Video Walkthrough
This two-minute video covers installation and basic usage:
Installation
Each Skill is a small .skill file that you upload to Claude. You'll receive four files by email: one for NLRB Research, one for LMRDA Research, one for MSPB Research, and one for CBA Research. Install each one using the same steps:
- Go to claude.ai and sign in (you'll need a paid Claude account)
- Open Customize (on the middle-left sidebar)
- Go to Skills, then click the + (plus) button
- Select Upload skill and choose the
.skillfile - Repeat for each of the four Skill files
The Skills after installation in Claude's Customize panel.
Allow the domain
The Skills need permission to connect to the NLRB Research database. You only need to do this once:
- Go to Settings (gear icon, bottom-left of the sidebar)
- Under Capabilities, find Additional allowed domains
- Add
nlrbresearch.com
Adding nlrbresearch.com to Claude's allowed domains in Settings.
Updating your Skills
When you receive updated Skill files by email, delete the old versions first before installing the new ones:
- Go to Customize → Skills
- Click the ... menu on the right side of the skill you want to replace
- Select Delete, then upload the new file
You don't need to re-add the domain permission when updating — that setting persists across Skill updates.
Using the Tools
Starting a research query
To use any of the three tools, start a new conversation in Claude and type a / command followed by your question:
/nlrb-research Has the Board found that an employer's use of surveillance cameras in break rooms violates Section 8(a)(1)?
/lmrda-research What are the reporting obligations for union officers under the LMRDA, and what penalties have courts imposed for failures to file?
/mspb-research What is the standard for proving a hostile work environment claim before the MSPB?
/cba-research Search for examples of CBA provisions dealing with workplace surveillance, provide a table comparing and contrasting various approaches, and give a recommendation for best practices that are protective of workers.
Typing a research query with the /cba-research command.
What you get back
The assistant searches the database, reads through the relevant decisions, and produces a formal legal memo as a downloadable HTML file. Each memo includes:
- A direct answer to your question
- Detailed analysis with citations to primary sources
- Every citation hyperlinked to the original document
Here's an example memo produced by the CBA Research query above — a comparative table of surveillance provisions across multiple contracts, with linked citations to the source CBAs (view the full memo):
A completed memo with a comparative table and linked citations to source contracts.
Tips for Better Results
Be specific
The more precise your question, the more useful the memo. Compare:
/nlrb-research Tell me about surveillance
/nlrb-research Has the Board found that an employer's installation of surveillance cameras in areas where employees engage in union activity violates Section 8(a)(1), and does the analysis change if the cameras were installed before organizing began?
Ask follow-up questions
After receiving a memo, you can ask follow-up questions in the same conversation to drill deeper into a specific case, compare different lines of authority, or explore a related issue.
Follow-ups don't need the / command — just type your question naturally. The tool stays active for the entire conversation.
Upload documents for targeted analysis
You can upload legal documents directly into the conversation and ask the assistant to analyze them against the database. For example, upload the opposing party's legal brief and ask the tool to evaluate whether their cited authorities actually support their arguments, or to find contrary Board decisions and case law.
Upload a respondent's brief, then: /nlrb-research Review the attached brief. Are the legal arguments valid? Find any Board decisions or circuit court rulings that contradict their position.
Use the right tool for the job
- Use NLRB Research for questions about unfair labor practices, representation elections, Board procedures, and NLRA legal standards
- Use LMRDA Research for questions about union reporting requirements, officer elections, trusteeships, fiduciary duties, and bills of rights under the LMRDA
- Use MSPB Research for questions about federal employee removals, suspensions, whistleblower protections, and civil service law
- Use CBA Research when you need examples of contract language — grievance procedures, overtime provisions, management rights clauses, and so on
CBA Research is designed to find contract language examples, not to give legal analysis. Ask it things like "find examples of just cause provisions that define progressive discipline steps" rather than "is progressive discipline legally required."
Example Queries
NLRB Research
- Under what circumstances has the Board found that an employer's confidentiality rules violate Section 8(a)(1)?
- What is the Board's current test for determining joint employer status?
- How have the circuit courts split on the Board's approach to make-whole remedies for unlawful unilateral changes?
- Has the Board addressed whether social media posts by employees are protected concerted activity under Section 7?
LMRDA Research
- What are a union officer's fiduciary duties under LMRDA Title V, and when have courts found breaches?
- What are the requirements for conducting a valid union officer election under LMRDA Title IV?
- Under what circumstances can a parent union place a local under trusteeship, and what limits does the LMRDA impose?
- What reporting and disclosure obligations does the LMRDA impose on employers who engage labor relations consultants?
MSPB Research
- What factors does the MSPB consider under the Douglas factors when reviewing a removal for misconduct?
- What is the burden of proof for a whistleblower retaliation claim under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8)?
- How has the Federal Circuit ruled on the MSPB's jurisdiction over mixed-case appeals?
- What constitutes a valid last chance agreement before the MSPB?
CBA Research
- Find examples of contract language that limits management's right to subcontract bargaining unit work
- What do CBAs in the healthcare industry say about mandatory overtime?
- Find examples of union security clauses in public sector contracts
- What kinds of successorship language appear in collective bargaining agreements?