Requests for Arbitration Panels

What it does

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) published an interim final rule on August 4, 2026, and republished on August 28, 2026, that amended its arbitration services regulations to clarify when the Office of Arbitration may decline to issue an arbitration panel, make a direct appointment, or provide related services. This document responds to the comments, clarifies the scope of the rule's threshold inquiry, adds procedural provisions governing notice, written disposition, request dates, and fees, and adopts the interim final rule as a 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

2 earlier Federal Register documents under regulation identifier 3076-AA31 since Jan. 1, 2025.

• Aug. 28, 2026 Interim final rule; request for comments. Requests for Arbitration Panels
• Aug. 4, 2026 Interim final rule; request for comments. Requests for Arbitration Panels

What happens next and when

This final rule is effective October 29, 2026. The amendments to 29 CFR 1404.9, 1404.10, 1404.11, and 1404.12 made by the interim final rule have been in effect since 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