PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS BOARD

45 Calvert St., Room 102, Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 260-7291
e-mail: erica.snipes@maryland.gov

45 Calvert St., Annapolis, Maryland, October 2017. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS BOARD

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Appointed by Board:
Erica Lell Snipes, Executive Director (410) 260-7291
e-mail: erica.snipes@maryland.gov

William Suggs, Deputy Director
Nathan Coffing, Deputy Director
Vacancy, Deputy Director

In July 2023, the Public Employees Relations Board was established by the General Assembly (Chapter 114, Acts of 2023). At that time, the Board consolidated functions of the State Higher Education Labor Relations Board, the State Labor Relations Board, and the Public School Labor Relations Board, which were abolished in July 2023.

For certain Maryland State employees, the Public Employee Relations Board oversees collective bargaining matters. The Board reviews allegations of unfair labor practices, including interference (by employer or union) in employee collective bargaining rights, or union failure to represent an employee, as well as allegations regarding strikes or lockouts. Then, the Board investigates these charges and takes appropriate action.

The conduct of employee representative elections is supervised by the Board, which also sets forth procedures and resolves disputes for them. Further, the Board establishes procedures for and resolves disputes about petitions for bargaining unit clarification, petitions and elections for decertification of an exclusive representative, and the negotiability of bargaining subjects. In collective bargaining negotiations, the Board takes appropriate action in requests for declarations of impasse.

The Board has broad discretion to take and order remedial actions when it finds that a party has committed an unfair labor practice, including the restoration of any right, pay, status, or benefit lost by a public employee or group of public employees, due to violations of law.

To carry out its responsibilities, the Board adopts and enforces regulations, guidelines, and policies. But, in so doing, it may not adopt any regulation, guideline, or policy that unnecessarily delays the resolution of disputes over elections, unfair labor practices, or any other legal matter. Nor may it restrict or weaken the protections provided to public employees and employee organizations under law or regulation.

Appointed by the Governor with Senate advice and consent to six-year terms, the Board consists of five members. The Board selects the Executive Director and three Deputy Directors (Code State Government Article, secs. 21-101 through 21-601).

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