WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 26, 2023) – The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) will be increasing fees for the Agency’s arbitration services effective Oct. 1, following a review of the current fee schedule.

The decision was made due to many factors, including the rising expenses of technology and the administrative costs of running the program.

The FMCS arbitration program involves providing panels of vetted, private, neutral arbitrators experienced in labor relations issues to parties upon request. Private arbitration, different from federal mediation, utilizes an arbitrator to make a final and binding decision on the outcome of negotiations between parties.  Whereas federal mediators neither dictate outcomes nor make decisions; rather, they help parties examine underlying issues and interests and guide them through processes toward resolution.

Arbitration is part of the full range of high-quality labor relations services for which FMCS has been known since its establishment in 1947.

A summary of the new fees are as follows:

  • Request for a Panel of arbitrators processed online: $100
  • Request for a Panel of arbitrators (up to 13) processed manually by FMCS staff: $175
  • Request for List of arbitrators (up to 13) processed manually by FMCS staff: $175

There remains no charge for the labor mediation and relationship development services offered by the Agency through its commissioned mediator employees and funded by the U.S. Congress.

Further details are available in the August notice in the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/08/02/2023-16431/notice-of-fee-increase-for-arbitration-services