A petition for review may be filed by an exclusive representative that is a party to the negotiations.

(a) A petition for review must be filed within fifteen (15) days after the date of service of either:

(1) An agency's written allegation that the exclusive representative's proposal is not within the duty to bargain, or

(2) An agency head's disapproval of a provision.

(b) If the agency has not served a written allegation on the exclusive representative within ten (10) days after the agency's principal bargaining representative has received a written request for such allegation, as provided in § 2424.11(a), then the petition may be filed at any time, subject to the following:

(1) If the agency serves a written allegation on the exclusive representative more than ten (10) days after receiving a written request for such allegation, then the petition must be filed within fifteen (15) days after the date of service of that allegation on the exclusive representative.

(2) [Reserved]

(a) Purpose. The purpose of a petition for review is to initiate a negotiability proceeding and provide the agency with notice that the exclusive representative requests a decision from the Authority that a proposal or provision is within the duty to bargain or not contrary to law, respectively.

(b) Divisions. The petition will be resolved according to how the exclusive representative divides matters into proposals or provisions. If the exclusive representative seeks a negotiability determination on particular matters standing alone, then the exclusive representative must submit those matters as distinct proposals or provisions. However, the exclusive representative will have an opportunity to divide proposals or provisions into separate parts when the exclusive representative files a response under § 2424.25.

(c) Content. You must file a petition for review on a form that the Authority has provided for that purpose, or in a substantially similar format. You meet this requirement if you file your petition electronically through use of the eFiling system on the FLRA's website at www.flra.gov. That website also provides copies of petition forms. You must date the petition, unless you file it electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system. And, regardless of how you file the petition, you must ensure that it includes the following:

(1) The exact wording and explanation of the meaning of the proposal or provision, including an explanation of special terms or phrases, technical language, or other words that are not in common usage, as well as how the proposal or provision is intended to work;

(2) Specific citation to any law, rule, regulation, section of a collective bargaining agreement, or other authority that you rely on in your argument or that you reference in the proposal or provision, and a copy of any such material that the Authority cannot easily access (which you may upload as attachments if you file the petition electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system);

(i) An explanation of how the cited law, rule, regulation, section of a collective bargaining agreement, or other authority relates to your argument, proposal, or provision;

(ii) [Reserved]

(3) A statement as to whether the proposal or provision is also involved in an unfair labor practice charge under part 2423 of this subchapter, a grievance pursuant to the parties' negotiated grievance procedure, or an impasse procedure under part 2470 of this subchapter, and whether any other petition for review has been filed concerning a proposal or provision arising from the same bargaining or the same agency head review;

(i) Documents relevant to the statement, including a copy of any related unfair labor practice charge, grievance, request for impasse assistance, or other petition for review; and

(ii) [Reserved]

(4) Any request for a hearing before the Authority and the reasons supporting such request, with the understanding that the Authority rarely grants such requests.

(d) Service. The petition for review, including all attachments, must be served in accord with § 2424.2(g).

(a) Scheduling a post-petition conference. The FLRA will, in its discretion, schedule a post-petition conference to be conducted by an FLRA representative by telephone, in person, or through other means. Unless the Authority or an FLRA representative directs otherwise, parties must observe all time limits in this part, regardless of whether a post-petition conference is conducted or may be conducted.

(b) Conduct of conference. The post-petition conference will be conducted with representatives of the exclusive representative and the agency, who must be prepared and authorized to discuss, clarify, and resolve matters including the following:

(1) The meaning of the proposal or provision in dispute;

(2) Any disputed factual issue(s);

(3) Negotiability dispute objections and bargaining obligation claims regarding the proposal or provision; and

(4) Status of any proceedings—including an unfair labor practice charge under part 2423 of this subchapter, a grievance under the parties' negotiated grievance procedure, or an impasse procedure under part 2470 of this subchapter—that are directly related to the negotiability petition.

(c) Discretionary extension of time limits. The FLRA representative may, on determining that it will effectuate the purposes of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, 5 U.S.C. 7101 et seq., and this part, extend the time limits for filing the agency's statement of position and any subsequent filings.

(d) Record of the conference. After the post-petition conference has been completed, the FLRA representative will prepare, and the FLRA will serve on the parties, a written record that includes whether the parties agree on the meaning of the disputed proposal or provision, the resolution of any disputed factual issues, and any other appropriate matter.

(e) Hearings. Instead of, or in addition to, conducting a post-petition conference, the Authority may exercise its discretion under § 2424.31 to hold a hearing or take other appropriate action to aid in decision making.

(a) Purpose. The purpose of the agency's statement of position is to inform the Authority and the exclusive representative why a proposal or provision is outside the duty to bargain or contrary to law, respectively, and whether the agency disagrees with any facts or arguments made by the exclusive representative in the petition.

(b) Time limit for filing. Unless the time limit for filing has been extended pursuant to § 2424.23 or part 2429 of this subchapter, the agency must file its statement of position within thirty (30) days after the date the head of the agency receives a copy of the petition for review.

(c) Content. You must file your statement of position on a form that the Authority has provided for that purpose, or in a substantially similar format. You meet this requirement if you file your statement electronically through use of the eFiling system on the FLRA's website at www.flra.gov. That website also provides copies of statement forms. You must date your statement, unless you file it electronically through use of the eFiling system. And, regardless of how you file your statement, your statement must:

(1) Withdraw either:

(i) The allegation that the duty to bargain in good faith does not extend to the exclusive representative's proposal, or

(ii) The disapproval of the provision under 5 U.S.C. 7114(c); or

(2) Set forth in full your position on any matters relevant to the petition that you want the Authority to consider in reaching its decision, including: A statement of the arguments and authorities supporting any bargaining obligation or negotiability claims; any disagreement with claims that the exclusive representative made in the petition for review; specific citation to, and explanation of the relevance of, any law, rule, regulation, section of a collective bargaining agreement, or other authority on which you rely; and a copy of any such material that the Authority may not easily access (which you may upload as attachments if you file your statement of position electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system). Your statement of position must also include the following:

(i) If different from the exclusive representative's position, an explanation of the meaning the agency attributes to the proposal or provision and the reasons for disagreeing with the exclusive representative's explanation of meaning;

(ii) If different from the exclusive representative's position, an explanation of how the proposal or provision would work, and the reasons for disagreeing with the exclusive representative's explanation;

(3) Status of any proceedings—including an unfair labor practice charge under part 2423 of this subchapter, a grievance under the parties' negotiated grievance procedure, or an impasse procedure under part 2470 of this subchapter—that are directly related to the negotiability petition, and whether any other petition for review has been filed concerning a proposal or provision arising from the same bargaining or the same agency head review;

(i) If they have not already been provided with the petition, documents relevant to the status updates, including a copy of any related unfair labor practice charge, grievance, request for impasse assistance, or other petition for review; and

(ii) [Reserved]

(4) Any request for a hearing before the Authority and the reasons supporting such request, with the understanding that the Authority rarely grants such requests.

(d) Service. A copy of the agency's statement of position, including all attachments, must be served in accord with § 2424.2(g).

(a) Purpose. The purpose of the exclusive representative's response is to inform the Authority and the agency why, despite the agency's arguments in its statement of position, the proposal or provision is within the duty to bargain or not contrary to law, respectively, and whether the exclusive representative disagrees with any facts or arguments in the agency's statement of position.

(b) Time limit for filing. Unless the time limit for filing has been extended pursuant to § 2424.23 or part 2429 of this subchapter, within fifteen (15) days after the date the exclusive representative receives a copy of an agency's statement of position, the exclusive representative must file a response.

(c) Content. You must file your response on a form that the Authority has provided for that purpose, or in a substantially similar format. You meet this requirement if you file your response electronically through use of the eFiling system on the FLRA's website at www.flra.gov. That website also provides copies of response forms. With the exception of severance under paragraph (d) of this section, you must limit your response to the matters that the agency raised in its statement of position. You must date your response, unless you file it electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system. And, regardless of how you file your response, you must ensure that it identifies any disagreement with the agency's bargaining obligation or negotiability claims. You must: State the arguments and authorities supporting your opposition to any agency argument; include specific citation to, and explanation of the relevance of, any law, rule, regulation, section of a collective bargaining agreement, or other authority on which you rely; and provide a copy of any such material that the Authority may not easily access (which you may upload as attachments if you file your response electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system). You are not required to repeat arguments that you made in your petition for review. If not included in the petition for review, then you must state the arguments and authorities supporting your position on all of the relevant bargaining obligation and negotiability matters identified in § 2424.2(a) and (c), respectively.

(d) Severance. The exclusive representative may, of its own accord, accomplish the severance of a previously submitted proposal or provision. To accomplish severance, the exclusive representative must identify the proposal or provision that the exclusive representative is severing and set forth the exact wording of the newly severed portion(s). Further, as part of the exclusive representative's explanation and argument about why the newly severed portion(s) are within the duty to bargain or not contrary to law, the exclusive representative must explain how the severed portion(s) stand alone with independent meaning, and how the severed portion(s) would operate. The explanation and argument in support of the severed portion(s) must meet the same requirements for specific information set forth in paragraph (c) of this section, and must satisfy the exclusive representative's burdens under § 2424.32.

(e) Service. A copy of the response of the exclusive representative, including all attachments, must be served in accord with § 2424.2(g).

(a) Purpose. The purpose of the agency's reply is to inform the Authority and the exclusive representative whether and why it disagrees with any facts or arguments made for the first time in the exclusive representative's response.

(b) Time limit for filing. Unless the time limit for filing has been extended pursuant to § 2424.23 or part 2429 of this subchapter, within fifteen (15) days after the date the agency receives a copy of the exclusive representative's response to the agency's statement of position, the agency may file a reply.

(c) Content. You must file your reply on a form that the Authority has provided for that purpose, or in a substantially similar format. You meet this requirement if you file your reply electronically through use of the eFiling system on the FLRA's website at www.flra.gov. That website also provides copies of reply forms. You must limit your reply to matters that the exclusive representative raised for the first time in its response. You must date your reply, unless you file it electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system. And, regardless of how you file your reply, you must ensure that it identifies any disagreement with the exclusive representative's assertions in its response, including your disagreements with assertions about the bargaining obligation and negotiability matters identified in § 2424.2(a) and (c), respectively. You must: State the arguments and authorities supporting your position; include specific citation to, and explanation of the relevance of, any law, rule, regulation, section of a collective bargaining agreement, or other authority on which you rely; and provide a copy of any such material that the Authority may not easily access (which you may upload as attachments if you file your reply electronically through use of the FLRA's eFiling system). You are not required to repeat arguments that you made in your statement of position.

(d) Service. A copy of the agency's reply, including all attachments, must be served in accord with § 2424.2(g).

The Authority will not consider any submission filed by any party other than those authorized under this part, provided however that the Authority may, in its discretion, grant permission to file an additional submission based on a written request showing extraordinary circumstances by any party. The additional submission must be filed with the written request. All documents filed under this section must be served in accord with § 2424.2(g).