Research
Decisions issued by the Board of Collective Bargaining and Board of Certification are searchable on our search engine and on LEXIS.
Under the "Research" tab, the "Search Our Cases" tool allows searches of Board of Collective Bargaining (BCB) and Board of Certification (BOC) decisions, NYS court decisions on appeals of BCB and BOC decisions, and impasse decisions.
BCB and BOC decisions are also available on LEXIS at advance.lexis.com and lexis.com.
Links to the most recent BCB and BOC decisions can be found under the "Recent Decisions" tab, located under both the "Attorneys" and "City Employees" tabs.
On January 1, 2008, OCB changed its citation format from one that referred to only the decision number and year (e.g., "Decision No. B-2-2007") to one that indicates a volume number, decision number, year, and the issuing board (e.g., "79 OCB 2 (BCB 2007)"). The citation conversion charts provide a simple means of converting pre-2008 citations to the current format.
A table of BCB and BOC decisions that have been appealed to the State courts can be found under the "Appealed Cases and Subsequent History" tab, located under the "Research" tab. The tables indicate whether the decision is currently on appeal or if a decision has been issued by the courts. If a decision was issued, the table lists the court case citation(s).
Other helpful resources available on the OCB website include:
Forms, Guides & Law
- Forms - necessary to file an improper practice petition, a representation petition, or a bargaining notice; request arbitration, mediation, or the appointment of an impasse panel.
- Guides - for filing improper practice and representation petitions.
- OCB's Law & Rules - the New York City Collective Bargaining Law, relevant provisions of the City Charter, and Rules of the Office of Collective Bargaining.
Additional Resources
- Designated Agents - lists of representatives specifically designated to accept service of pleadings under OCB's Rules.
- Agencies in Our Jurisdiction - all agencies, boards, and departments under OCB jurisdiction.
- Types of Representation Petitions - the different types of petitions a party can file.
- Managerial/Confidential - Taylor Law definitions of managerial and confidential employees.
- Representation Docket and Surveys - matters pending before the BOC.
- Arbitration - a general description of arbitration services available through OCB, including the Register of Neutrals.
- Mediation - how to request mediation and procedural information about the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search for cases?
Using our search engine, you can search for exact words or phrases - such as "duty of fair representation" or "statute of limitations" - by putting them in quotes.
If you know the citation of a particular decision, put the citation in quotes to pull that decision and all cases that have cited it. If you want to find every case citing a decision older than 2008, search for both the old citation format (e.g., "B-51-87") and the new citation format (e.g., "39 OCB 51"), both of which appear at the top of the decision.
Where are OCB decisions on LEXIS®?
If you have a subscription to LEXIS®, OCB decisions can be searched alongside PERB decisions. The NY PERB and NYC OCB Decisions can be found in New York Administrative Materials. When searching a larger database, select the Administrative Materials category, filter by Source, and click NY PERB and NYC OCB Decisions.
How do I find OCB's most recent decisions?
Recent decisions are found at the bottom of our home page and below our search engine.
Can I subscribe to receive new OCB decisions?
Yes. There is a link to join the mailing list at the bottom of the Search Our Decisions page.
How can I find out if an OCB decision was appealed?
Any pending appeals or court decisions will be listed on the subsequent history charts.
How do I find court decisions regarding an OCB decision?
If you search for an OCB decision using our search engine, there will be a link to any related court decisions. In addition, court decisions relating to OCB proceedings can be searched in the court decisions folder of our search engine and on Westlaw or LEXIS.
Where can I find the employers in OCB's jurisdiction?
The agencies, boards, and departments under OCB's jurisdiction are listed here.
How do I find information about the bargaining units in OCB's jurisdiction?
The list of bargaining units provides the Certification No., the colloquial name, the bargaining representative, and the titles included in each bargaining unit.
How do I find a union's original bargaining certificate?
Search our decisions for the Certification No. The original certification is the Board of Certification decision that certified one or more unions to represent the bargaining unit.
How do I find the history of a bargaining unit?
Search our decisions for the Certification No. of a bargaining unit to find the decision creating the bargaining unit and every decision that amended it by adding or deleting titles. This search will also indicate whether the bargaining representative's name has changed, if the unit was previously represented by a different union, or if the union's certification has terminated.
How do I learn more about the history of OCB?
Check out our 50th Anniversary booklet.