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Guidance

Presentation Audience

How to File a FOIA Request

You may file a FOIA request electronically using E-file request via SecureRelease
(click here: E-file request via SecureRelease ) or by mail to the following address:

NLRB FOIA Officer
National Labor Relations Board
1015 Half Street, S.E.
4th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20570

You may also send your FOIA request by facsimile to:  (202) 273-FOIA (3642)

If you send your request to the wrong office within the NLRB, your request will still be processed, but the time for responding to it will date from the time that it is received by the appropriate office.

If you file your FOIA request by mail, make sure you include the following:

1.      Your contact information, including full name, address, phone number, and, if possible, your email address.
2.      As many details as possible about the records you are seeking from the NLRB (e.g., “charges filed at Region 2 between June 30, 2015 and the present”).  If known, you should include any case file names and number designations, dates, or other descriptions.  Although this is not an absolute requirement, providing as many details as you can will better enable the NLRB to more quickly locate any given records and provide them consistent with the FOIA.
3.      Which type of requester are you.  For example: “for commercial purposes,” “news media,” “non-commercial scientific institution,” “educational institution,” or “other.”  (See below for more details).
4.      Indicate whether you are willing to pay fees for searching, reviewing and/or duplication records.  

While there is no initial fee to file a FOIA request, and in some instances no fees are ever charged, you must state that you agree to pay for the costs incurred in responding to the request.  You may place a limit on the amount you are willing to pay, in which event we will contact you before incurring costs greater than the amount you specified.  Be aware that you may be required to pay fees even if the search does not locate any responsive records or, if records are located, they are determined to be exempt from disclosure.

Again, being as specific as possible in identifying the documents you are requesting, better enables us to locate the records you seek and provide them consistent with the FOIA.  In addition, we recommend that you include, along with your address, a phone number at which you can be reached in the event we need to contact you in connection with your request.