Jennifer Abruzzo
General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board
Assumed office
July 22, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byPeter B. Robb
Personal details
Born
Jennifer Ann Abruzzo
Political partyDemocratic
EducationBinghamton University
Stony Brook University (BS)
University of Miami (JD)

Jennifer Ann Abruzzo[1] is an American attorney and government official who serves as General Counsel at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). She previously was Special Counsel for Strategic Initiatives for Communications Workers of America (CWA), the largest media and communications union in the United States. She had previously worked for the NLRB for over 20 years in a number of positions, including Deputy General Counsel and Acting General Counsel.[2]

Early life and career

A native of Queens, New York City, Abruzzo was raised in a "large Roman Catholic family". Abruzzo began her nearly 23-year career at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as a field attorney in Miami, eventually rising to the position of Deputy General Counsel during the Obama administration.[3] Abruzzo later served as acting general counsel in advance of the confirmation of Peter B. Robb to the position.[4]

Abruzzo became special counsel for strategic initiatives at Communications Workers of America (CWA) in February 2018.[4] In 2019, the AFL–CIO recommended Abruzzo for a vacant Democratic seat on the NLRB.[5] During the presidential transition of Joe Biden, she served as an advisor to the President-elect on matters of labor policy.[6]

General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board

Nomination

President Joe Biden nominated Jennifer Abruzzo to become the General Counsel of the NLRB on February 17, 2021 after firing the previous General Counsel, Peter B. Robb.[7][8] Following her confirmation hearing,[9] Abruzzo was confirmed by the Senate in a 51-50 vote, with all Democrats voting in favor and all Republicans voting against, and Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie in favor of Abruzzo's confirmation.[10][11] She is the second woman to ever serve as NLRB general counsel, after Rosemary Collyer.[12]

The confirmation of Abruzzo received support from unions, and she is expected to improve the investigative and enforcement capacity of NLRB lawyers by reversing budget cuts and staffing reductions implemented during the tenure of her predecessor,[10] as well as ratify actions taken by acting general counsel Peter Sung Ohr after Robb was fired.[13]

Tenure

As General Counsel Abruzzo issued a memo declaring that college athletes have the right to organize.[14] In office, Abruzzo has pushed for the NLRB to protect immigrants' rights to organize, regardless of their immigration status.[3] In October 2021, Abruzzo stated that employees who participated in Black Lives Matter protests were protected under federal labor law.[15] The success of the Amazon Labor Union organizing drive at the company's JFK8 facility in Staten Island, New York has been attributed in part to Abruzzo's leadership at the NLRB.[16]

In April 2022, Abruzzo issued a memorandum calling for the NLRB to find captive audience meetings unlawful.[17][18][19]

General Counsel Abruzzo notified Regional Offices in May of 2023 that non-compete clauses should generally be considered unlawful.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "PN126 - Nomination of Jennifer Ann Abruzzo for National Labor Relations Board, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. July 21, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  2. ↑ "The NLRB Welcomes Jennifer Abruzzo as General Counsel | National Labor Relations Board". www.nlrb.gov. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Noah, Timothy; Osberg, Molly; Osberg, Molly; Dutkiewicz, Jan; Rosenberg, Gabriel N.; Dutkiewicz, Jan; Rosenberg, Gabriel N.; Segers, Grace; Segers, Grace (January 7, 2022). "The National Labor Relations Board Is Finally Doing Its Job". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Kanu, Hassan A. (February 8, 2018). "Ex-Labor Board Official Takes on Union Strategy Role". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  5. ↑ Rainey, Rebecca (February 28, 2019). "AFL-CIO settles on NLRB pick". Politico. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Biden's Labor Transition Team Stacked with Obama Veterans (1)". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  7. ↑ Chalfant, Morgan (February 17, 2021). "Biden nominates Jennifer Abruzzo to serve as NLRB general counsel". The Hill. MSN. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  8. ↑ Rainey, Rebecca (February 17, 2021). "Biden to tap new labor board top cop, rescind Trump apprenticeship program". Politico. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  9. ↑ Wiessner, Daniel (April 29, 2021). "Biden's pick for NLRB general counsel grilled over firing of Trump-era GC". Reuters Legal. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Wiessner, Daniel (July 21, 2021). "VP breaks tie on Biden's pick for NLRB general counsel". Reuters. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  11. ↑ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress - 1st Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  12. ↑ Wiessner, Daniel (July 14, 2021). "Senate tees up confirmation vote on NLRB general counsel pick". Reuters. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  13. ↑ Iafolla, Robert (July 22, 2021). "First Up For New NLRB Top Lawyer: Protect Early Biden-Era Work". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  14. ↑ Alpert, Lynn (October 11, 2021). "NLRB General Counsel Abruzzo declares college athletes can organize". The Labor Tribune. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  15. ↑ Iafolla, Robert (October 6, 2021). "Black Lives Matter Protests Protected, Top NLRB Lawyer Says". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  16. ↑ Grim, Ryan (April 22, 2022). "Biden's NLRB Was Essential to Unionizing the Amazon Warehouse in Staten Island". The Intercept. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  17. ↑ Gordon, Aaron (April 7, 2022). "NLRB Lawyer Wants to Ban Companies' Favorite Union-Busting Technique". Vice. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  18. ↑ "NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo Issues Memo on Captive Audience and Other Mandatory Meetings". National Labor Relations Board (Press release). April 7, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  19. ↑ Abruzzo, Jennifer (April 7, 2022). "Memorandum GC 22-04". NLRB. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  20. ↑ Abruzzo, Jennifer (May 30, 2023). "Memorandum GC 23-05". NLRB. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  • Meyerson, Harold (March 30, 2022). "The Memo Writer". The American Prospect. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
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