How to opt out of your labor union

There are two critical steps public sector workers looking to capitalize on the Supreme Court's ruling in Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees should take if they want to opt out of their labor unions.

While the protocols may vary depending on the specific union, the general rule of thumb is workers should first notify their union, in writing, that they will be withdrawing membership.

Next, workers should notify their employers that they are no longer union members and will not be authorizing payments for the deduction of dues or fees from paychecks.

The National Right to Work Foundation advises workers to obtain a copy of their payroll authorizations and review it.

If you are a fair share payer – or aren’t sure – you should also complete the steps listed above, according to leaveyourunion.org.

It is important to note that depending on the union, the time period when an employee can opt out may be restricted. For example, those looking to exit the Chicago Teachers Union must send their letters during the month of August to comply with the collective bargaining agreement.

Given the widespread implications of the Janus case, however, unions, regulators and lawmakers may look to craft more streamlined opt out processes, according to Anthony Sabino, law partner and professor at St. John's Tobin College of Business.

That means there could be some uncertainty over the near-term.

"For the immediate future, expect procedures to arise via trial and error, and don’t be surprised if there is subsequent litigation seeking to enforce the mandate now made law by Janus," Sabino told FOX Business.

The plaintiff in the court case, Mark Janus, said on Wednesday before the press that 5 million non-union members would now be free "to make their own choice."

"I don’t want to be forced to pay something to somebody just to hold a government job," Janus told FOX Business' Stuart Varney. "I want to make my own decision and I shouldn’t have to pay a fee just to do something that I like to do."