AGREEMENT between the United States Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association 2015–2018 Handbook EL-902 PSN 7610-01-000-9092 AGREEMENT between the United States Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association 2015–2018 Handbook EL-902 TABLE OF CONTENTS Article Page 1. UNION RECOGNITION . 1 1. Union . 1 A. Recognition . 1 B. Terms . 1 2. Exclusion . 1 3. Facility Exclusions. 1 4. Definition . 2 5. New Positions . 2 6. Performance of Bargaining Unit Work . 2 A. More than 100 Bargaining Unit Employees. 2 B. Less than 100 Bargaining Unit Employees . 2 2. NON-DISCRIMINATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS . 3 1. Statement of Principle. 3 2. Discrimination Grievances. 3 3. MANAGEMENT RIGHTS . 3 4. TECHNOLOGICAL AND MECHANIZATION CHANGES . 4 1. Statement of Principle. 4 2. Advance Notice. 4 3. Resolution of Differences . 4 4. New Jobs . 4 5. PROHIBITION OF UNILATERAL ACTION . 5 6. NO LAYOFFS OR REDUCTION IN FORCE. 5 7. EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATIONS . 5 1. Career Employees. 5 A. Regular Carriers (Designation Code 71) . 5 B. Part-time Flexible Rural Carriers (Designation Code 76). 6 i 2. Substitute Rural Carriers, Rural Carrier Associates, Rural Carrier Reliefs, and Assistant Rural Carriers. 6 A. Substitute Rural Carriers (Designation Code 73) . 6 B. Substitute Rural Carriers (Designation Code 72) . 6 C. Rural Carrier Associates (RCAs) (Designation Code 78) . 6 D. Rural Carrier Associates (RCAs) (Designation Code 74) . 6 E. Rural Carrier Associates (RCAs) (Designation Code 79) . 6 F. Rural Carrier Reliefs (RCRs) (Designation Code 75) . 7 G. Assistant Rural Carriers (ARCs) (Designation Code 70-5). 7 3. Auxiliary Rural Carriers (Designation Code 77) . 7 8. HOURS OF WORK . 7 1. Work Week . 7 2. Work Schedules . 7 3. Hourly Basis . 7 A. Straight Time Rate . 7 B. Overtime Rate. 8 4. Guarantees . 8 5. Relief Day Worked . 8 6. Wash-up Time . 9 7. Changes in Number of Delivery Days. 10 9. COMPENSATION, SALARIES, AND WAGES. 10 1. Salaries and Wages. 10 A. Basic Annual Salary . 10 B. New Regular Carrier Appointees . 11 C. Part-time Flexible Rural Carrier Appointees . 12 D. Granting Step Increases. 12 E. Cost-of-Living Adjustment . 13 F. Roll-In of Existing COLA. 15 G. Application of Salary Rates . 15 ii H. Protected Salary Rates . 15 I. New Rural Carrier Associates and Assistant Rural Carriers. 15 2. Compensation, Allowance, and Fees . 15 A. Compensation Pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) . 15 1. FLSA Section 7(b)(2) . 15 2. FLSA Section 7(a) . 21 B. Rural Carrier Schedule . 22 C. Evaluated Compensation . 23 1. Definition . 23 2. Evaluated Compensation . 23 3. Mail Counts . 24 4. Centralized Delivery. 25 5. Relief Days . 25 6. Route Classification . 30 7. Classification Options and Reviews . 32 8. Overburdened Routes. 34 9. Changes in Compensation . 35 10. Substantial Service Changes . 35 11. Special Counts . 36 12. Seasonal Route . 36 13. Temporary Route Deviations. 37 14. Recurring Work Duties . 37 15. Administrative Errors . 38 D. L Route Compensation . 38 E. Compensation for Part-time Flexible Rural Carriers . 38 F. Compensation for Substitute Rural Carriers . 39 G. Substitute Rural Carrier on Vacant Route or on Route Where Carrier is on Extended Leave. 40 H. Compensation for Auxiliary Rural Carriers . 40 I. Compensation for Rural Carrier Associates and Rural Carrier Relief Employees . 41 J. Equipment Maintenance Allowance . 41 1. General Policy . 41 iii 2. Vehicle Equipment . 42 3. Rate of EMA . 42 4. Special EMA Chart . 43 5. Auxiliary Assistance and Auxiliary Rural Carriers . 43 6. Temporary Deviations. 44 K. Christmas Allowances and Procedures . 44 L. Pouch Mail . 47 M. Training Pay . 48 N. Training Presentations . 49 10. LEAVE. 49 1. Leave Funding . 49 2. Annual Leave . 49 A. Minimum Units and Availability of Leave Replacements. 49 B. Forfeiting Leave . 50 C. Approved Leave . 50 3. Sick Leave . 50 4. Saturday Leave. 50 5. Leave for Substitutes and Rural Carrier Associates . 51 6. Leave for Part-time Flexible Rural Carriers and Auxiliary Carriers . 52 11. HOLIDAYS . 52 1. Holidays Observed . 52 2. Payment . 52 3. Part-time Flexible Rural Carriers, Substitute and Auxiliary Carriers . 53 12. PRINCIPLES OF SENIORITY, POSTING, AND REASSIGNMENT . 53 1. Probationary Period . 53 A. Statement of Principle . 53 B. Falsification of Employment Application . 54 C. Completion of Probationary Period . 54 D. Reemployment . 54 2. Rural Carrier Seniority . 54 A. Accruing Seniority . 54 iv B. Breaking Ties. 55 1. Regular Rural Carriers . 55 2. Part-time Flexible Rural Carriers . 55 3. Substitutes, Rural Carrier Associates and Rural Carrier Reliefs . 56 C. Relative Seniority Upon Reassignment. 58 3. Rural Carrier Posting . 59 A. Posting Requirements. 59 B. Local Posting and Bidding of Regular Rural Routes . 61 C. Awarding a Vacant Route . 63 D. District Posting and Awarding. 65 E. Other Requirements to Fill a Vacant Regular Route . 67 4. Rural Carrier Temporary Reassignments . 68 5. Rural Carrier Reassignments. 69 A. General Reassignments . 69 B. Route Consolidations . 71 C. Retreat Rights . 73 D. Reverting to a Part-time Flexible Rural Carrier in Lieu of Reassignment . 74 13. ASSIGNMENT OF ILL OR INJURED EMPLOYEES . 74 1. Assistance for Employees. 74 2. Federal Employees’ Compensation Act . 74 3. No Light Duty Assignments. 74 14. SAFETY AND HEALTH . ..