Requests for Arbitration Panels

What it does

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) is issuing an interim final rule with requests for comments to amend its arbitration services regulations. The interim final rule clarifies the circumstances in which the Office of Arbitration (OA) may decline to issue an arbitration panel, make a direct appointment, or provide related arbitration services. The rule would remove language that could be read to require FMCS to honor every unilateral request for an arbitration panel, regardless of legal constraints or FMCS's authority. FMCS seeks public comment on this interim final rule.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What changed in the regulation

1 part of Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

29 CFR 1404

Wording on eCFR: the day before it took effect and from the day it took effect (first part listed).

Compared with

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has published 3 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 0 in all of 2025.

Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.

Before this

No earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 3076-AA31 since Jan. 1, 2025.

Since then:

• Aug. 28, 2026 Interim final rule; request for comments. Requests for Arbitration Panels
• Oct. 29, 2026 Final rule. Requests for Arbitration Panels

What happens next and when

This interim final rule is effective August 4, 2026.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Title 29 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register