--- title: "Using Overbroad Employer Work Rules NLRB Seeks Rescission of past Discipline" description: "NLRB cracks down on overly broad work rules. Past discipline may be erased, employers are urged to review policies to avoid future issues." url: "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/nlrb-rescission-discipline-overbroad-employer-rules" date: "2026-06-11T20:32:57+00:00" language: "en-US" --- # NLRB to Seek Rescission of past Discipline Imposed under Overbroad Employer Work Rules Written on May 06, 2024. *Tag(s):* [NLRB (National Labor Relations Board)](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_tags&view=tag&id%5B0%5D=62:nlrb), [Cemex](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_tags&view=tag&id%5B0%5D=133:cemex), [May 2024 Newsletter](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_tags&view=tag&id%5B0%5D=149:may-2024-newsletter) In a memo issued during April, NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo announced that when the NLRB seeks to rescind overbroad and thus illegal employer work rules, the NLRB will also address the effects of their enforcement, wiping away past discipline imposed under the policies. She stated that otherwise, "As a result, the chill caused by an employer's maintenance of an unlawful provision is left unremedied because of lingering effects of its enforcement being in place." Abruzzo has been relentless in increasing the enforcement power of the NLRB toward employers. She contends that an employer rule is overbroad and thus illegal, even if it does not directly limit employer union and concerted activities, as the rule only has to "chill" such protected activities because of the rule's ambiguity. The doctrine applies to employers that are union and non-union. > *Editor's Note - The NLRB seems to be constantly increasing its enforcement actions over employer work rules. Even standard work rules such as "walking off the job," "confidentiality," or "harassment" if not carefully worded, may be attacked by the NLRB if such rules are viewed as overbroad and thus illegal, and the NLRB will seek to rescind prior enforcement actions under those rules. In addition, such overbroad rules can be used as a basis to issue a "card check" remedy under the NLRB's new doctrine in the Cemex decision. Employers should have experienced labor counsel review their rules and policies to avoid these repercussions.* This article is part of our May 2024 Newsletter. [View newsletter online](https://wimlaw.com/tags/may-2024-newsletter)[ ](https://wimlaw.com/contact)[Download the newsletter as a PDF](https://wimlaw.com/images/2024/05/2024-05-wim-law-newsletter.pdf) - [](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fnlrb-rescission-discipline-overbroad-employer-rules.md&text=) - [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fnlrb-rescission-discipline-overbroad-employer-rules.md) - [](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fnlrb-rescission-discipline-overbroad-employer-rules.md) - [](mailto:?subject=NLRB%20to%20Seek%20Rescission%20of%20past%20Discipline%20Imposed%20under%20Overbroad%20Employer%20Work%20Rules) ## 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 to Seek Rescission of past Discipline Imposed under Overbroad Employer Work Rules", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/nlrb-rescission-discipline-overbroad-employer-rules" } ] } ```