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Title 29 — LaborRelease 119-73not60

§169 Employees with Religious Convictions; Payment of Dues and Fees

Title 29 › Chapter 7— LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS › Subchapter II— NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS › § 169

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

A worker who belongs to a real religion or group that has historically refused to join or pay unions cannot be forced to join or pay a union to keep their job. A contract between the employer and the union may instead require the worker to give the same amount as dues and initiation fees to a nonreligious, non-labor charity that is tax-exempt under 501(c)(3). The worker must pick from at least three funds listed in the contract, or pick any such fund if none are listed. If the worker asks the union to use its grievance-arbitration process for them, the union may charge the worker the reasonable cost of that procedure.

Full Legal Text

Title 29, §169

Labor — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any employee who is a member of and adheres to established and traditional tenets or teachings of a bona fide religion, body, or sect which has historically held conscientious objections to joining or financially supporting labor organizations shall not be required to join or financially support any labor organization as a condition of employment; except that such employee may be required in a contract between such employees’ employer and a labor organization in lieu of periodic dues and initiation fees, to pay sums equal to such dues and initiation fees to a nonreligious, nonlabor organization charitable fund exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of title 26, chosen by such employee from a list of at least three such funds, designated in such contract or if the contract fails to designate such funds, then to any such fund chosen by the employee. If such employee who holds conscientious objections pursuant to this section requests the labor organization to use the grievance-arbitration procedure on the employee’s behalf, the labor organization is authorized to charge the employee for the reasonable cost of using such procedure.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1980—Pub. L. 96–593 inserted reference to nonlabor organization and provisions respecting charges to employee for use of grievance-arbitration procedure, and struck out applicability of provisions to employees of health care institutions only.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 93–360, § 4, July 26, 1974, 88 Stat. 397, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this Act [enacting this section and section 183 of this title and amending section 152 and 158 of this title] shall become effective on the thirtieth day after its date of enactment [July 26, 1974].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

29 U.S.C. § 169

Title 29 — Labor

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60