Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent executive branch agency responsible for safeguarding employees’ rights to unionize and preventing unfair labor practices. Its functions include conducting union elections, investigating charges of unfair practices, deciding cases, and enforcing punishment. It was established in 1935.

In FY 2024,

$302M

was spent by the National Labor Relations Board
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the National Labor Relations Board

How much does the National Labor Relations Board spend?

The National Labor Relations Board spent $302.1 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.0045% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 52nd among federal agencies in total spending.

The National Labor Relations Board accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of NLRB net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the National Labor Relations Board’s federal spending has decreased from $424.5 million in 1980 to $302.1 million in 2024.

The National Labor Relations Board’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by NLRB, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, National Labor Relations Board's spending has decreased 28.9%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.
The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, NLRB accounted for 0.0045% of all federal spending. That’s 0.003 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.014 percentage points lower than in 1980.
Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The National Labor Relations Board’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to NLRB, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the National Labor Relations Board's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all NLRB spending.

How did the National Labor Relations Board spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to NLRB, FY 2024

How many people work for the National Labor Relations Board?

Some 1,000 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the National Labor Relations Board as of September 2024. This is 28.1% fewer people than the department staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the National Labor Relations Board has decreased 28.1% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for NLRB, September 2010–2024

NLRB accounts for 0.053% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. NLRB constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.083%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the National Labor Relations Board's share of the workforce (0.053%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0045%).

Who leads the National Labor Relations Board?

The NLRB is led by a chairman and a general counsel known as "the board." The chairman oversees the board’s adjudicative functions, while the general counsel is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of unfair labor practice cases. Both the chairman and the general counsel are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Board member terms are five years.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

    FedScope

  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

    Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury logo