This part applies to all petitions for review filed on or after October 12, 2023.

In this part, the following definitions apply:

(a) Bargaining obligation dispute means a disagreement between an exclusive representative and an agency concerning whether, in the specific circumstances involved in a particular case, the parties are obligated by law to bargain over a proposal that otherwise may be negotiable. Examples of bargaining obligation disputes include disagreements between an exclusive representative and an agency concerning agency claims that:

(1) A proposal concerns a matter that is covered by a collective bargaining agreement;

(2) Bargaining is not required because there has not been a change in bargaining-unit employees' conditions of employment or because the effect of the change is de minimis; and

(3) The exclusive representative is attempting to bargain at the wrong level of the agency.

(b) Collaboration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Program refers to the Federal Labor Relations Authority's program that assists parties in reaching agreements to resolve disputes.

(c) Negotiability dispute means a disagreement between an exclusive representative and an agency concerning the legality of a proposal or provision. A negotiability dispute exists when an exclusive representative disagrees with an agency contention that (without regard to any bargaining obligation dispute) a proposal is outside the duty to bargain, including disagreement with an agency contention that a proposal is bargainable only at its election. A negotiability dispute also exists when an exclusive representative disagrees with an agency head's disapproval of a provision as contrary to law. A negotiability dispute may exist where there is no bargaining obligation dispute. Examples of negotiability disputes include disagreements between an exclusive representative and an agency concerning whether a proposal or provision:

(1) Affects a management right under 5 U.S.C. 7106(a);

(2) Affects bargaining-unit employees' conditions of employment;

(3) Enforces an “applicable law,” within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 7106(a)(2);

(4) Concerns a matter negotiable at the election of the agency under 5 U.S.C. 7106(b)(1);

(5) Constitutes a “procedure” or “appropriate arrangement,” within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 7106(b)(2) and (3), respectively;

(6) Is consistent with a Government-wide rule or regulation; and

(7) Is negotiable notwithstanding agency rules or regulations because:

(i) The proposal or provision is consistent with agency rules or regulations for which a compelling need exists under 5 U.S.C. 7117(a)(2);

(ii) The agency rules or regulations violate applicable law, rule, regulation, or appropriate authority outside the agency;

(iii) The agency rules or regulations were not issued by the agency or by any primary national subdivision of the agency;

(iv) The exclusive representative represents an appropriate unit including not less than a majority of the employees in the rule- or regulation-issuing agency or primary national subdivision; or

(v) No compelling need exists for the rules or regulations to bar negotiations.

(d) Petition for review means an appeal filed with the Authority by an exclusive representative requesting resolution of a negotiability dispute. An appeal that concerns only a bargaining obligation dispute may not be resolved under this part.

(e) Proposal means any matter offered for bargaining that has not been agreed to by the parties. If a petition for review concerns more than one proposal, then the term “proposal” includes each proposal concerned.

(f) Provision means any matter that has been disapproved by the agency head on review pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 7114(c). If a petition for review concerns more than one provision, then the term “provision” includes each provision concerned.

(g) Service means the delivery of copies of documents filed with the Authority to the other party's principal bargaining representative and, in the case of an exclusive representative, also to the head of the agency. Compliance with part 2429 of this subchapter is required.

(h) Severance means the division of a proposal or provision into separate parts having independent meaning, for the purpose of determining whether any of the separate parts is within the duty to bargain or is contrary to law. In effect, severance results in the creation of separate proposals or provisions. Severance applies when some parts of the proposal or provision are determined to be outside the duty to bargain or contrary to law.

(i) Written allegation concerning the duty to bargain means an agency allegation that the duty to bargain in good faith does not extend to a proposal.