--- title: "NLRB Prohibition of Employer Rule \"Walking Off the Job\" Enforced in Court" description: "" url: "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/nlrb-prohibition-employer-walking-off-job-enforced" date: "2026-06-20T08:27:09+00:00" language: "en-US" --- # NLRB Prohibition of Employer Rule "Walking Off the Job" Enforced in Court Written on February 13, 2014. *Tag(s):* [NLRB (National Labor Relations Board)](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_tags&view=tag&id%5B0%5D=62:nlrb), [February 2014 Newsletter](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_tags&view=tag&id%5B0%5D=111:february-2014-newsletter) One of the most common work rules that any employer utilizes is a rule prohibiting "walking off the job" without permission. This newsletter has included many articles over the last year or so warning employers of the current view of the Administration and the NLRB, that many employer work rules are over broad and "chill" legitimate union and other protected concerted activities. A classic example of a protected concerted activity is a general work stoppage or strike, whether a union is involved or not. The NLRB has concluded that a general work rule prohibiting walking off the job might be interpreted by employees to prohibit such a general work stoppage or strike. The author believes that the NLRB has discarded many years of precedent as well as common sense in making such rulings. The hope was that common sense would come back to prevail, and/or that the courts of appeals in addressing such NLRB decisions, would strike them down. However, in December, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals enforced an NLRB decision that a work rule prohibiting "walking off the job" violated the National Labor Relations Act. Ambassador Services, Inc. v. NLRB, 197 LRRM 2556 (Eleventh Circuit, 11/15/13). Editor's Note: The danger in having an invalid work rule according to NLRB principles, is that the disciplinary action under such rule will be deemed unlawful, and could also be used against an employer who wins a union election by unions who contend that the election was invalid and must be set aside, and another election directed. It is possible for an employer to show that despite the alleged invalid work rule, disciplinary action was nevertheless lawful. The author recommends that when an employer rewrites its employee handbooks and other work rules, that the handbooks and rules be reviewed by a competent labor lawyer. The situation, however, is not so critical that all employers should immediately rewrite their handbooks and work rules. - [](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fnlrb-prohibition-employer-walking-off-job-enforced.md&text=) - [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fnlrb-prohibition-employer-walking-off-job-enforced.md) - [](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fnlrb-prohibition-employer-walking-off-job-enforced.md) - [](mailto:?subject=NLRB%20Prohibition%20of%20Employer%20Rule%20%22Walking%20Off%20the%20Job%22%20Enforced%20in%20Court) ## Related Content [ ![discarded papers](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/36/steve-a-johnson-Kr8Tc8Rugdk-unsplash-3649e9e3.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1577:card-check-bargaining-rejected-appellate&catid=53) ### [Card Check Bargaining Order Theory Rejected by Appellate Court ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1577:card-check-bargaining-rejected-appellate&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1577:card-check-bargaining-rejected-appellate&catid=53) [ ![be reasonable](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/a3/victor-3YW2jxSblE8-unsplash-a34e1755.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1578:nlrb-interpret-employer-policies-reasonable&catid=53) ### [NLRB Efforts to Interpret Employer Policies in a More Reasonable Manner](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1578:nlrb-interpret-employer-policies-reasonable&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1578:nlrb-interpret-employer-policies-reasonable&catid=53) [ ![journal notebook](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/53/jan-kahanek-g3O5ZtRk2E4-unsplash-53b1d852.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1575:nlrb-employer-rule&catid=53) ### [Updates on NLRB Joint Employer Rule](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1575:nlrb-employer-rule&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1575:nlrb-employer-rule&catid=53) ## Get Email Updates Receive newsletters and alerts directly in your email inbox. Sign up below. ## Recent Content [ Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) [ ![ai, human reach out](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/f1/igor-omilaev-FHgWFzDDAOs-unsplash-f12346e8.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53)### [FCRA Litigation Challenges Employers’ Use of AI Hiring Platforms](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) A January 20, 2026, class action filed against Eightfold AI, Inc. in California is sending shockwaves through the employer and AI community… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53) [ ![danger sign, skull](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/01/mikael-seegen-jX6WXNkvsPs-unsplash-01c1ebef.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53)### [The Dangers of Employers Using AI Research Tools as to Discovery Requests from Plaintiffs](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) A second “bombshell” affecting HR pertaining to AI is a federal court ruling in New York, that a defendant’s use of AI in researching and p… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53) [ ![CHAT GPT](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/64/emiliano-vittoriosi-fvxNerA8uk0-unsplash-64a16be4.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53)### [Two Subsequent Cases Protect Defendant’s Use of AI as Subject to Work-product Protection](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) Soon after the deciding of the above-discussed case on February 17, 2026, in U.S. v. Heppner, a criminal case in the District Court for the… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53) [ ![avoid, wave away](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/6f/priscilla-du-preez-NQTphr4Pr60-unsplash-6fb4df83.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53)### [Is There Anything an Employer Can Do to Avoid Waiving Privileges in Using AI Research Tools?](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) There are no easy answers to the above question, but some general observations will nevertheless be made. First, the New York district cou… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53) [ ![ai visualization](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/45/milad-fakurian-5yWtM3M3JKM-unsplash-45306e6d.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53)### [Suggestions on Use of AI](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) Perhaps the starting point is to look at the type of AI platforms generally available. At a recent conference about AI use for HR, speaker… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53) [ ![june 2026 legal immigration webinar promo graphic](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/45/june-2026-webinar-immigration-453d45bc.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221)### [Worksite Enforcement and TPS and Parole Status Update](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221) [Webinars: Employment Law "Hot Topics"](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=221) The webinar covers how to deal with a worksite enforcement action and various types of immigration enforcement activities. The webinar also… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221) ### Additional Legal Resources [### Newsletter Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters) [### Books Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/publications/books) [### Alerts Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/alerts) [### Articles Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/articles) [### Audits Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/audits) [### Events Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/events) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://wimlaw.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Publications", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Newsletters", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "NLRB Prohibition of Employer Rule "Walking Off the Job" Enforced in Court", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/nlrb-prohibition-employer-walking-off-job-enforced" } ] } ```