 13522, Creating Labor-Management Forums to Improve Delivery of Government Services, including pre-decisional involvement, metrics, forum design, consensus decision-making, and facilitation.
The Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) ADR
FSIP uses ADR techniques in resolving bargaining impasses.
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