Effective immediately, Handbook F-21, Time and Attendance, Chapter 5, Rural Carrier Procedures, is revised to include updates to section 587.3 that provide proper timekeeping information for leave replacement training pay as outlined in this article. These changes are necessary to ensure compliance with the 2006–2010 USPS/NRLCA National Agreement.
These revisions will be incorporated into the next printed version of Handbook F-21.
Beginning December 3, 2007, pay period 25, a newly appointed rural carrier associate (RCA) will be paid the greater of the actual hours worked or the evaluation of the route(s) served (up to 40 hours) for the first five (5) pay periods of employment. There will be no special timekeeping procedures required by local offices to provide the appropriate compensation.
Also effective pay period (PP) 25 substitute rural carriers, rural carrier relief employees and rural carrier associates are eligible to receive training pay when completing service on a rural route which he/she has not served in the past twelve (12) months. The leave replacement (Designation 73, 75, or 78) will be paid the greater of the actual hours worked or the daily evaluation of the route (up to 40 hours) for the day.
Offices may complete PS Form 2240-R, Rural Pay or Leave Adjustment Request for PS Form 1314, to provide compensation to leave replacements who should have received training pay after December 3, 2007, and prior to this article, for serving a route which had not been served by the carrier in the past twelve (12) months.
Timekeeping procedures for electronic badge reader (EBR) offices will be included in the Rural Time and Attendance Collection System (RTACS) Training Guide.
Handbook F-21, Time and Attendance
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5 Rural Carrier Procedures
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580 Leave/Other
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587 Training
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587.3 Replacement Carrier
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[Revise 587.3 to read as follows:]
587.31 Newly Appointed Rural Carrier Associate
A newly appointed rural carrier associate (RCA) will be paid the higher of the two rates (evaluated hours versus actual hours) for each week for the first five pay periods of employment. The payroll system will automatically determine the greater of the two payments for each week. This change is effective PP25-2007.
587.32 Route Not Served in Past Twelve Months
When it has been determined that a substitute, rural carrier relief (RCR), or rural carrier associate (RCA) has not served a particular rural route in the past twelve (12) months, the carrier will be paid the greater of the actual hours worked or the daily evaluated hours of the route for 1 day.
The local office must determine if the actual hours worked is greater than the daily evaluated hours of the route. To determine the daily evaluation of the route, complete the appropriate calculation as follows:
A and H routes — divide the weekly evaluated hours by 6.
J route — divide the weekly evaluated hours by 5.5.
K route — divide the weekly evaluated hours by 5.
If the actual hours worked is greater than the daily evaluated hours of the route, the evaluated hours are entered on PS Form 1314 for the route served. Enter the number of hours over the evaluated hours on PS Form 1314-A, and route number A995 will be used to capture the additional time. (See Exhibit 587.32)
If the actual hours worked are less than the daily evaluated hours of the route, enter the work hours on PS Form 1314 only. No additional entries are necessary on PS Form 1314–A.
For auxiliary routes, if the actual work hours are greater than the daily evaluated hours, enter the evaluation on PS Form 1314-A for the auxiliary route and complete a second PS Form 1314-A, using route number A995 to capture the additional time.
Exhibit 587.32 Route Not Served in Past Twelve
Months
The rural carrier associate (RCA) worked on route J003, Monday and Tuesday, in week 1. The RCA has not served the route in the past twelve (12) months. The route is a 46–hour route.
Calculate the daily evaluation of the route. 46 ÷ 5.5 = 8.36 hours per day.
The RCA’s actual work hours for route J003 are 9.18 hours on Monday and 9.25 hours on Tuesday. The RCA is entitled to the greater of the actual hours for Monday only. On PS Form 1314 for route J003, add 8.36 hours for Monday and 9.25 hours for Tuesday, and enter the total hours for the week. 17.61 hours will be entered for week 1.
Prepare PS Form 1314-A with route number A995 and enter the difference between the actual work hours and the daily evaluated hours of the route for Monday (9.18 – 8.36 = .82). Enter 0082 on PS Form 1314-A for week 1. No entries are to be made for Equipment Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
Exhibit 587.32
We will incorporate these revisions into the next edition of Handbook F-21.
— Payroll Policy and Integration, Controller, 4-24-08
