1. In offices where it becomes necessary to change the relief day of one or more regular routes in accordance with Article 9, Section 2, Subsection C.5.b., all auxiliary routes will be six-day assignments. Those substitutes, RCAs, and RCRs assigned to auxiliary routes and continuing to serve as the primary leave replacement on the assigned regular route, must make an election to serve the auxiliary route six days per week or to relinquish the auxiliary route and serve as a leave replacement. This election must be effective within 30 days of the date on which the Employer implements the formula outlined in Article 9.2.C.5.b. (Analysis)a. If the employee elects to continue to serve as the leave replacement on the assigned regular route, the auxiliary route will be filled in accordance with Article 30, Section 2, Subsection G.2.
b. If the employee elects to serve the auxiliary route six days per week, any relinquished leave replacement assignment shall be filled in accordance with Article 30, Section 2, Subsection E.1. The residual leave replacement vacancy shall be filled by a temporary relief carrier.c. If the employee elects to serve the auxiliary route six days per week, the employee will not serve on any other auxiliary route or as a leave replacement on any regular route.
d. The employee assigned to an auxiliary route may accept a subsequent leave replacement vacancy in accordance with Article 30, Section 2, Subsection E. However, upon accepting another leave replacement assignment, the employee will relinquish the auxiliary route.
2. When an auxiliary route is to be filled, the route will be offered to qualified substitutes, rural carrier associates, and rural carrier relief employees in the order of the longest continuous period of service at that office, without regard to classification. (Analysis)
3. In offices that have changed the relief days of one or more regular routes in accordance with Article 9, Section 2, Subsection C.5.b., upon accepting an auxiliary route assignment, the employee must relinquish the leave replacement assignment and serve on the auxiliary route six days per week. The relinquished leave replacement assignment shall be filled in accordance with Article 30, Section 2, Subsection E.1. If the residual leave replacement vacancy is not assigned to a part-time flexible rural carrier, it shall be filled by a temporary relief carrier.
4. In offices that have not changed the relief days of one or more regular routes in accordance with Article 9, Section 2, Subsection C.5.b., upon accepting an auxiliary route assignment, the employee must make an election to serve the auxiliary route six days per week or continue to serve the auxiliary route and only on the assigned regular route as the primary leave replacement. An employee serving the auxiliary route and serving on the assigned regular route as the primary leave replacement may subsequently elect to serve the auxiliary route six days, if mutually agreeable between the carrier and the installation head. Upon this election, Article 30, Section 2, Subsection G.1.b. and c. will apply. An employee serving the auxiliary route six days may accept a subsequent leave replacement vacancy in accordance with Article 30, Section 2, Subsection E. However, upon accepting a leave replacement vacancy, the employee will only serve on the assigned auxiliary route and as the primary leave replacement on the assigned regular route. (Analysis) also See: TRCs Assigned to an Auxiliary Route (pdf file, Labor Relations).
5. When the leave replacement assigned to serve the auxiliary route is unavailable, the Employer may require a part-time flexible rural carrier to serve the route or the assignment shall be offered to other substitutes, rural carrier associates, and rural carrier relief employees in the office in the order of the longest period of continuous service in that office without regard to classification. If there are none available, the Employer shall select a temporary relief carrier or another qualified person to serve the auxiliary route.
6. When an auxiliary route is created in part or in whole from territory formerly served by another post office and no substitute, rural carrier associate, or rural carrier relief employee is available in the office from which the auxiliary route emanates, the route will be offered to the substitute, rural carrier associate, or rural carrier relief employee in the office from which the territory was taken in accordance with Article 30.2.G.2. The substitute, rural carrier associate, or rural carrier relief employee shall then be transferred to the new office where the auxiliary route was created.
7. When a substitute, rural carrier associate, or rural carrier relief employee is assigned to an auxiliary route and the employee’s assigned regular route becomes vacant or the regular carrier is on extended absence, the employee must elect either the auxiliary route assignment or the assignment on the regular route. If the employee elects to serve full-time on the assigned regular route, the election shall not be effective until (and may be revoked by the employee prior to) the 91st day of the employee’s full-time regular route assignment, at which time the auxiliary route assignment shall be relinquished and then offered to other employees in accordance with Article 30.2.G.2.
If the employee elects to continue to serve on the auxiliary route rather than serve full-time on the regular route, (or revokes an election to serve full-time on the regular route prior to the effective date), the employee shall relinquish the primary leave replacement assignment at the end of the next full pay period, and the leave replacement vacancy shall be offered to other employees in accordance with Article 30, Section 2, Subsection E. Upon relinquishing the primary leave replacement assignment, the employee shall accept another primary leave replacement vacancy in accordance with Article 30, Section 2, Subsection E, or, if none is available, shall work the auxiliary route full-time in accordance with Article 30, Section 2, Subsection G.4. If the office subsequently reassigns relief days in accordance with Article 9, Section 2, Subsection C.5.b, the employee will be required to serve the auxiliary route full-time.