Attorney Vacancies Slow OCB Cases as Office Carries 473-Case Load and Seeks $1.57 Million

Two vacant attorney positions at the Office of Collective Bargaining have slowed the office’s legal work while it manages 473 pending cases, Chief Negotiator Joss Springette told lawmakers Wednesday during the agency’s fiscal year 2027 budget hearing. Ms. Springette appeared before the Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance to present OCB’s funding request, which totals $1,574,728 for FY2027. During the hearing, lawmakers learned that as of May 31, 2026, the office’s caseload stood at 473. That includes 390 rights arbitration cases, 46 unfair labor practice charges, 26 civil cases, 8 unit clarification cases, 1 Equal Employment Opportunity case, 1 Government Service Appeal case and 1 recertification. Between October 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026, OCB received 98 cases and “were successful in disposing of five.” Both attorney positions were vacant during that period, Ms. Springette said. Explaining the hiring difficulty to Senator Novelle Francis, chair of the committee, Ms. Sp...