Supreme Court Decision Allows Some State Workers to Forego Union Fees

A recent Supreme Court decision could change which state workers must pay labor union fees. In Harris v. Quinn, the Supreme Court ruled that quasi-government employees are not required to pay labor union fees if they are not members. The precedent to this case was set in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education in 1977, which ruled that government employees are required to pay labor union fees regardless of whether or not they are members.

In Harris, personal assistant health care providers (PAs) argued that they should not have to pay fees to a union if they are not members. The Supreme Court found that because PAs' employment is controlled by both customers and the State, they are only partial government employees and therefore not held to the same ruling as Abood.

To read more about this decision, click here. For the case summary in its entirety, click here.