Region 13-Chicago Secures Settlement Requiring Howard Brown Health to Pay Workers $1.3 Million & Bargain in Good Faith

On November 7, 2024, Region 13-Chicago secured an agreement settling a complaint against Howard Brown Health, a nonprofit organization providing healthcare services at various locations in Oak Park and Chicago, IL, based on eight unfair labor practice charges filed by the Illinois Nurses Association.

The Regional Director of Region 13 issued the complaint against Howard Brown Health in March 2024 alleging, among other things, that the employer threatened employees, surveilled employees’ protected activities, failed and refused to furnish necessary information to the Union, engaged in bargaining with no intention of reaching an agreement, denigrated the Union in the eyes of employees, and bypassed the Union and dealt directly with employees in bargaining involuntarily layoffs. In addition, the complaint alleged Howard Brown Health unlawfully unilaterally laid off approximately 55 employees without bargaining with the Union.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Howard Brown Health will make the affected employees whole for the losses they suffered as a result of its unlawful layoffs – including $1 million in backpay, $48,000 total 401(k) reimbursements, and $60,000 in compensation for direct or foreseeable financial harm caused by the layoffs. The settlement also requires Howard Brown Health to offer reinstatement to the laid-off employees, cease and desist from violating its bargaining obligations and interfering with protected activity by employees, as well as physically and electronically post a notice to its employees at all its facilities.

“I applaud the great work of Region 13 staff in investigating these charges and obtaining this excellent settlement,” said NLRB Region 13 Regional Director Angie Cowan Hamada. “The remedies achieved will ensure that employees are able to fully and freely exercise their rights to join together and collectively bargain and therefore serves to effectuate the National Labor Relations Act.”

Established in 1935, the National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency that protects employees, employers, and unions from unfair labor practices and protects the right of private sector employees to join together, with or without a union, to improve wages, benefits and working conditions. The NLRB conducts hundreds of workplace elections and investigates thousands of unfair labor practice charges each year. Region 13 serves areas in Illinois and Indiana from its Regional Office in Chicago.