Know Your Rights

Information for Employees The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a non-profit organization providing free legal aid to thousands of employees nationwide whose human and civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. About Your Legal Rights Your Right to Work Rights – In Three Minutes We know you are busy. If you don’t have time to read through all of the legal information on this site right now, here are the highlights. However, if your job is on the line, be sure to take the time to read the full details about your problem on our web site – or contact us for legal aid! To learn more about your legal rights, please select the category of employment to which you belong: Federal Government Employee Private Sector Employee Public School Teacher or College Professor Airline/Railway Employee State or Local Government Employee Charter School Teacher or Employee NOTICE: This web site is intended to provide general information and is not intended to offer legal advice about specific situations or problems. There is no intention to create an attorney-client relationship by offering this information, and anyone’s review of the information shall not be deemed to create such a relationship. You should contact us if you have a legal matter requiring attention that you believe comes within the scope of our charitable legal aid program. Nothing on this site creates an express or implied contract. Moreover, the results of cases depend upon a variety of factors unique to each matter. Past successes in Foundation-supported cases do not predict or guarantee future success. Briefing and Background Papers Deauthorization Election Decertification Election Decertification under the Railway Labor Act Can Union Bosses Punish You? - Union Discipline and Employee Rights Public Sector Decertification Laws (as of 8/2010) Public Sector Deauthorization Laws (as of 8/2010) An Employee's Guide to Union Dues and Religious Do Nots Employees in Right to Work States: Beware of Signing Union Dues Check Off Cards The tip of the iceberg: PACs & The Forced-dues Base of Big Labor's Political Machine Big Labor's Massive Political Machine Big Labor’s Top Ten Special Privileges Legal Analysis of Fee for Grievance Legislation in a Right to Work State Policy Analysis: The Permissible Use of Forced Union Dues From Hanson to Beck Employees in Right to Work States Catholic Social Teaching and the Right to Work Are You Funding Your Union’s Federal PAC (Political Action Committee) Unknowingly or Against Your Will? Union Bosses Richer After Campaign "Reform": The Impact of Initiative 134 in Washington State Special Legal Notices Special Legal Notice to Private-Sector Workers in WisconsinSpecial Legal Notice to Most Private-Sector Workers in MichiganSpecial Legal Notice to Most Public-Sector Workers in MichiganSpecial Legal Notice to Most Private-Sector Workers in IndianaSpecial Legal Notice to Public-Sector Workers in Wisconsin Special Legal Notice to Employees: Permanently Reduce your IAM or TCU union dues Special Legal Notice to California Teachers: How to Get at Least a $300 refund of CTA Nonbargaining Expenses Special Bulletin for Actors and Actresses Special Bulletin for Private-sector Workers Subjected to Top Down Organizing "Neutrality Agreements" Special Legal Notice to Washington Teachers: Get your $200 WEA dues refund Special Projects Charter School Initiative Spotlight on Top Down Organizing: Big Labor's War Against Employee Free Choice Concerned Educators Against Forced Unionism (CEAFU) The Freedom of Conscience Project

Longtime Right to Work Leader Reed Larson Mourned

Reed Larson, who established the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation in 1968 and was its leader until 2003, and headed the National Right to Work Committee from 1959 until 2003, passed away peacefully late in the evening on Saturday, September 17. His beloved wife, the former Jeanne Hess, had passed away in 2010. Larson is survived by their three daughters, and by nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Workers Hit Unions with Federal Charges for Retaliation for Working During Verizon Strike

Four Verizon employees have filed federal unfair labor practice charges against the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and Communications Workers of America (CWA) unions for violating federal labor law after the employees exercised their right to resign their union memberships during the high profile union boss-ordered strike in April. In three of the cases, union officials illegally demanded that the workers appear before union tribunals, so they could fine or otherwise retaliate against the workers for rejecting union boss demands that they abandon their jobs.

CVS Workers Win Federal Settlement from UFCW Union Officials to Stop Rights Violations

Columbus, OH (August 11, 2016) – CVS employees in Columbus, Ohio have won a federal settlement in their case against the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 1059 remedying a litany of rights abuses at the hands of union officials.

Michigan Teachers Union Hit with Charges for Forced Dues Demands in Violation of Right to Work Protections

National Right to Work Foundation assists public school teacher after Grand Rapids Education Association union officials illegally demanded nearly $2,000 in forced union fees Grand Rapids, Michigan (March 9, 2016) – With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, a public school teacher in Grand Rapids, Michigan has filed an unfair […]

Nonunion Yale University Library Employees Hit Union Officials with Federal Charges for Forced Dues Violations

UNITE-HERE officials refusing to comply with Supreme Court protections for nonunion employees wanting to refrain subsidizing union politics New Haven, CT (November 20, 2015) – With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, two Yale University employees have filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against […]

Jerry Evans – Justice Won After an Unlawful Firing

Jerry standing up for his rights. Jerry Evans, a former Catholic University of America groundskeeper, was unlawfully fired for exercising his right to refrain from formal union membership. Union officials at the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 99 ordered his termination from Catholic, even though Jerry was never a formal member of the union. […]

Employee’s Charges Force Union Officials to Stop Misleading Workers by Claiming Membership and Full Dues are Mandatory

Under settlement, union must post notices informing employees of their rights not to be a full union member or pay for union politics San Diego, CA (October 15, 2015) – With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, a Viejas Casino and Resort employee has obtained a settlement with United Food […]

Worker Advocate Files Federal Appeals Court Brief Challenging Obama Labor Board’s Ambush Election Rules

In a court challenge to the NLRB’s recycled biased rules, Foundation argues Board rules violate NLRB authority to push more workers into Big Labor’s forced-dues-paying ranks Springfield, VA (August 18, 2015) – The National Right to Work Foundation has filed an amicus curiae brief in federal court challenging the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recently-enacted […]

NRTW Foundation Vice President, Legal Director Publishes Law Review Article on Obama NLRB’s Attack on Nonunion Employees’ Rights

Article in the “NYU Annual Survey of American Law” examines the NLRB’s failure to fully enforce workers’ Supreme Court protections from being forced to subsidize union politics and lobbying Springfield, VA (August 14, 2015) – The National Right to Work Foundation’s Vice President and Legal Director, Raymond J. LaJeunesse, Jr., has published his latest article, […]