Emergency Procedures for the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor

• The management designee will input adjustments in GATS to compensate all city letter carriers an additional fifty (50) percent of the base hourly straight time rate for all hours worked in excess of 12 hours in a service day and/or 60 hours in a service week. • A record of the adjustments, to include the name of the employee; employee identification number; finance number; number of hours worked; and the GATS adjustment input, shall be provided each pay period to the NALC at the national level. • Any disputes regarding the proper payment input in GATS shall be addressed by the national parties. The MOU Re: New Employee Experience, Retention and Mentoring Program shall be implemented nationwide on July 1, 2025. The pilot programs operating under the MOU Re: New Employee Experience and Retention Program and the MOU Re: New Employee Mentoring Program shall continue through June 30, 2025. Issues regarding the implementation of this agreement shall be forwarded to the Director, Contract Administration, NALC and the NALC President, or their designees, for resolution. This agreement is without prejudice to the positions of either party and may only be cited to enforce its terms. Michael J. Elston Vice President Labor Relations United States Postal Service Date ~ 'J7. Zl't< Brian Renfroe President National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL- CIO Date: 5-27-25 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 2023 NATIONAL AGREEMENT Subject Page Preamble 1 Article 1 Union Recognition 1 Article 2 Non-Discrimination and Civil Rights 4 Article 3 Management Rights 5 Article 4 Technological and Mechanization Changes 5 Article 5 Prohibition of Unilateral Action 7 Article 6 No Layoffs or Reduction in Force 7 Article 7 Employee Classifications 15 Article 8 Hours of Work 18 Article 9 Salaries and Wages 25 Article 10 Leave 28 Article 11 Holidays 31 Article 12 Principles of Seniority, Posting and Reassignments 35 Article 13 Assignment of Ill or Injured Regular Workforce Employees 47 Article 14 Safety and Health 54 Article 15 Grievance-Arbitration Procedure 62 Article 16 Discipline Procedure 75 Article 17 Representation 79 Article 18 No Strike 85 Article 19 Handbooks and Manuals 86 Article 20 Parking 87 Article 21 Benefit Plans 87 Article 22 Bulletin Boards 89 Article 23 Rights of Union Officials to Enter Postal Installations 90 Article 24 Employees on Leave with Regard to Union Business 90 Article 25 Higher Level Assignments 91 Article 26 Uniforms and Work Clothes 93 Article 27 Employee Claims 95 Article 28 Employer Claims 96 Article 29 Limitation on Revocation of Driving Privileges 98 Article 30 Local Implementation 99 Article 31 Union-Management Cooperation 103 Article 32 Subcontracting 104 Article 33 Promotions 104 Article 34 Work and/or Time Standards 105 Article 35 Employee Assistance Programs 108 Article 36 Credit Unions and Travel 109 Article 41 Letter Carrier Craft 110 Article 42 Energy Shortages 124 Article 43 Separability and Duration 125 iii Appendix A Night Differentials ................................................................... 126 Appendix B Section I of the 2013 Das Award ............................................. 128 Memorandums and Letters of Intent Deaf and Hard of Hearing ....................................................... 139 Article 7, 12 and 13— Cross Craft and Office Size................ 142 Article 7.1 ................................................................................ 143 Article 7.3 ................................................................................ 143 Maximization/Full-time Flexible-NALC ................................. 144 Maximization—Letter of Intent ............................................... 145 Transitional Employees-Additional Provisions ....................... 147 Transitional Employees/Part-Time Flexible Conversions ....... 150 Transitional Employees ........................................................... 153 Part-Time Flexible Conversions .............................................. 153 Part-Time Regular City Letter Carriers ................................... 154 City Carrier Assistants – Conversion to Career Status ............... 154 Full-time Regular Opportunities – City Letter Carrier Craft ............ 156 Sunday Delivery – City Carrier Assistant Staffing ................. 161 Complement and Staffing ........................................................ 163 Delivery and Collection of Competitive Products................... 163 Article 8 ................................................................................... 164 Overtime Issues........................................................................ 166 Work Assignment Overtime .................................................... 168 Article 8 Task Force ................................................................ 169 Signing Overtime Lists ............................................................ 170 Granting Step Increases ........................................................... 171 Conversion of CCAs with Creditable TE Service ................... 171 Step Credit for Former Transitional Employees ..................... 173 Pay Schedule Consolidation .................................................... 173 Elimination of Step CC Pay Rate in CCA Schedule ............... 175 City Carrier Pay Table Step Modifications ......................... 175 Leave Sharing .......................................................................... 176 Sick Leave for Dependent Care ............................................... 177 Return to Duty ......................................................................... 178 Bereavement Leave.................................................................. 179 Leave Policy ............................................................................ 180 Paid Leave and LWOP ............................................................ 180 Clarification of Regulations for National Day of Observance.........181 PTF Court Leave ...................................................................... 183 Qualifying Period - Exception for City Carrier Assistants ........ 184 PTF Advanced Annual Leave ............................................... 185 CCA Advanced Annual Leave .............................................. 185 iv Monetization of Annual Leave.............................................. 186 Time Limitations Concerning Bone Marrow, Stem Cell, Blood Platelet, and Organ Donations .................................. 186 Transfers .................................................................................. 187 City Carrier Assistant Transfers .............................................. 191 Mutual Exchanges.................................................................... 191 Involuntary Reassignment Without Regard to Level .............. 192 Involuntary Reassignment-Preference Eligible ....................... 193 City Carrier Assistant Return from Non-Bargaining Unit Positions .......................................... 195 Article 12 Work Group ............................................................ 195 Joint Safety and Accident Control Teams ............................... 196 Smoking in Postal Vehicles ..................................................... 197 Air-Conditioned Vehicles....................................................... 197 Interest on Back Pay ................................................................ 198 Article 15—ELM 436—Back Pay .......................................... 198 Article 15—Dispute Resolution Process - Step B Team Procedures .............................................................................. 199 Electronic Grievance System ................................................ 205 Arbitration Task Force ............................................................. 206 Processing of Post-Removal Grievances ................................. 207 Processing of Grievances ......................................................... 208 Dispute Resolution Process Testing ........................................ 208 Expedited Arbitration .............................................................. 209 Arbitration Scheduling Procedures – (LMOU) ....................... 211 LOI – Representation – Acting as Steward ............................. 211 Article 17.7.D Payroll Deductions/Allotments........................ 212 Implementation of Changes to Article 17 Section 7 of the 2023 National Agreement ...................................................... 213 Article 19 ................................................................................. 213 Article 23 Rights of Union Officials to Enter Postal Installations ............................................................................ 216 City Carrier Uniform Task Force ............................................ 217 Uniform Program................................................................... 218 Debts of Retired Employees .................................................... 219 Reinstatement of Driving Privileges........................................ 219 Local Implementation .............................................................. 221 Bargaining Information............................................................ 223 Customer Connect Program ..................................................... 224 Article 32 Committee .............................................................. 224 Subcontracting ......................................................................... 225 Subcontracting MOU Issues .................................................... 226 Article 41—Bid Process .......................................................... 227 LOI – Opting Duration ............................................................ 227 Router, Carrier Craft ................................................................ 228 v vi Alternate Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process.............. 229 Fixed Office Time in a Joint Route Evaluation and Adjustment Environment........................... 230 Special Count and Inspection— City Delivery Routes ........... 231 Training Committee ................................................................. 232 Multiple Days of Inspection .................................................... 233 City Delivery and Workplace Improvement Task Force ........ 234 Use of Privately Owned Vehicles............................................ 236 Segmentation............................................................................ 237 Joint Agreements— 9-17-92.................................................... 240 Resolution of Issues Left Open by Mittenthal Award............. 243 X-Routes .................................................................................. 246 City Letter Carrier DPS Work Methods .................................. 251 Fleischli Award Implementation ............................................. 252 Joint Workplace Improvement Process ................................... 253 Managed Service Point Scans.................................................. 256 New Product Development and Innovation Task Force .......... 256 New Employee Experience, Retention and Mentoring Program ............................................................... 258 Multi-Installation Carrier Technician Assignments ........... 264 Subcontracting— List of 3,071 City Delivery Offices............ 267 vii viii Notes: 1. Bold Face Type in the text indicates revised or new lan- guage. Bold Face Type in headings does not necessarily indicate change. 2. Cross-references to relevant Memorandums of Understanding and Letters of Intent are included in the text of the Agreement. The location of the cross-references is for the convenience of the reader, and in no way affects the con- tent or intent of the Agreement, the memorandums, or the Letters of Intent. 3. This Agreement was awarded on March 21, 2025, by Arbitrator Dennis R. Nolan. PREAMBLE This Agreement (referred to as the 2023 National Agreement) is entered into by and between the United States Postal Service (hereinafter referred to as the “Employer”) and the National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO (hereinafter referred to as the “Union”), pursuant to an Arbitration Award issued March 21, 2025. In accordance with the terms of this Award, the Agreement is effective as of the date of the Award unless otherwise provided. ARTICLE 1 UNION RECOGNITION Section 1. Union The Employer recognizes the National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO as the exclusive bargaining representative of all employees in the bargaining unit for which it has been recognized and certified at the national level — City Letter Carriers. Section 2. Exclusions The employee group set forth in Section 1 above does not include, and this Agreement does not apply to: 1. Managerial and supervisory personnel; 2. Professional employees; 3. Employees engaged in personnel work in other than a purely non-confidential clerical capacity; 4. Security guards as defined in Public Law 91-375, 1201(2); 5. All Postal Inspection Service employees; 6. Employees in the supplemental work force as defined in Article 7; 7. Rural letter carriers; 8. Mail handlers; 9. Maintenance Employees; 10. Special Delivery Messengers; Article 1.2 1 2 11. Motor Vehicle Employees; or 12. Postal Clerks. Section 3. Facility Exclusions This Agreement does not apply to employees who work in other employer facilities which are not engaged in custom- er services and mail processing, previously understood and expressed by the parties to mean mail processing and deliv- ery, including but not limited to Headquarters, Area Offices, Information Service Centers, Postal Service Training and Development Institute, Oklahoma Postal Training Operations, Postal Academies, Postal Academy Training Institute, Stamped Envelope Agency, Supply Centers, Mail Equipment Shops, or Mail Transport Equipment Centers. Section 4. Definition Subject to the foregoing exclusions, this Agreement shall be applicable to all employees in the regular work force of the U.S. Postal Service, as defined in Article 7, at all present and subsequently acquired installations, facilities, and operations of the Employer, wherever located. Section 5. New Positions A. Each newly created position shall be assigned by the Employer to the national craft unit most appropriate for such position within thirty (30) days after its creation. Before such assignment of each new position the Employer shall consult with the Union for the purpose of assigning the new position to the national craft unit most appropriate for such position. The following criteria shall be used in making this determination: 1. existing work assignment practices; 2. manpower costs; 3. avoidance of duplication of effort and “make work” assignments; 4. effective utilization of manpower, including the Postal Service’s need to assign employees across craft lines on a temporary basis; Article 1.2 2 3 5. the integral nature of all duties which comprise a normal duty assignment; 6. the contractual and legal obligations and require- ments of the parties. B. The Union shall be notified promptly by the Employer regarding assignments made under this provision. Should the Union dispute the assignment of the new position within thirty (30) days from the date the Union has received notification of the assignment of the position, the dispute shall be subject to the provisions of the grievance and arbitration procedure pro- vided for herein. Section 6. Performance of Bargaining Unit Work A. Supervisors are prohibited from performing bargaining unit work at post offices with 100 or more bargaining unit employees, except: 1. in an emergency; 2. for the purpose of training or instruction of employ- ees; 3. to assure the proper operation of equipment; 4. to protect the safety of employees; or 5. to protect the property of the USPS. B. In offices with less than 100 bargaining unit employees, supervisors are prohibited from performing bargaining unit work except as enumerated in Section 6.A.1 through 5 above or when the duties are included in the supervisor’s position description. (The preceding Article, Article 1, shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) Article 1.6.B 3 ARTICLE 2 NON-DISCRIMINATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS Section 1. Statement of Principle The Employer and the Union agree that there shall be no dis- crimination by the Employer or the Union against employees because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, or marital status. In addition, consistent with the other provisions of this Agreement, there shall be no unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities, as prohibited by the Rehabilitation Act. [see Memo, page 139] Section 2. Committees There are established at the national and area levels Joint Committees on Human Rights. The committees will be com- posed of a representative of the Union and responsible man- agement officials. The committees may develop affirmative action proposals on all matters affecting minority groups. The committees will also be advised of the plan for site selection for facilities planned for national postal mail networks and major metropolitan areas, and review availability of adequate housing and public transportation. The committees shall meet as required at mutually agreeable times. Section 3. Grievances Grievances arising under this Article may be filed at Formal Step A of the grievance procedure within fourteen (14) days of when the employee or the Union has first learned or may rea- sonably have been expected to have learned of the alleged dis- crimination, unless filed directly at the national level, in which case the provisions of this Agreement for initiating grievances at that level shall apply. (The preceding Article, Article 2, shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) Article 2.1 4 ARTICLE 3 MANAGEMENT RIGHTS The Employer shall have the exclusive right, subject to the provisions of this Agreement and consistent with applicable laws and regulations: A. To direct employees of the Employer in the performance of official duties; B. To hire, promote, transfer, assign, and retain employ- ees in positions within the Postal Service and to suspend, demote, discharge, or take other disciplinary action against such employees; C. To maintain the efficiency of the operations entrusted to it; D. To determine the methods, means, and personnel by which such operations are to be conducted; E. To prescribe a uniform dress to be worn by letter carriers and other designated employees; and F. To take whatever actions may be necessary to carry out its mission in emergency situations, i.e., an unforeseen cir- cumstance or a combination of circumstances which calls for immediate action in a situation which is not expected to be of a recurring nature. (The preceding Article, Article 3, shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) ARTICLE 4 TECHNOLOGICAL AND MECHANIZATION CHANGES Both parties recognize the need for improvement of mail ser- vice. Section 1. Advance Notice The Union will be informed as far in advance of implementa- tion as practicable of technological or mechanization changes which affect jobs including new or changed jobs in the area of Article 4.1 5 wages, hours or working conditions. When major new mech- anization or equipment is to be purchased and installed, the Union at the national level will be informed as far in advance as practicable, but no less than 90 days in advance. Section 2. Labor-Management Committee There shall be established at the national level a Joint-Labor Management Technological or Mechanization Changes Committee composed of an equal number of representatives of management and the Union. Notice to said Committee shall satisfy the notice requirements of the preceding paragraph. Upon receiving notice, said Committee shall attempt to resolve any questions as to the impact of the proposed change upon affected employees and if such questions are not resolved within a reasonable time after such change or changes are operational, the unresolved questions may be submitted by the Union to arbitration under the grievance-arbitration procedure. Any arbitration arising under this Article will be given priority in scheduling. Section 3. New Jobs Any new job or jobs created by technological or mechaniza- tion changes shall be offered to present employees capable of being trained to perform the new or changed job and the Employer will provide such training. During training, the employee will maintain his/her rate. It is understood that the training herein referred to is on the job and not to exceed sixty (60) days. Certain specialized technical jobs may require addi- tional and off-site training. An employee whose job is eliminated, if any, and who cannot be placed in a job of equal grade shall receive rate protection until such time as that employee fails to bid or apply for a position in the employee’s former wage level. The obligation hereinabove set forth shall not be construed to, in any way, abridge the right of the Employer to make such changes. Article 4.1 6 ARTICLE 5 PROHIBITION OF UNILATERAL ACTION The Employer will not take any actions affecting wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment as defined in Section 8(d) of the National Labor Relations Act which violate the terms of this Agreement or are otherwise inconsistent with its obligations under law. (The preceding Article, Article 5, shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) ARTICLE 6 NO LAYOFFS OR REDUCTION IN FORCE (1) Each employee who is employed in the regular work force as of the date of the Award of Arbitrator James J. Healy, September 15, 1978, shall be protected henceforth against any involuntary layoff or force reduction. It is the intent of this provision to provide security to each such employee during his or her work lifetime. Members of the regular work force, as defined in Article 7 of the Agreement, include full-time regulars, part-time employ- ees assigned to regular schedules and part-time employees assigned to flexible schedules. (2) Employees who become members of the regular work force after the date of this Award, September 15, 1978, shall be provided the same protection afforded under (1) above on completion of six years of continuous service and having worked in at least 20 pay periods during each of the six years. (3) With respect to employees hired into the regular work force after the date of this Award and who have not acquired the protection provided under (2) above, the Employer shall have the right to effect layoffs for lack of work or for other legitimate reasons. This right may be exercised in lieu of reas- signing employees under the provisions of Article 12, except as such right may be modified by agreement. Should the exer- cise of the Employer’s right to lay off employees require the application of the provisions of Chapter 35 of Title 5, United Article 6.(3) 7 States Code, employees covered by that Chapter with less than three years of continuous civilian federal service will be treat- ed as “career conditional” employees. The Employer’s right as established in this Section shall be effective July 20, 1979. The following terms as to the employees’ and Employer’s rights and the rules and procedures to be followed in the implementation of Article 6 are a part of the September 15, 1978 Final Resolution and shall be final and binding upon the parties: A. Coverage 1. Employees protected against any involuntary layoff or force reduction. Those employees who occupy full-time, part-time regular or part-time flexible positions in the regular work force (as defined in Article 7) on September 15, 1978, are protected against layoff and reduction in force during any period of employment in the regular work force with the United States Postal Service or successor organization in his or her lifetime. Such employees are referred to as “protected employees.” Other employees achieve protected status under the provi- sions of A.3 below. 2. Employees subject to involuntary layoff or force reduc- tion. Except as provided in A.1 and A.3, all employees who enter the regular work force, whether by hire, transfer, demotion, reassignment, reinstatement, and reemployment on or after September 16, 1978, are subject to lay-off or force reduc- tion and are referred to as “non-protected employees.” 3. Non-protected employees achieving protected status. (a) A non-protected employee achieves protected status upon completion of six years of continuous service in their regular work force. The service requirement is computed from the first day of the pay period in which the employee enters the regular work force. Article 6.(3) 8 To receive credit for the year, the employee must work at least one hour or receive a call-in guarantee in lieu of work in at least 20 of the 26 pay periods during that anniversary year. Absence from actual duty for any of the following reasons will be considered as “work” solely for the purposes of this requirement: (1) To the extent required by law, court leave, time spent in military service covered by Chapter 43 of Title 38, or time spent on continuation of pay, leave without pay or on OWCP rolls because of compensable injury on duty. (2) Time spent on paid annual leave or sick leave, as provided for in Article 10 of the Agreement. (3) Leave without pay for performing Union business as provided for in Article 24 of the Agreement. All other unpaid leave and periods of suspension or time spent in layoff or RIF status will not be considered work. Failure to meet the 20 pay period requirement in any given anniversary year means the employee must begin a new six year continuous service period to achieve protected status. (b) Temporary details outside of the regular work force in which the employee’s position of record remains in the regular work force count toward fulfilling the 20 pay periods of work requirement per year. (c) If a non-protected employee leaves the regular work force for a position outside the Postal Service and remains there more than 30 calendar days, upon return the employee begins a new service period for purposes of attaining six years continuous service. (d) If a non-protected employee leaves the regular work force and returns within two years from a position within the Postal Service the employee will receive credit for previously completed full anniversary years, Article 6.A.3.(d) 9 for purposes of attaining the six years continuous ser- vice. B. Preconditions for Implementation of Layoff and Reduction in Force. 1. The affected Union(s) shall be notified at the Regional level no less than 90 days in advance of any layoff or reduction in force that an excess of employees exists or will exist at an installation and that a layoff and reduction in force may be necessary. The Employer will explain to the Union(s) the basis for its conclusion that legitimate business reasons require the excessing and possible separation of employees. 2. No employee shall be reassigned under this Article or laid off or reduced in force unless and until that employee has been notified at least 60 days in advance that he or she may be affected by one or the other of these actions. 3. The maximum number of excess employees within an installation shall be determined by seniority unit within each category of employees (full-time, part-time regular, part-time flexible). This number determined by the Employer will be given to the Union(s) at the time of the 90-day notice. 4. Before implementation of reassignment under this Article or, if necessary, layoff and reduction in force of excess employees within the installation, the Employer will, to the fullest extent possible, separate all casuals within the craft and minimize the amount of overtime work and part-time flexible hours in the positions or group of positions covered by the seniority unit as defined in this Agreement or as agreed to by the parties. In addition, the Employer shall solicit volunteers from among employees in the same craft within the installation to terminate their employment with the Employer. Article 6.A.3.(d) 10 Employees who elect to terminate their employment will receive a lump sum severance payment in the amount provided by Part 435 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual, will receive benefit cover- age to the extent provided by such Manual, and, if eligible, will be given the early retirement benefits provided by Section 8336(d)(2) of Title 5, United States Code and the regulations implementing that statute. 5. No less than 20 days prior to effecting a layoff, the Employer will post a list of all vacancies in other seniority units and crafts at the same or lower level which exist within the installation and within the commuting area of the losing installation. Employees in an affected seniority unit may, within 10 days after the posting, request a reassignment under this Article to a posted vacancy. Qualified employees will be assigned to such vacancies on the basis of seniority. If a senior non-preference eligible employee within the seniority unit indicates no interest in available reassignment, then such employee becomes exposed to layoff. A preference eligible employee within the seniority unit shall be required to accept such a reassignment to a vacancy in the same level at the installation, or, if none exists at the installation, to a vacancy in the same level at an installation within the commuting area of the losing installation. If the reassignment is to a different craft, the employ- ee’s seniority in the new craft shall be established in accordance with the applicable seniority provisions of the new craft. C. Layoff and Reduction in Force 1. Definition. The term “layoff” as used herein refers to the separation of non-protected, non-preference eli- gible employees in the regular work force because of lack of work or other legitimate, non-disciplinary reasons. The term “reduction in force” as used herein refers to the separation or reduction in the grade of Article 6.C.1 11 a non-protected veterans’ preference eligible in the regular work force because of lack of work or other legitimate non-disciplinary reasons. 2. Order of layoff. If an excess of employees exists at an installation after satisfaction of the preconditions set forth in (B) above, the Employer may lay off employees within their respective seniority units as defined in the Agreement. 3. Seniority units for purposes of layoff. Seniority units within the categories of full-time regular, part- time regular, and part-time flexible, will consist of all non-protected persons at a given level within an established craft at an installation unless the parties agree otherwise. It is the intent to provide the broad- est possible unit consistent with the equities of senior non-protected employees and with the efficient oper- ation of the installation. 4. Union representation. Chief stewards and union stewards whose responsibilities bear a direct rela- tionship to the effective and efficient representation of bargaining unit employees shall be placed at the top of the seniority unit roster in the order of their relative craft seniority for the purposes of layoff, reduction in force, and recall. 5. Reduction in force. If an excess of employees exists at an installation after satisfaction of the pre- conditions set forth in (B) above and after the lay- off procedure has been applied, the Employer may implement a reduction in force as defined above. Such reduction will be conducted in accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements that prevail at the time the force reduction is effected. Should appli- cable law and regulations require that other non-pro- tected, non-preference eligible employees from other seniority units be laid off prior to reduction in force, such employees will be laid off in inverse order of their craft seniority in the seniority unit. Article 6.C.1 12 In determining competitive levels and competitive areas applicable in a force reduction, the Employer will submit its proposal to the Union(s) at least 30 days prior to the reduction. The Union(s) will be afforded a full opportunity to make suggested revi- sions in the proposal. However, the Employer, having the primary responsibility for compliance with the statute and regulations, reserves the right to make the final decision with respect to competitive levels and competitive areas. In making its decision with respect to competitive levels and competitive areas the Employer shall give no greater retention security to preference eligibles than to non-preference eligi- bles except as may be required by law. D. Recall Rights 1. Employees who are laid off or reduced in force shall be placed on recall lists within their seniority units and shall be entitled to remain on such lists for two years. Such employees shall keep the Employer informed of their current address. Employees on the lists shall be notified in order of craft seniority within the seniority unit of all vacant assignments in the same category and level from which they were laid off or reduced in force. Preference eligibles will be accorded no recall rights greater than non-preference eligibles except as required by law. Notice of vacant assignments shall be given by certified mail, return receipt requested, and a copy of such notice shall be furnished to the local union president. An employee so notified must acknowledge receipt of the notice and advise the Employer of his or her intentions within 5 days after receipt of the notice. If the employee accepts the position offered he or she must report for work within 2 weeks after receipt of notice. If the employee fails to reply to the notice within 5 days after the notice is received or delivery cannot be accomplished, the Employer shall offer the vacancy to the next employee on the list. If an employee declines the offer of a vacant assignment in his or her seniority unit or does not have a satisfactory reason for failure to Article 6.D.1 13 reply to a notice, the employee shall be removed from the recall list. 2. An employee reassigned from a losing installation pursuant to B.5 above and who has retreat rights shall be entitled under this Article to exercise those retreat rights before a vacancy is offered to an employee on the recall list who is junior to the reas- signed employee in craft seniority. E. Protective Benefits 1. Severance pay. Employees who are separated because of a layoff or reduction in force shall be entitled to severance pay in accordance with Part 435 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual. 2. Health and Life Insurance Coverage. Employees who are separated because of a layoff or a reduction in force shall be entitled to the health insurance and life insurance coverage and to the conversion rights provided for in the Employee and Labor Relations Manual. F. Union Representation Rights 1. The interpretation and application of the provisions of this Award shall be grievable under Article 15. Any such grievance may be introduced at Step B and shall be subject to priority arbitration. 2. The Employer shall provide to the affected Union(s) a quarterly report on all reassignments, layoff and reductions in force made under this Article. 3. Preference eligibles are not deprived of whatever rights of appeal such employees may have under applicable laws and regulations. If the employee appeals under the Veterans’ Preference Act, however, the time limits for appeal to arbitration and the normal contractual arbitration scheduling procedures are not to be delayed as a conse- quence of that appeal; if there is an MSPB appeal pending as of the date the arbitration is scheduled by the parties, the Article 6.D.1 14 grievant waives access to the grievance-arbitration proce- dure beyond Step B. G. Intent The Employer shall not lay off, reduce in force, or take any other action against a non-protected employee solely to pre- vent the attainment of that employee of protection status. (Additional no layoffs or reduction in force provisions regarding City Carrier Assistant Employees are found in Appendix B.) ARTICLE 7 EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATIONS Section 1. Definition and Use A. Regular Work Force. The regular work force shall be comprised of two categories of employees which are as fol- lows: 1. Full-Time. Employees in this category shall be hired pursuant to such procedures as the Employer may establish and shall be assigned to regular schedules consisting of five (5) eight (8) hour days in a service week. 2. Part-Time. Employees in this category shall be hired pursuant to such procedures as the Employer may establish and shall be assigned to regular schedules of less than forty (40) hours in a service week, or shall be available to work flexible hours as assigned by the Employer during the course of a service week. B. RESERVED C. City Carrier Assistant Employees (CCAs) The city carrier assistant work force shall be comprised of noncareer, bargaining unit employees, as follows: 1. City carrier assistants may perform the full range of letter carrier duties. The number of city carrier assis- tants who may be employed in any reporting period Article 7.1.C.1 15 shall not exceed 15% of the total number of career city carriers in that District. 2. In order to meet the fundamental changes in the busi- ness environment, including, but not limited to flexi- ble windows which may be necessary to develop and provide new products and services, the Employer has the right to hire up to 8,000 CCAs in addition to those authorized in paragraph 1, above. The number of such city carrier assistants who may be employed in any reporting period shall not exceed 8% of the total number of career city carriers in that District. CCAs hired under this Section will be so designated on their PS Form 50. 3. City carrier assistants shall be hired pursuant to such procedures as the Employer may establish. City carrier assistants shall be hired for terms of 360 cal- endar days and will have a break in service of 5 days between appointments. 4. Over the course of a service week, the Employer will make every effort to ensure that qualified and available part-time flexible employees are utilized at the straight-time rate prior to assigning such work to CCAs working in the same work location and on the same tour, provided that the reporting guarantee for CCA employees is met. Section 2. Employment and Work Assignments A. Normally, work in different crafts, occupational groups or levels will not be combined into one job. However, to pro- vide maximum full-time employment and provide necessary flexibility, management may establish full-time schedule assign- ments by including work within different crafts or occupational groups after the following sequential actions have been taken: 1. All available work within each separate craft by tour has been combined. 2. Work of different crafts in the same wage level by tour has been combined. Article 7.1.C.1 16 The appropriate representatives of the affected Unions will be informed in advance of the reasons for establishing the com- bination full-time assignments within different crafts in accor- dance with this Article. B. In the event of insufficient work on any particular day or days in a full-time or part-time employee’s own scheduled assignment, management may assign the employee to any available work in the same wage level for which the employee is qualified, consistent with the employee’s knowledge and experience, in order to maintain the number of work hours of the employee’s basic work schedule. C. During exceptionally heavy workload periods for one occupational group, employees in an occupational group expe- riencing a light workload period may be assigned to work in the same wage level, commensurate with their capabilities, to the heavy workload area for such time as management deter- mines necessary. [see Memo, page 142] Section 3. Employee Complements A. The Employer will staff at least one full-time regular city letter carrier per one full-time regular city letter carri- er route, as defined in Article 41.1.A.1, plus each Carrier Technician position; however, the Employer’s obligation shall not exceed a ratio of 1.18 full-time regular city letter carriers per full-time city letter carrier routes. As long as part-time flexible employees remain on the rolls, the Employer shall staff all postal installations which have 200 or more workyears of employment in the regular work force as of the date of this Agreement with 88% full-time employees in the letter carrier craft. B. The Employer shall maximize the number of full-time employees and minimize the number of part-time employees who have no fixed work schedules in all postal installations; however, nothing in this paragraph B shall detract from the USPS’ ability to use the awarded full-time/part-time ratio as provided for in paragraph 3.A. above. Article 7.3.B 17 C. A part-time flexible employee working eight (8) hours within ten (10), on the same five (5) days each week and the same assignment over a six month period will demonstrate the need for converting the assignment to a full-time position. D. Where a count and inspection of an auxiliary city deliv- ery assignment indicates that conversion to a full-time position is in order, conversion will be made. [see Memos and Letter of Intent, pages 143-145] ARTICLE 8 HOURS OF WORK Section 1. Work Week The work week for full-time regulars shall be forty (40) hours per week, eight (8) hours per day within ten (10) consecutive hours, provided, however, that in all offices with more than 100 full-time employees in the bargaining units the normal work week for full-time regular employees will be forty hours per week, eight hours per day within nine (9) consecutive hours. Shorter work weeks will, however, exist as needed for part-time regulars. Section 2. Work Schedules A. The employee’s service week shall be a calendar week beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and ending at 12 midnight the following Friday. B. The employee’s service day is the calendar day on which the majority of work is scheduled. Where the work schedule is distributed evenly over two calendar days, the service day is the calendar day on which such work schedule begins. C. The employee’s normal work week is five (5) service days, each consisting of eight (8) hours, within ten (10) con- secutive hours, except as provided in Section 1 of this Article. As far as practicable the five days shall be consecutive days within the service week. D. Full time employees who are not on an “Overtime Desired” list or on the Work Assignment list, shall not be required to work beyond eleven and a half (11.5) hours of Article 7.3.C 18 work in a day or sixty (60) hours of work in a service week, and shall not be subject to disciplinary action for terminat- ing their tour of duty when these limits on hours of work are reached. Section 3. Exceptions The above shall not apply to part-time employees. Part-time employees will be scheduled in accordance with the above rules, except they may be scheduled for less than eight (8) hours per service day and less than forty (40) hours per normal work week. All PTFs will be guaranteed a minimum of one (1) nonscheduled day each service week, except during the penalty overtime exclusion period. Management will notify PTF employees of their assigned nonscheduled day by the Wednesday preceding the service week. CCA employees will be scheduled in accordance with Section 2, A and B, of this Article. All CCAs will be guaranteed a minimum of one (1) nonscheduled day each service week, except during the penalty overtime exclusion period. Management will notify CCAs of their assigned nonsched- uled day by the Wednesday preceding the service week. Section 4. Overtime Work A. Overtime pay is to be paid at the rate of one and one- half (1 1/2) times the base hourly straight time rate. (The preceding paragraph, Article 8.4.A., shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) B. Overtime shall be paid to employees for work per- formed only after eight (8) hours on duty in any one service day or forty (40) hours in any one service week. Nothing in this Section shall be construed by the parties or any reviewing authority to deny the payment of overtime to employees for time worked outside of their regularly scheduled work week at the request of the Employer. (The preceding paragraph, Article 8.4.B., shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) C. Penalty overtime pay is to be paid at the rate of two (2) times the base hourly straight time rate. Penalty overtime Article 8.4.C 19 pay will not be paid for any hours worked in the month of December. (The preceding paragraph, Article 8.4.C., shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) D. Penalty overtime pay will be paid to full-time regular employees for any overtime work in contravention of the restrictions in Section 5.F. E. Excluding December, part-time flexible employees will receive penalty overtime pay for all work in excess of ten (10) hours in a service day or fifty-six (56) hours in a service week. (The preceding paragraph, Article 8.4.E., shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) F. Wherever two or more overtime or premium rates may appear applicable to the same hour or hours worked by an employee, there shall be no pyramiding or adding together of such overtime or premium rates and only the higher of the employee’s applicable rates shall apply. G. For any hours worked beyond twelve (12) hours in a service day or sixty (60) hours in a service week the employee is to be paid at the rate of two and one-half (2 1/2) times the base hourly straight time rate. (The preceding paragraphs, Article 8.4.F. and 8.4.G., shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) Section 5. Overtime Assignments When needed, overtime work for full-time employees shall be scheduled among qualified employees doing similar work in the work location where the employees regularly work in accordance with the following: A. Employees desiring to work overtime shall place their names on either one or both of the “Overtime Desired” lists defined below or the “Work Assignment” list during the two weeks prior to the start of the calendar quarter, and their names shall remain on the list until such time as they remove their names from the list. Employees may switch lists during the two weeks prior to the start of the calen- Article 8.4.C 20 dar quarter, and the change will be effective beginning that new calendar quarter. 1. Full-time letter carriers, including those on lim- ited or light duty, may sign up for either one or both of the following regular Overtime Desired Lists: • Employees desiring to work up to twelve (12) hours per day on their regularly scheduled day(s). Employees signing only this list are not on the Overtime Desired List on their non-scheduled day(s). However, employees signing both regular Overtime Desired Lists are eligible to work up to twelve (12) hours per day on their regularly scheduled day(s) and their non-scheduled day(s). • Employees desiring to work eight (8) hours per day on their non-scheduled days. Employees signing only this list are not on the Overtime Desired List on their regularly scheduled days or beyond eight (8) hours on their non-sched- uled days. However, employees signing both regular Overtime Desired Lists are eligible to work up to twelve (12) hours per day on their regularly scheduled day(s) and their non-scheduled day(s). B. “Overtime Desired” lists will be established by craft, section or tour in accordance with Article 30, Local Implementation. C.1. (RESERVED) C.2. a. When during the quarter the need for overtime arises, employees with the necessary skills hav- ing listed their names will be selected from the “Overtime Desired” list. b. During the quarter every effort will be made to distribute equitably the opportunities for overtime amongst those employees on the same “Overtime Desired” list. Article 8.5.C.2.b 21 c. In order to ensure equitable opportunities for over- time, overtime hours worked and opportunities offered will be posted and updated weekly. d. Recourse to the “Overtime Desired” list is not nec- essary in the case of a letter carrier working on the employee’s own route on one of the employee’s regularly scheduled days. e. All overtime hours worked by, and all opportu- nities offered to, employees on the “Overtime Desired” list, regardless of whether the overtime/ opportunity is on or off the employee’s own route, will be considered and counted when determining quarterly equitability. f. Only overtime hours worked or opportunities offered beyond eight hours on a holiday or desig- nated holiday will be considered and counted when determining equitability. D. If the voluntary “Overtime Desired” list does not provide sufficient qualified people, qualified full-time regular employees not on the list may be required to work overtime on a rotating basis with the first opportunity assigned to the junior employee. E. Exceptions to C and D above if requested by the employee may be approved by local management in excep- tional cases based on equity (e.g., anniversaries, birthdays, illness, deaths). F. Excluding December, no full-time regular employee will be required to work overtime on more than four (4) of the employee’s five (5) scheduled days in a service week or work over ten (10) hours on a regularly scheduled day, over eight (8) hours on a non-scheduled day, or over six (6) days in a ser- vice week. G. Full-time employees not on the “Overtime Desired” list may be required to work overtime only if all available employ- ees on the “Overtime Desired” list have worked up to twelve (12) hours in a day or sixty (60) hours in a service week. Employees on the “Overtime Desired” list: Article 8.5.C.2.c 22 1. may be required to work up to twelve (12) hours in a day and sixty (60) hours in a service week (subject to payment of penalty overtime pay set forth in Section 4.D for contravention of Section 5.F); and 2. excluding December, shall be limited to no more than twelve (12) hours of work in a day and no more than sixty (60) hours of work in a service week unless they volunteer to work beyond those limits pursuant to paragraph 3 below; and 3. may volunteer to exceed twelve (12) hours of work in a day or sixty (60) hours of work in a service week (subject to the payment of Section 4.G). Those who do not volunteer shall not be subject to disciplinary action for terminating their tour of duty when the limits on hours of work in paragraph 2 above are reached. However, the Employer is not required to utilize employees on the “Overtime Desired” list at the penalty overtime rate if qualified employees on the “Overtime Desired” list who are not yet entitled to penalty overtime are available for the over- time assignment. [see Memos and Letter of Intent, pages 164-170] Section 6. Sunday Premium Payment Each employee whose regular work schedule includes a period of service, any part of which is within the period commencing at midnight Saturday and ending at midnight Sunday, shall be paid extra compensation at the rate of 25 percent of the employee’s base hourly rate of compensation for each hour of work per- formed during that period of service. An employee’s regularly scheduled reporting time shall not be changed on Saturday or Sunday solely to avoid the payment of Sunday premium payment. Section 7. Night Shift Differential For time worked between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., career employees shall be paid additional compensation at the applicable flat dollar amount at each pay grade and step in accordance with Appendix A attached hereto. Article 8.7 23 (The preceding paragraph, Article 8.7, shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) Section 8. Guarantees A. An employee called in outside the employee’s regular work schedule shall be guaranteed a minimum of four (4) con- secutive hours of work or pay in lieu thereof where less than four (4) hours of work is available. Such guaranteed minimum shall not apply to an employee called in who continues work- ing on into the employee’s regularly scheduled shift. B. When a full-time regular employee is called in on the employee’s non-scheduled day, the employee will be guaran- teed eight hours work or pay in lieu thereof. C. The Employer will guarantee all employees at least four (4) hours work or pay on any day they are requested or sched- uled to work in a post office or facility with 200 or more work- years of employment per year. All employees at other post offices and facilities will be guaranteed two (2) hours work or pay when requested or scheduled to work. D. Any CCA employee who is scheduled to work and who reports to work in a post office or facility with 200 or more workyears of employment shall be guaranteed four (4) hours of work or pay. CCAs at other post offices and facilities will be guaranteed two (2) hours work or pay. Section 9. Wash-Up Time Installation heads shall grant reasonable wash-up time to those employees who perform dirty work or work with toxic materi- als. The amount of wash-up time granted each employee shall be subject to the grievance procedure. (The preceding paragraph, Article 8.9, shall apply to City Carrier Assistant Employees.) Article 8.7 24 ARTICLE 9 SALARIES AND WAGES Section 1. Salary and Wage Schedules Employees with career appointments before January 12, 2013 shall be paid and earn step increases according to the rates and waiting periods outlined in Table One. Employees appointed to career positions on or after January 12, 2013 shall be paid and earn step increases according to the rates and waiting periods outlined in Table Two. Section 2. Basic Annual Salary Effective November 18, 2023—the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.3% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on the date of this Agreement. Effective November 16, 2024—the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.4% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on the date of this Agreement. Effective November 15, 2025—the basic annual salary for each grade and step of Table One and Table Two shall be increased by an amount equal to 1.5% of the basic annual salary for the grade and step in effect on the date of this Agreement. [see Memo, page 173] Section 3. Cost of Living Adjustment A. Definitions 1.“Consumer Price Index” refers to the “National Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers,” published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor (1967=100) and referred to herein as the “Index.” Article 9.3.A.1 25 2. “Consumer Price Index Base” refers to the Consumer Price Index for the month of January 2023 and is referred to herein as the “Base Index.” B. Effective Dates of Adjustment Each eligible employee covered by this Agreement shall receive cost-of-living adjustments, upward, in accordance with the formula in Section 3.C, below, effective on the following dates: - the second full pay period after the release of the July 2023 Index - the second full pay period after the release of the January 2024 Index - the second full pay period after the release of the July 2024 Index - the second full pay period after the release of the January 2025 Index - the second full pay period after the release of the July 2025 Index - the second full pay period after the release of the January 2026 Index C. The basic salary schedules provided for in Table One and Step P of Table Two of this Agreement shall be increased one cent per hour for each full 0.4 of a point increase in the applicable Index above the Base Index. D. Steps A through O in the basic salary schedules provid- ed for in Table Two of this Agreement shall receive COLAs calculated using the formula in paragraph C adjusted propor- tionally to each step’s percentage of Step P. Step AA of the Hourly Basic Rates for Part-Time Flexible Employees pro- vided for in Table Two of this Agreement shall receive COLA calculated using the same formula in paragraph C adjusted proportionally to its percentage of Step P. E. [Deleted] F. In the event the appropriate Index is not published on or before the beginning of the effective payroll period, any adjustment required will be made effective at the beginning 26 Article 9.3.A.2 27 Article 9.7 of the second payroll period after publication of the appropri- ate Index. G. No adjustment, retroactive or otherwise, shall be made due to any revision which may later be made in the published figures for the Index for any month mentioned in 3.B, above. H. If during the life of this Agreement, the BLS ceases to make available the CPI-W (1967=100), the parties agree to use the CPI-W (1982-84=100) at such time as BLS ceases to make available the CPI-W (1967=100). At the time of change to the CPI-W (1982-84= 100), the cost-of-living formula in Section 3.C will be recalculated to provide the same cost-of-living adjustment that would have been granted under the formula using the CPI-W (1967=100). Section 4. Application of Salary Rates The Employer shall continue the current application of sal- ary rates for the duration of this Agreement. Section 5. Granting Step Increases The Employer will continue the program on granting step increases for the duration of this Agreement. [see Memo, page 171] Section 6. Protected Salary Rates The Employer shall continue the current salary rate protec- tion program for the duration of this Agreement. Section 7. City Carrier Assistants (CCAs) The CCA hourly rates in Table Three shall be adjusted by the general increases provided for in Article 9.2. In addition, CCAs will receive the following wage adjustments: Effective November 18, 2023, the CCA hourly rates in Table Three shall be increased by 1.0%. Effective November 16, 2024, the CCA hourly rates in Table Three shall be increased by 1.0%. Effective November 15, 2025, the CCA hourly rates in Table Three shall be increased by 1.0%. 28 Article 9.7 CCA hourly rates in Table Three shall be increased by $0.50 per hour. This wage adjustment shall be implement- ed, and effective upon implementation, within 180 days of the date of the Interest Arbitration Award. Section 8. Modification of City Carrier Pay Tables NALC RSC Q (Table One) and NALC RSC Q7 (Table Two) will be modified in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding Re: City Carrier Pay Table Step Modifications. These modifications shall be imple- mented, and effective upon implementation, within 180 days of the date of the Interest Arbitration Award. Section 9. Step P Wage Increase The Step P rate in Tables 1 and 2 shall receive a one-time pay increase to an amount that is equal to a flat dollar amount of $1,000. This change shall be implemented, and effective upon implementation, within 180 days of the date of the Interest Arbitration Award. ARTICLE 10 LEAVE Section 1. Funding The Employer shall continue funding the leave program so as to continue the current leave earning level for the duration of this Agreement. Section 2. Leave Regulations The leave regulations in Subchapter 510 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual, insofar as such regulations establish wages, hours and working conditions of employees covered by this Agreement, shall remain in effect for the life of this Agreement. Section 3. Choice of Vacation Period A. It is agreed to establish a nationwide program for vacation planning for employees in the regular work force with emphasis upon the choice vacation period(s) or variations thereof. B. Care shall be exercised to assure that no employee is required to forfeit any part of such employee’s annual leave. C. The parties agree that the duration of the choice vaca- tion period(s) in all postal installations shall be determined pursuant to local implementation procedures. D. Annual leave shall be granted as follows: 1. Employees who earn 13 days annual leave per year shall be granted up to ten (10) days of continuous annual leave during the choice period. The number of days of annual leave, not to exceed ten (10), shall be at the option of the employee. 2. Employees who earn 20 or 26 days annual leave per year shall be granted up to fifteen (15) days of continuous annual leave during the choice period. The number of days of annual leave, not to exceed fifteen (15), shall be at the option of the employee. 3. The subject of whether an employee may at the employee’s option request two (2) selections during the choice period(s), in units of either 5 or l0 working days, the total not to exceed the ten (10) or fifteen (15) days above, may be deter- mined pursuant to local implementation proce- dures. 4. The remainder of the employee’s annual leave may be granted at other times during the year, as requested by the employee. E. The vacation period shall start on the first day of the employee’s basic work week. Exceptions may be granted by agreement among the employee, the Union representative and the Employer. F. An employee who is called for jury duty during the employee’s scheduled choice vacation period or who attends a National, State, or Regional Convention (Assembly) during the choice vacation period is eligible for another available 29 Article 10.3.F period provided this does not deprive any other employee of first choice for scheduled vacation. Section 4. Vacation Planning The following general rules shall be observed in implementing the vacation planning program: A. The Employer shall, no later than November l, pub- licize on bulletin boards and by other appropriate means the beginning date of the new leave year, which shall begin with the first day of the first full pay period of the calendar year. B. The installation head shall meet with the representa- tives of the Union to review local service needs as soon after January 1 as practical. The installation head shall then: 1. Determine the amount of annual leave accrued to each employee’s credit including that for the current year and the amount he/she expects to take in the current year. 2. Determine a final date for submission of applica- tions for vacation period(s) of the employee’s choice during the choice vacation period(s). 3. Provide official notice to each employee of the vaca- tion schedule approved for each employee. C. A procedure in each office for submission of applications for annual leave for periods other than the choice period may be established pursuant to the implementation procedure above. D. All advance commitments for granting annual leave must be honored except in serious emergency situations. Section 5. Sick Leave The Employer agrees to continue the administration of the present sick leave program, which shall include the following specific items: A. Credit employees with sick leave as earned. B. Charge to annual leave or leave without pay (at employ- ee’s option) approved absence for which employee has insuffi- cient sick leave. Article 10.3.F 30 C. Employee becoming ill while on annual leave may have leave charged to sick leave upon request. D. For periods of absence of three (3) days or less, a supervisor may accept an employee’s certification as reason for an absence. Section 6. Minimum Charge for Leave The minimum unit charged for sick leave and annual leave for regular work force employees as defined in Article 7, Section 1.A, is one hundredth of an hour (.01 hour). Employees may utilize annual and sick leave in conjunction with leave without pay, subject to the approval of the leave in accordance with normal leave approval procedures. The Employer is not obligated to approve such leave for the last hour of the employee’s scheduled workday prior to and/or the first hour of the employee’s scheduled workday after a holiday. [see Memos, pages 176-186] (Additional leave provisions regarding City Carrier Assistant Employees are found in Appendix B.) ARTICLE 11 HOLIDAYS Section 1. Holidays Observed The following eleven (11) days shall be considered holidays for full-time and part-time regular scheduled employees here- inafter referred to in this Article as “employees”: New Year’s Day Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday Presidents Day Memorial Day Juneteenth Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans’ Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day Article 11.1 31 Section 2. Eligibility To be eligible for holiday pay, an employee must be in a pay status the last hour of the employee’s scheduled workday prior to or the first hour of the employee’s scheduled workday after the holiday. Section 3. Payment A. An employee shall receive holiday pay at the employee’s base hourly straight time rate for a number of hours equal to the employee’s regular daily working schedule, not to exceed eight (8) hours. Effective with the 2021 Independence Day holiday, employees who work their holiday, at their option, may elect to have their annual leave balance credited with up to eight (8) hours of annual leave in lieu of holiday leave pay. B. Holiday pay is in lieu of other paid leave to which an employee might otherwise be entitled on the employee’s holiday. Section 4. Holiday Work A. An employee required to work on a holiday other than Christmas shall be paid the base hourly straight time rate for each hour worked up to eight (8) hours. Effective with the 2021 Independence Day holiday, employees who work their holiday, at their option, may elect to have their annual leave balance credited with up to eight (8) hours of annual leave or receive the holiday pay to which the employee is entitled as above described. B. An employee required to work on Christmas shall be paid one and one-half (l 1/2) times the base hourly straight time rate for each hour worked. Effective with the 2021 Independence Day holiday, employees who work their hol- iday, at their option, may elect to have their annual leave balance credited with up to eight (8) hours of annual leave or receive the holiday pay to which the employee is entitled as above described. C. Deferred holiday leave credited in accordance with Section 4.A or 4.B, above, will be subject to all applicable rules for requesting and scheduling annual leave and shall be combined with annual leave and counted as annual leave for the purposes of annual leave carryover. Article 11.2 32 Section 5. Holiday on Non-Work Day A. When a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as the holiday. When a holiday falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as the holiday. B. When an employee’s scheduled non-work day falls on a day observed as a holiday, the employee’s scheduled workday preced- ing the holiday shall be designated as that employee’s holiday. Section 6. Holiday Schedule A. The Employer will determine the number and cate- gories of employees needed for holiday work and a schedule shall be posted as of the Tuesday preceding the service week in which the holiday falls. B. As many full-time and part-time regular schedule employees as can be spared will be excused from duty on a holiday or day designated as their holiday. Such employees will not be required to work on a holiday or day designated as their holiday unless all casuals and part-time flexibles are utilized to the maximum extent possible, even if the payment of overtime is required, and unless all full-time and part-time regulars with the needed skills who wish to work on the holi- day have been afforded an opportunity to do so. C. An employee scheduled to work on a holiday who does not work shall not receive holiday pay, unless such absence is based on an extreme emergency situation and is excused by the Employer. D. Qualified CCAs will be scheduled for work on a hol- iday or designated holiday after all full-time volunteers are scheduled to work on their holiday or designated holiday. They will be scheduled, to the extent possible, prior to any full-time volunteers or non-volunteers being scheduled to work a nonscheduled day or any full-time non-volunteers being required to work their holiday or designated holiday. If the parties have locally negotiated a pecking order that would schedule full-time volunteers on a nonscheduled day, the Local Memorandum of Understanding will apply. Section 7. Holiday Part-Time Employee A part-time flexible schedule employee shall not receive hol- iday pay as such. Part-Time Flexible employees other than Article 11.7 33 those in Step AA shall be compensated for the eleven (11) holidays by basing the employee’s regular straight time hourly rate on the employee’s annual rate divided by 1,992 hours. For work performed on December 25, a part-time flexible schedule employee shall be paid in addition to the employee’s regular straight time hourly rate, one-half (l/2) times the employee’s regular straight time hourly rate for each hour worked up to eight (8) hours. Section 8. City Carrier Assistant Holidays A. Holidays Observed The following six (6) days shall be considered holidays for city carrier assistants (CCAs): New Year’s Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day B. Eligibility To be eligible for holiday pay, a CCA must be in a pay status the last hour of the employee’s scheduled workday prior to or the first hour of the employee’s scheduled workday after the holiday. C. Payment CCAs shall receive holiday pay at the employee’s base hourly straight time rate. The number of hours of holiday leave pay for a CCA will be determined by the size of the office in which he/she works: • 200 Workyear offices 8 hours • POStPlan offices 4 hours • All other offices 6 hours Effective with the 2021 Independence Day holiday, CCAs who work on a holiday may, at their option, elect to have their annual leave balance credited with 4, 6, or 8 hours (as applica- ble) of annual leave in lieu of receiving holiday pay. Article 11.7 34 ARTICLE 12 PRINCIPLES OF SENIORITY, POSTING AND REASSIGNMENTS Section 1. Probationary Period A. The probationary period for a new employee shall be ninety (90) calendar days. The Employer shall have the right to separate from its employ any probationary employee at any time during the probationary period and these probationary employees shall not be permitted access to the grievance proce- dure in relation thereto. If the Employer intends to separate an employee during the probationary period for scheme failure, the employee shall be given at least seven (7) days advance notice of such intent to separate the employee. If the employee quali- fies on the scheme within the notice period, the employee will not be separated for prior scheme failure. [see Memo, page 137] B. The parties recognize that the failure of the Employer to discover a falsification by an employee in the employment appli- cation prior to the expiration of the probationary period shall not bar the use of such falsification as a reason for discharge. C. When an employee completes the probationary period, seniority will be computed in accordance with this Agreement as of the initial day of full-time or part-time employment. D. When an employee who is separated from the Postal Service for any reason is re-hired, the employee shall serve a new probationary period. If the separation was due to disabili- ty, the employee’s seniority shall be established in accordance with Section 2, if applicable. Section 2. Principles of Seniority A. Except as specifically provided in this Article, the prin- ciples of seniority are established in the craft Articles of this Agreement. B. An employee who left the bargaining unit on or after July 21, 1973 and returns to the same craft: 1. will begin a new period of seniority if the employee returns from a position outside the Postal Service; or Article 12.2.B.1 35 2. will begin a new period of seniority if the employee returns from a non-bargaining unit position within the Postal Service, unless the employee returns within 1 year from the date the employee left the unit. Section 3. Principles of Posting A. To insure a more efficient and stable work force, an employee may be designated a successful bidder no more than six (6) times during the duration of this Agreement unless such bid: 1. is to a job in a higher wage level;: 2. is due to elimination or reposting of the employee’s duty assignment; or 3. enables an employee to become assigned to a station closer to the employee’s place of residence. B. Specific provisions for posting for each craft are con- tained in the craft posting provisions of this Agreement. Section 4. Principles of Reassignments A. A primary principle in effecting reassignments will be that dislocation and inconvenience to employees in the regular work force shall be kept to a minimum, consistent with the needs of the service. Reassignments will be made in accor- dance with this Section and the provisions of Section 5 below. B. When a major relocation of employees is planned in major metropolitan areas or due to the implementation of national postal mail networks, the Employer will apply this Article in the development of the relocation and reassignment plan. At least 90 days in advance of implementation of such plan, the Employer will meet with the Unions at the national level to fully advise the Unions how it intends to implement the plan. If the Unions believes such plan violates the National Agreement, the matter may be grieved. Such plan shall include a meeting at the regional level in advance (as much as six months whenever possible) of the reassignments anticipated. The Employer will advise the Article 12.2.B.2 36 Unions, based on the best estimates available at the time, of the anticipated impact; the numbers of employees affected by craft; the locations to which they will be reassigned; and, in the case of a new installation, the anticipated complement by tour and craft. The Unions will be periodically updated by the Region should any of the information change due to more cur- rent data being available. C. When employees are excessed out of their installation, the National Business Agent of the Union may request at the Area level a comparative work hour report of the losing instal- lation 60 days after the excessing of such employees. If a review of the report does not substantiate that business con- ditions warranted the action taken, such employees shall have their retreat rights activated. If the retreat right is denied, the employees have the right to the grievance-arbitration procedure. D. In order to minimize the impact on employees in the regular work force, the Employer agrees to separate, to the extent possible, casual employees working in the affected craft and installation prior to excessing any regular employee in that craft out of the installation. The junior full-time employee who is being excessed has the option of reverting to part-time flexi- ble status in his/her craft, or of being reassigned to the gaining installation. Section 5. Reassignments A. Basic Principles and Reassignments When it is proposed to: 1. Discontinue an independent installation; 2. Consolidate an independent installation (i.e., discon- tinue the independent identity of an installation by making it part of another and continuing independent installation); 3. Transfer a classified station or classified branch to the jurisdiction of another installation or make an independent installation; 4. Reassign within an installation employees excess to the needs of a section of that installation; Article 12.5.A.4 37 5. Reduce the number of regular work force employees of an installation other than by attrition; 6. RESERVED 7. RESERVED 8. RESERVED B. Principles and Requirements 1. Dislocation and inconvenience to full-time and part- time flexible employees shall be kept to the mini- mum consistent with the needs of the service. 2. The Vice Presidents Area Operations shall give full consideration to withholding sufficient full- time and part-time flexible positions within the area for full-time and part-time flexible employees who may be involuntarily reassigned. When posi- tions are withheld, management will periodically review the continuing need for withholding such positions and discuss with the NBA the results of such review. 3. No employee shall be allowed to displace, or “bump” another employee, properly holding a position or duty assignment. 4. Unions affected shall be notified in advance (as much as six (6) months whenever possible), such notification to be at the regional level, except under A.4 above, which shall be at the local level. 5. Full-time and part-time flexible employees invol- untarily detailed or reassigned from one installation to another who qualify for relocation benefits shall be given not less than 60 days advance notice, if possible. They shall receive moving, mileage, per diem and reimbursement for movement of household goods, as appropriate, if legally payable, as governed by the standardized Government travel regulations as set forth in the applicable Handbook. Full-time and part-time flexible employees involun- tarily detailed or reassigned from one installation to Article 12.5.A.5 38 another who do not qualify for relocation benefits shall be given not less than 30 days advance notice, if possible. 6. Any employee volunteering to accept reassignment to another craft or occupational group, another branch of the Postal Service, or another installation shall start a new period of seniority beginning with such assignment, except as provided herein. 7. Reserved 8. Reserved 9. Whenever in this Agreement provision is made for reassignments, it is understood that any full-time or part-time flexible employee reassigned must meet the qualification requirements of the position to which reassigned. 10. Whenever the provisions of this Section establishing seniority are inconsistent with the provisions of the Craft Article of this Agreement, the provisions of the Craft Article shall prevail. 11. It is understood that any employee entitled hereunder to a specific placement may exercise such entitle- ment only if no other employee has a superior claim hereunder to the same position. 12. Surplus U.S. Postal Service Employees-Surplus U.S. Postal Service employees from non-mail processing and non-mail delivery installations, regional offices, the U.S. Postal Service Headquarters or from other Federal departments or agencies shall be placed at the foot of the part-time flexible roll and begin a new period of seniority effective the date of reassignment. C. Special Provisions on Reassignments In addition to the general principles and requirements above specified, the following specific provisions are applicable: 1. Discontinuance of an Independent Installation a. When an independent installation is discontinued, all full-time and part-time flexible employees shall, to Article 12.5.C.1.a 39 the maximum extent possible, be involuntarily reas- signed to continuing postal positions in accordance with the following: b. Involuntary reassignment of full-time employees with their seniority for duty assignments to vacan- cies in the same or lower level in the same craft or occupational group in installations within 100 miles of the discontinued installation, or in more distant installations, if after consultation with the affected Unions, it is determined that it is necessary. The Postal Service will designate such installations for the reassignment of excess full-time employees. When two or more such vacancies are simultane- ously available, first choice of duty assignment shall go to the senior employee entitled by dis- placement from a discontinued installation to such placement. c. Involuntary reassignment of full-time employees for whom consultation did not provide for placement under C.1.b above in other crafts or occupational groups in which they meet minimum qualifications at the same or lower level with permanent seniority for duty assignments under (1) and (2) below, whichever is lesser: (1) One day junior to the seniority of the junior full-time employee in the same level and craft or occupation in the installation to which assigned, or (2) The seniority the employee had in the craft from which reassigned. d. Involuntary reassignment of part-time flexible employees with seniority in any vacancy in the part- time flexible quota in the same craft or occupational group at any installation within 100 miles of the discontinued installation, or in more distant installa- tions, if after consultation with the affected Unions it is determined that it is necessary, the Postal Service will designate such installations for the reassignment of the part-time flexible employees. Article 12.5.C.1.a 40 e. Involuntary reassignment of part-time flexible employees for whom consultation did not provide for placement under C.1.d above in other crafts or occupational groups in which they meet minimum qualification at the same or lower level at the foot of the existing part-time flexible roster at the receiv- ing installation and begin a new period of seniority. f. Full-time employees for whom no full-time vacan- cies are available by the time the installation is discontinued shall be changed to part-time flexible employees in the same craft and placed as such, but shall for six months retain placement rights to full-time vacancies developing within that time within any installation within 100 miles of the discontinued installation, or in more distant instal- lations, if after consultation with affected Unions it is necessary, U.S. Postal Service will designate such installations for the reassignment of excess full-time employees on the same basis as if they had remained full-time. g. Employees, full-time or part-time flexible, invol- untarily reassigned as above provided shall upon the reestablishment of the discontinued installation be entitled to reassignment with full seniority to the first vacancy in the reestablished installation in the level, craft or occupational group from which reassigned. 2. Consolidation of an Independent Installation a. When an independent postal installation is consol- idated with another postal installation, each full- time or part-time flexible employee shall be invol- untarily reassigned to the continuing installation without loss of seniority in the employee’s craft or occupational group. b. Where reassignments under 2.a, preceding, result in an excess of employees in any craft or occupational group in the continuing installation, identification and placement of excess employees shall be accom- plished by the continuing installation in accordance Article 12.5.C.2.b 41 with the provisions of this Agreement covering such situations. c. If the consolidated installation again becomes an independent installation, each full-time and part-time flexible employee whose reassignment was necessi- tated by the previous consolidation shall be entitled to the first vacancy in the reestablished installation in the level and craft or occupational group held at the time the installation was discontinued. 3. Transfer of a Classified Station or Classified Branch to the Jurisdiction of Another Installation or Made an Independent Installation a. When a classified station or classified branch is transferred to the jurisdiction of another installation or made an independent installation, all full-time employees shall at their option remain with the classified station or classified branch without loss of seniority, or remain with the installation from which the classified station or classified branch is being transferred. b. A realistic appraisal shall be made of the number of employees by crafts or occupations who will be needed in the station after transfer, and potential vacancies within these requirements created by the unwillingness of employees to follow the station to the new jurisdiction shall be posted for bid on an office-wide basis in the losing installation. c. If the postings provided in paragraph 3.b, preceding, do not result in sufficient employees to staff the trans- ferred classified station or classified branch, junior employees, by craft or occupational group on an installation-wide seniority basis in the losing installa- tion, shall be involuntarily reassigned to the classified station or classified branch and each employee thus involuntarily reassigned shall be entitled to the first vacancy in such employee’s level and craft or occupa- tional group in the installation from which transferred. Article 12.5.C.2.b 42 4. Reassignment Within an Installation of Employees Excess to the Needs of a Section a. The identification of assignments comprising for this purpose a section shall be determined locally by local negotiations. If no sections are established immediately by local negotiations, the entire instal- lation shall comprise the section. b. Full-time employees, excess to the needs of a sec- tion, starting with that employee who is junior in the same craft or occupational group and in the same level assigned in that section, shall be reassigned outside the section but within the same craft or occu- pational group. They shall retain their seniority and may bid on any existing vacancies for which they are eligible to bid. If they do not bid, they may be assigned in any vacant duty assignment for which there was no senior bidder in the same craft and installation. Their preference is to be considered if more than one such assignment is available. c. Such reassigned full-time employee retains the right to retreat to the section from which withdrawn only upon the occurrence of the first residual vacancy in the salary level after employees in the section have completed bidding. Such bidding in the section is limited to employees in the same salary level as the vacancy. Failure to bid for the first available vacancy will end such retreat right. The right to retreat to the section is optional with the employee who has retreat rights with respect to a vacancy in a lower salary level. Failure to exercise the option does not termi- nate the retreat rights in the salary level in which the employee was reassigned away from the section. d. The duty assignment vacated by the reassignment of the junior full-time employee from the section shall be posted for bid of the full-time employees in the section. If there are no bids, the junior remain- ing unassigned full-time employee in the section shall be assigned to the vacancy. Article 12.5.C.4.d 43 5. Reduction in the Number of Employees in an Installation Other Than by Attrition a. Reassignments within installation. When for any reason an installation must reduce the number of employees more rapidly than is possible by normal attrition, that installation: (1) Shall determine by craft and occupational group the number of excess employees; (2) Shall, to the extent possible, minimize the impact on regular work force employees by sep- aration of all casuals; (3) Shall, to the extent possible, minimize the impact on full-time positions by reducing part- time flexible hours; (4) Shall, to the extent possible, minimize the impact on full-time positions by reducing over- time; (5) Shall identify as excess the necessary number of junior full-time employees in the salary level, craft, and occupational group affected on an installation-wide basis within the instal- lation; make reassignments of excess full-time employees who meet the minimum qualifica- tions for vacant assignments in other crafts in the same installation; involuntarily reassign them (except as provided for letter carriers and special delivery messengers and vehicle ser- vice employees in Section C.5.b below) in the same or lower level with seniority, whichever is the lesser of: (a) One day junior to the seniority of the junior full-time employee in the same level and craft or occupational group in the installation to which assigned, or (b) The seniority the employee had in the craft from which reassigned. (6) The employee shall be returned at the first opportunity to the craft from which reassigned. Article 12.5.C.5.a 44 (7) When returned, the employee retains seniority previously attained in the craft augmented by intervening employment in the other craft. (8) The right of election by a senior employee provided in paragraph b(3), below is not avail- able for this cross-craft reassignment within the installation. b. Reassignments to other installations after making reassignments within the installation: (1) Involuntarily reassign such excess full-time employees starting with the junior with their seniority for duty assignments to vacancies in the same or lower level in the same craft or occupational group in installations within 100 miles of the losing installation, or in more dis- tant installations if after consultation with the affected Union it is determined that it is nec- essary, the Postal Service will designate such installations for the reassignment of excess full- time employees. However: (a) Whenever full-time letter carrier routes, carrier technician or router assignments are transferred from one installation to another, the full-time letter carriers whose complete routes or assignments are transferred shall have the option of transferring with their routes or assignments, with their seniority. If a full-time letter carrier declines the option of transferring with the route or assignment, any qualified full-time letter carrier in the delivery unit may request, by seniority, to be reassigned with the route or assignment, with their seniority. The request of the senior qualified carrier shall be granted, and shall be counted in accordance with Article 12.3. (2) Involuntarily reassign full-time employees for whom consultation did not provide for placement under b(1) above in other crafts or occupational groups in which they meet minimum qualifica- Article 12.5.C.5.b.(2) 45 tions at the same or lower level with permanent seniority for duty assignments whichever is lesser of: (a) one day junior to the seniority of the junior full-time employee in the same level and craft or occupational group in the installation to which assigned, or (b) the seniority he/she had in the craft from which reassigned. (3) Any senior employee in the same craft or occu- pational group in the same installation may elect to be reassigned to the gaining installation and take the seniority of the senior full-time employee subject to involuntary reassignment. Such senior employees who accept reassign- ment to the gaining installation do not have retreat rights. (4) When two or more such vacancies are simulta- neously available, first choice of duty assign- ment shall go to the senior employee entitled by displacement from a discontinued installation to such placement. (5) A full-time employee shall have the option of changing to part-time flexible in the same craft or occupational group in lieu of involuntary reassignment. (6) Employees involuntarily reassigned under b(1) and (2) above, other than senior employees who elect to be reassigned in place of junior employees, shall be entitled at the time of such reassignment to file a written request to be returned to the first vacancy in the level, in the craft or occupational group in the installation from which reassigned, and such request shall be honored so long as the employee does not withdraw it or decline to accept an opportunity to return in accordance with such request. Article 12.5.C.5.b.(2) 46 6. Reserved 7. Reserved 8. Reserved D. Part-Time Regular Employees Part-time regular employees assigned in the craft units shall be considered to be in a separate category. All provisions of this Section apply to part-time regular employees within their own category. Section 6. Transfers A. Installation heads will consider requests for transfers submitted by employees from other installations. B. Providing a written request for a voluntary transfer has been submitted, a written acknowledgement shall be given in a timely manner. (Additional reassignment and probationary period provi- sions regarding City Carrier Assistant Employees are found in Appendix B.) [see Memos, pages 187-193] ARTICLE 13 ASSIGNMENT OF ILL OR INJURED REGULAR WORKFORCE EMPLOYEES Section 1. Introduction A. Part-time regular schedule employees assigned in the craft unit shall be considered to be in a separate category. All provisions of this Article apply to part-time regular schedule employees within their own category. B. The U.S. Postal Service and the Union recognizing their responsibility to aid and assist deserving full-time regular or part-time flexible employees who through ill