Substitutes and Rural Carrier Associates (RCA’s) serving a vacant regular route or in the extended absence of a regular carrier, convert to a Leave Earning status after 90 calendar days. On the 91^st day a PS Form 50 Personnel Action needs to be initiated converting the employee from Des/Act 73 or 78 to 74.

Rural Carrier Associates (RCA’s) assigned to an auxiliary route shall earn leave benefits based on the number of hours worked, when serving the auxiliary route in excess of 90 days. On the 91^st day a PS Form 50 Personnel Action needs to be initiated converting the employee from Des/Act 78 to 79.  [See: Q&A]

Establish a procedure the RCA may use to notify or remind management to initiate Form 50, one week prior to 91^st day of the assignment.

• {Suggestion: Print a copy of the Personnel Actions Request Form when you first "assign" an RCA to an Auxiliary route.  Fill out the top portion and the start date and calculate the calendar date for day 91.  Have the RCA keep a copy of this and ask them to help remind you to mail this in to the Personnel Office one week prior to 91st day.}

Upon conversion of an auxiliary route to regular status, if a DES/ACT 79-0 is assigned to the route, Human Resources must process a Form 50, converting the assigned carrier to a DES/ACT 78-0. Any accumulated annual leave will be paid as a lump sum payment. Sick leave will remain in the employee’s sick leave account at the data center for a maximum period of 3 years. Although the carrier may have a sick leave balance, it may not appear on the employee’s earning statement.