Fola Coal Co. v. National Labor Relations Board

**What Happened** Fola Coal Company was involved in a dispute that went before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal agency that handles workplace disputes between employers and workers. The NLRB made a decision against Fola Coal Company, but the company challenged this ruling in federal court. **What the Court Decided** The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the NLRB's decision and sent the case back to the agency for a new review. The court ruled that the NLRB panel that made the original decision was invalid because it only had two members instead of the required number to make official decisions. This problem was identified by a separate Supreme Court case called New Process Steel, which determined that two-member NLRB panels don't have the legal authority to make binding decisions. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling highlights the importance of having a properly functioning NLRB to protect workers' rights. When the NLRB doesn't have enough members to operate legally, workplace disputes can get delayed or dismissed on technical grounds rather than being decided on their merits, potentially leaving workers without timely resolution of their complaints.