MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
AND THE
NATIONAL RURAL LETTER CARRIERS' ASSOCIATION
It is agreed that the following provisions of the National Agreement will be revised to allow non-probationary RCAs to compete for vacant regular routes in the office prior to hiring regular carriers from a register of eligibles:
Article 12.3 Rural Carrier Posting
B. Awarding a Vacant Route
4. (remains as written)
b. If the vacancy still exists, management may consider the application for reinstatement of a qualified former regular rural carrier, subject to applicable reinstatement provisions. Applications for reinstatement shall not be considered if a qualified regular rural carrier has a request for voluntary transfer on file at the post office to which the former rural carrier desires reinstatement or if a rural carrier associate or rural relief employee is among the top three (3) on the eligibility roster for the office.
c. If the vacancy still exists, the vacancy will be posted again at the vacancy post office for all non-probationary RCAs in the office. The time requirements for posting and awarding the route and placement of the successful applicant are the same as provided in Articles 12.3.A.5 and 12.3.B.3 of the National Agreement. The order of consideration will be the non-probationary RCA having accrued the longest period of continuous service as a RCA.
Andrea B. Wilson
Manager, Contract Administration (NRLCA/NPMHU)
Labor Relations
Steven R. Smith
President
National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
Signed March 15, 2001
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
AND THE
NATIONAL RURAL LETTER CARRIERS' ASSOCIATION
Accommodation for Qualified Regular Rural Carriers with Disabilities
The Employer may on occasion, as a consequence of its statutory obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, be required to modify a regular rural carriers' assigned route, work schedule, or duties when the regular carrier is a "qualified individual with disabilities", as those terms are defined under the Rehabilitation Act. The Employer may adjust such carrier's route to an evaluation less than the standard hours found in the Table of Evaluated Hours for Rural Routes in Article 9.2.C.6 of the National Agreement when the medical documentation reflects that the carrier requires a reduced work schedule. While such carrier will continue to be compensated pursuant to FLSA 7(b) (2), his/her salary guarantee will be immediately adjusted. A carrier, whose route is modified under these provisions, is not entitled to salary rate protection. Should the regular carrier, for any reason, vacate the modified route, the Employer may increase the evaluation of the route to standard hours found in the Table of Evaluated Hours for Rural Routes, prior to posting the route in accordance with Article 12.3 of the National Agreement. A route that is modified pursuant to this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is not subject to MOU #6 of the National Agreement regarding relinquishing the route when the regular rural carrier is unable to perform all the duties of the assigned route for a period of two years.
Andrea B. Wilson
Manager, Contract Administration (NRLCA/NPMHU)
Labor Relations
Steven R. Smith
President
National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
Signed March 15, 2001
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
AND THE
NATIONAL RURAL LETTER CARRIERS' ASSOCIATION
It is agreed that when as a result of a job-related illness or injury, a regular rural carrier, except when assigned work pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Accommodation for Qualified Regular Rural Carriers with Disabilities, is unable to perform all the duties of his or her assigned rural route for a period of two years, or has submitted medical certification that he or she will be unable to perform all the duties of the assigned rural route for a period of two years, the employee must relinquish his or her route and such route will be posted for bid in accordance with Article 12.3. The Employer may choose not to have the regular carrier relinquish the route, if the Employer determines, after review of the medical documentation, that the carrier, with reasonable assistance, is able to case and deliver his or her entire route. If after providing such assistance, the Employer subsequently chooses to no longer provide the assistance to the carrier and the carrier is unable to perform all the duties of his or her assigned rural route, the carrier must relinquish his or her route. The Employer's decision to have the carrier relinquish or not relinquish his/her route is not a grievable matter under the National Agreement.
Prior to posting a route relinquished after the two year period, the Employer will request that the employee provide medical certification indicating whether the employee is, at that time, able to fully perform the duties of the assigned rural route. If the employee fails to provide such certification within 30 days of notification to do so, or if the medical certification reflects that the employee is unable to perform the full duties of the assignment, the route shall be posted, and the employee shall not be permitted to exercise his or her bid rights as to that posting.
When a regular rural carrier relinquishes his or her route as a result of the above circumstances, has not yet been placed in a modified job assignment, and is working a limited duty assignment, the employee will become an unassigned regular rural carrier. Rural routes numbers 960 through 979, may be created as needed and the carrier will be assigned to one of these routes. The employee will continue to perform the current limited duty assignment until the appropriate action is taken to have the carrier reassigned to a modified job. The Employer will continue to make every effort to assign this employee to a modified job.
If the carrier becomes able to perform all the duties of the rural carrier position while unassigned, and a vacancy exists in the office, the carrier will be allowed to bid on the vacancy. Should the carrier fail to bid on the vacancy, and there is a residual vacancy resulting from the posting, the carrier will be assigned to the residual vacancy.
However, should a residual vacancy not occur, as a result of the posting or a vacancy does not exist in the office, the carrier will be treated as the excessed junior regular regular rural carrier, and reassigned in accordance with Article 12.4.A.1. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 8101(4), until the employee's reassignment is completed, the employee will continue to receive the same rate of pay received on the date of injury, the date disability begins, or the date of a qualifying recurrence, whichever is greater.
When a regular rural carrier relinquishes his or her route as a result of the above circumstances, has not yet been placed in a modified job assignment, and is in an injured on duty/leave without pay (IOD/LWOP) status, rural routes 980 through 989 may be created and the carrier assigned accordingly. Only those employees who are in an IOD/LWOP status may be placed on rural routes 980 through 989 because salary payments will not be generated from these routes.
When creating both the 960-979 and the 980-989 routes, the route data for the newly created route must reflect the route data of the route to which the employee was assigned on the date that the compensable illness of injured occurred.
Andrea B. Wilson
Manager, Contract Administration (NRLCA/NPMHU)
Labor Relations
Steven R. Smith
President
National Rural Letter Carriers' Association
Signed March 15, 2001