Employment complaints and grievances involve wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions covering a broad range of issues that are normally covered in a collective-bargaining agreement, labor agreement, labor contract, or employee handbook, including hiring and termination issues.

The NMB and the RLA covers only the airlines and railroads that have U.S. based employees. Labor relations for other private U.S. companies, and the public sector (federal, state and local government) are not covered by the NMB or the RLA.