Originally published in Law360, New York on August 20, 2012.

The National Labor Relations Board may use its ruling in a closely watched case concerning grocery company Roundy's Inc.'s ban on handbill distribution by union agents at two of its stores to give workers a green light to use employer email systems to solicit union support, lawyers say.

The long-running Roundy's case, which is ripe for a decision and stands among the NLRB's top priorities, could end up expanding not just handbilling access, but also employees' ability to use work email for union solicitation, according to attorneys.