The National Labor Relations Board has come to a virtual halt this week, including the shutting down of its Website, due to a lapse in appropriated funds, according to the NLRB's Website.

Effective as of Oct. 1, 99 percent of the NLRB's staff is on furlough—a total of 1,600 employees. Only 11 employees have been retained, including the NLRB's chairman, the four board members, the acting general counsel and assistant general counsel, the executive secretary, solicitor, security chief, and chief information officer, according to the NLRB's contingency plan for shutdown.

According to the contingency plan, these 11 personnel constitute the core of the NLRB staff “available to evaluate emergency situations as they arise and determine the appropriate response.” Their contact information is included in a Contact List on the last page of the contingency plan.

“Only such government activities necessary to prevent an imminent threat to the safety of human life or the protection of property may be undertaken in the absence of specific budget authority,” the NLRB's Website states.

According to the contingency plan, almost all case handling, including hearings, investigations, and elections, have come to a halt. But certain limited operations and actions of the NLRB will continue. These include:

Necessary court actions that are required to protect federal legal action already taken (no new litigation will be initiated);

Maintenance of the Office of Inspector General hotline to protect the safety of life or property that may become involved in a labor dispute during the shutdown; and

Other action as is required to address emergency situations.

The NLRB stated on its Website that its offices will reopen “after a funding bill is passed by Congress and signed by the president.”

Even though the NLRB Website remains immobilized, Websites of other federal labor and employment agencies—such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Department of Labor—appear to be fully functional. Although, they're likely not being updated during the period of the shut down.