Relief Day Work List

    When is the relief day work list established?

   1. During the two weeks immediately prior to the beginning of the guarantee period regular rural carriers desiring to work their relief days shall place their names on the relief day work list. This list is established by delivery unit.



    How long is the relief day work list valid?

    A.  The relief day work list is effective from the beginning of the guarantee period until the completion of the guarantee period. For the 2001 guarantee period the list will be valid from November 4, 2000 through November 2, 2001.



     Are there any occasions where a carrier may place their name on the relief day work list other than during the two weeks prior to the beginning of each guarantee period?

    A.  No. Regular carriers may place their names on the list only during the two weeks prior to the beginning of each guarantee period. There is no exception for newly appointed regular carriers.


   Can a carrier remove their name from the relief day work list?

    A.  Yes. The carrier may remove his or her name from the list and it will remain off the list until the end of the guarantee period. Two weeks prior to the beginning of the next guarantee period, the carrier will have the opportunity to place his or her name on the new list.



  If a carrier is on the relief day work list and is selected to work a relief day, does carrier have the option of removing his or her name from the list and thereby, avoid working the relief day?

    A.  The carrier may remove his or her name from the relief day work list at anytime. The carrier will no longer be selected to work a relief day once the name is removed from the list. However, if the carrier has been selected to work a relief day prior to removing his or her name, the carrier must work that scheduled relief day.



   If a carrier is on the relief day work list and is selected to work a relief day, can the carrier decline to work the relief day?

    A.  No, a carrier’s name on the relief day work list means that he or she is ready and willing to work any relief day needed.



   Are there any occasions where a regular rural carrier may be scheduled to work a relief day on other than his or her regular route?

    A.  No.



     When the needs of the service require, a regular rural carrier may be required to work on his or her scheduled relief day as an auxiliary assistant during the Christmas period. Must management use those regular rural carriers on the relief day work list to fill this need during the Christmas period?

    A.  No. There is no requirement for management to utilize the relief day work list when requiring a regular carrier to work the relief day as an auxiliary assistant during the Christmas period.



    Is it possible for a delivery unit to have a relief day work list of 5 regular carriers and the same carrier is selected to work on each occasion?

    A.  Yes, if the selected carrier is the only carrier with the relief day needed.



    If there is a need to work a regular carrier on the relief day due to an unscheduled absence, is management required to call a regular carrier on the relief day work list who is at home, to report to work?

    A.  Yes, if that carrier is next on the list in the proper rotation and the carrier is not on authorized leave. In addition, when carriers on the relief day work list and volunteers are not available, management may call carriers not on the relief day work list at home, to report to work.



   Can management bypass a regular carrier on the relief day work list if he or she is next in the rotation?

    A.  Yes. Management may bypass any regular carrier on the list if the carrier is unable to fully perform the duties of the route, or if working the relief day will cause the carrier to exceed the annual guarantee or fifty-six (56) hours in one (1) workweek.



   Can management bypass a regular carrier not on the relief day work list when requiring by juniority?

    A.  Yes. Management may bypass a more junior regular carrier if the carrier is unable to fully perform the duties of the route, or if working the relief day will cause the carrier to exceed the annual guarantee or fifty-six (56) hours in one (1) workweek.



   Can a carrier on the relief day work list defer to a junior carrier when selected to work the relief day?

    A.  No. A carrier on the relief day work list who is selected to work must work the relief day unless they are unavailable due to an authorized absence.



    If management requires the junior regular carrier not on the list to work a relief day, does management bypass him or her on the next occasion and require the next senior carrier to work the relief day?

    A.  No. The junior carrier not on the list with the needed relief day will be required to work the relief day on each occasion. Management may only bypass the junior carrier if the carrier is unable to fully perform the duties of the route, or if working the relief day will cause the carrier to exceed the annual guarantee or 56 hours in 1 workweek



    How is "administrative error" defined in Article 8.5.B?

    A.  An administrative error is defined as an "honest mistake or error", a misunderstanding.



   Are there means for correcting a situation where management made an administrative error in the selection of a regular rural carrier to work a relief day?

    A.  Yes, it would be appropriate to provide the regular rural carrier on the list that was bypassed, a "make-up" opportunity to work a relief day the next occasion a regular carrier is needed on his or her relief day.

 

   Which route will the leave replacement serve when the regular carrier on the route to which the leave replacement is assigned has now been scheduled to work the relief day?

    A.  The leave replacement may be required to work any route in the delivery unit.



   Can a leave replacement be scheduled to work a route on which they are not qualified as a result of the regular carrier working the relief day?

      A. Yes. The leave replacement may be required to work any route in the delivery unit, even if they have not worked the route previously. However, if the leave replacement is not qualified on the route needing coverage, management may change the daily assignment of one or more leave replacements to routes on which they are qualified. A leave replacement may not be moved off the scheduled route if they are working the primary assignment or six-day auxiliary assignment.



Q. If I signed up on the RWDL during the contractually provided time and have since bid to another route in a different branch, annex, station, etc., than the one I was in at the time, am I eligible to have my name on the RWDL in my new delivery unit?  (These delivery units are one office and under the control of one postmaster.)

    A. The intent of the parties in Article 8.5.A. of the one-year extension to the 1995-1999 National Agreement is that the carrier is placed on the RWDL in the relocated branch, annex or station, provided the route has a relief day.



Q. What if I bid on a district-wide posting and I am awarded a route in a different post office.  Am I also eligible to be placed on the RWDL list in the newly located post office?

    A. Yes.  The intent of the parties extended to those relocating to another post office. (Ref: NRLCA Mag. 12/09/00)



Q.  Are regular rural carriers assigned to routes that are classified as "H" during the two-week sign-up period for the relief day work list (RDWL), permitted to sign the list?

    A.  A rural carrier assigned to an H route is not permitted to sign the relief day work list during the two week period immediately prior to the beginning of each guarantee period, unless the route will have an assigned relief day effective at the beginning of the guarantee period.  An exception also applies to carriers assigned to seasonal routes that are classified as H routes during the two-week sign-up period and will change to J or K routes during the high season.  These carriers will be permitted to sign the relief day work list.


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