2018 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 8 - Labor and Industry
Labor I - Department of Labor and Employment
Article 3 - Labor Peace Act
§ 8-3-110. Prevention of unfair labor practices

(1) Any controversy concerning unfair labor practices may be submitted to the division in the manner and with the effect provided in this article; but nothing in this article shall prevent the pursuit of equitable or legal relief in courts of competent jurisdiction, nor shall it be any ground for refusal of such relief that all of the administrative remedies provided in this article before the division have not been exhausted.

(2) Upon the filing with the division by any party in interest of a complaint in writing on a form provided by the division charging any person with having engaged in any specific unfair labor practice, the division shall mail a copy of such complaint to all persons so charged. Any other person claiming interest in the dispute or controversy, as an employer, an employee, or representative thereof, shall be made a party upon application. The director may bring in additional parties by service of a copy of the complaint. Only one such complaint shall issue against a person with respect to a single controversy, but any such complaint may be amended in the discretion of the director at any time prior to the issuance of a final order based thereon. The persons so complained of have the right to file an answer to the original or amended complaint and to appear in person or otherwise and give testimony at the place and time fixed in the notice of hearing. The director shall fix a time for the hearing on such complaint, which shall not be less than ten nor more than forty days after the filing of such complaint. Notice shall be given to the complainant and to each party named in the pleadings by service on him personally or by mailing a copy thereof to him at his last known post office address at least ten days before such hearing. In case a party in interest is located without the state and has no known post office address within this state, a copy of the complaint and copies of all notices shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state and shall also be sent by registered mail to the last known post office address of such party. Such filing and mailing shall constitute sufficient service with the same force and effect as if served upon the party located within this state. Such hearing may be adjourned from time to time in the discretion of the director and hearings may be held at such places as the director designates. The director may initiate and file any such complaint of his own motion or at the request of any interested person. Should the director file such a complaint on request, he shall not disclose the name or interest of the person upon whose request the complaint is filed, if in his judgment such disclosure would tend to prejudice the interest of any person who may be affected by any order that the director may enter upon such complaint.

(3) The director has the power to issue subpoenas and administer oaths. Depositions may be taken in the manner prescribed by the Colorado rules of civil procedure, and all such depositions shall be taken upon commissions issued by the director. No person shall be excused from attending and testifying or from producing books, records, correspondence, documents, or other evidence in obedience to the subpoena of the director on the ground that the testimony or evidence required of him may tend to incriminate him or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture under the laws of the state of Colorado. No individual shall be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for any transaction, matter, or thing concerning which he may testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, before the director in obedience to a subpoena issued by him. An individual so testifying shall not be exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury in the first degree committed in so testifying.

(4) Any person who willfully and unlawfully fails or neglects to appear or testify or to produce books, papers, and records as required, upon application to a district court, shall be ordered to appear before the director to testify or produce evidence if so ordered, and failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by the court as a contempt thereof.

(5) Each witness who appears before the director by his order or subpoena shall receive for his attendance the fees and mileage provided for witnesses in civil cases in courts of record, which shall be audited and paid by the state in the same manner as other expenses are audited and paid, upon presentation of properly verified vouchers approved by the director and charged to the proper appropriation for the division.

(6) A complete record shall be kept of all proceedings had before the director, and all testimony and proceedings shall be taken down by the reporter appointed by the director. Such proceedings shall not be governed by the technical rules of evidence, but by such rules as are prescribed by the director for administrative hearings.

(7) After the final hearing the director shall promptly make and file his findings of fact upon all of the issues involved in the controversy and his order which shall state his determination as to the rights of the parties. Pending the final determination of any controversy before him, the director, after hearing, may make interlocutory findings and orders, which may be enforced in the same manner as final orders. Final orders may dismiss the charges or require the person complained of to cease and desist from the unfair labor practices found to have been committed; suspend his rights, immunities, privileges, or remedies granted or afforded by this article as the director may specify, but not more than one year; and require an employer to take such affirmative action, including reinstatement of employees with or without pay, as the director may deem proper. Any order may further require such person to make reports from time to time showing the extent to which he has complied with the order.

(8) The director may authorize a deputy, referee, or administrative law judge appointed pursuant to part 10 of article 30 of title 24, C.R.S., to take evidence and to make findings and report them to the director. Any party in interest who is dissatisfied with the findings or order of the director may seek judicial review pursuant to section 24-4-106, C.R.S.

(9) The director, on his own motion, may set aside, modify, or change any of his findings or orders at any time within twenty days from the date thereof if he discovers any mistake therein or upon the ground of newly discovered evidence.

(10) If any party fails or neglects to obey an order of the director while the same is in effect, the director may file a complaint in the district court of the county wherein such person resides or usually transacts business for the enforcement of such order for appropriate temporary relief or restraining order, and shall certify and file in the court the record in the proceedings, including all documents and papers on file in the matter, and pleadings and testimony upon which such order was entered, and the findings and order of the director. Upon the filing the director shall cause notice thereof to be served upon such party by mailing a copy to his last known post office address, and thereupon the court has jurisdiction of the proceedings and of the question determined therein. Said action may thereupon be brought on for hearing upon such order by the director serving ten days' written noticeupon the respondent, subject, however, to the Colorado rules of civil procedure for a change of the place of trial or the calling in of another judge. Upon such hearing the court may confirm, modify, or set aside the order of the director and enter an appropriate decree. No objection that was not urged before the director shall be considered by the court unless the failure or neglect to urge such objection is excused because of extraordinary circumstances. The findings of fact made by the director, if supported by credible and competent evidence in the record, shall be conclusive. The court in its discretion may grant leave to adduce additional evidence before the court where such evidence appears to be material and reasonable cause is shown for failure to have adduced such evidence in the hearing before the director. The director may modify his findings as to facts, or make new findings by reason of such additional evidence, and he shall file such modified or new findings with the same effect as his original findings and shall file his recommendations, if any, for the modification or setting aside of his original order. The court's judgment and decree shall be final; except that the same shall be subject to appellate review as provided by law.

(11) to (14) Repealed.

(15) Substantial compliance with the procedures of this article is sufficient to give effect to the orders of the director, and they shall not be declared inoperative, illegal, or void for any omission of a technical nature in respect thereto.

(16) The right of any person to proceed under this section and section 8-3-121 shall not extend beyond six months from the date of the specific act or unfair labor practice alleged.

(17) The director also has the power by himself and on his own motion to initiate proceedings in the manner provided in this section. It is likewise the duty of the director to so initiate a proceeding in his own name whenever complaint is made to him by any party in interest if it appears to the director that the disclosure of the name of the complainant, either as an employee or group of employees or as an employer or agent or representative of the employer, would jeopardize the rights or interests or standing of any party in interest. The proceedings so initiated by the director shall be conducted in the same manner and have the same effect as provided for in this section.

(18) (a) The director has the power and it is his duty in carrying out the public policy of the state, either upon his own initiative or upon the complaint of any party in interest or any organization or persons representing any public interests, if there is picketing which in the opinion of the director might tend to lead to riots, disturbances, or assaults or disturb public peace or injure the property or persons of individuals, to limit the number of pickets that may be permitted; and to prescribe the distance from any plant, entrance, or exit where such picketing may be permitted; and to otherwise prescribe limits to such picketing, including not only the number of persons picketing but also the manner or method thereof; and to prevent the use of weapons of any kind or threats or intimidation.

• (b) Upon the failure or refusal of any person against whom any such order or direction is issued to comply with such order or direction, the district court of the district wherein the picketing takes place or the violation occurs, upon application of the director, may issue injunctive relief in the manner provided in the Colorado rules of civil procedure for courts of record in Colorado.