January 2011 - National Labor Relations Board

10058 CONTACTS WITH REPRESENTED PARTIES AND WITNESSES(a) Current Supervisors/Agents: Where the party is either unrepresented or notrepresented by an attorney and cooperation is being extended to the Regional Office in itsinvestigation, the party or its representative should be contacted and afforded theopportunity to make available for interview any current supervisor or agent of the party.This policy will normally apply in circumstances where:The Regional Office is receiving cooperation from the party or itsrepresentative, if anyThe party or such representative makes the individual available forinterview with reasonable promptness so as not to delay the investigationandDuring the interview the party or such representative does not interferewith, hamper or impede the Board agent’s investigation(b) Uncertain Supervisory/Agency Status: Where the party is either unrepresentedor not represented by an attorney and a witness’ supervisory or agency status is initiallyuncertain, a Board agent should inquire about the individual’s status prior to conducting asubstantive interview and proceed as follows:If it becomes clear that the individual is a supervisor or an agent of a party,the Board agent should not proceed with the interview without affordingthe party or its representative the opportunity to be present if such party iscooperating.If it remains unclear whether the individual is a supervisor or an agent of aparty, the Board agent should interrupt the interview and consult with theRegional Office.If the Regional Office concludes that the individual is a supervisor oragent of a party and the party is cooperating, the Board agent should notresume the interview without affording the party or its representative theopportunity to be present.If, on the other hand, it becomes clear either through the preliminaryinterview or through consultations with the Regional Office that theindividual is not a supervisor or agent of a party, the Board agent mayconduct the substantive interview of the witness without informing theparty or its non-attorney representative.Revised 01/11