CASE PROCESSING PROCEDURES; COMPLAINT – Issuance of Complaint

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1103.00000 – CASE PROCESSING PROCEDURES; COMPLAINT
1103.02000 – Issuance of Complaint

PERB assumes that charging party’s factual allegations are true, and views them in the light most favorable to the charging party. PERB does not rely on the respondent’s responses if they explicitly or implicitly create a factual conflict with charging party’s allegations, even if the respondent’s contrary responses are stated more persuasively or appear as if they may be backed up by more supporting evidence, when compared to charging party’s allegations. At this stage, PERB generally does not resolve conflicting allegations, make conclusive factual findings, or judge the merits of the dispute. It is appropriate to dismiss an alleged violation without issuing a complaint if the parties’ filings disclose undisputed facts sufficient to defeat the claim. If there are one or more contested, outcome-determinative facts (or mixed questions of law and fact), or contested, colorable legal theories, OGC should issue a complaint and generally a formal hearing is needed. Mere legal conclusions are insufficient to state a prima facie case. However, where a material factual dispute turns on the respondent’s state of mind, we take into account that motive is generally within respondent’s own knowledge and that there is little opportunity for pre-hearing discovery. We therefore impose on charging party a relatively low burden to allege facts tending to show the requisite state of mind. (pp. 2-3.)