i got put on deems list for calling in one time in nine months. Just happened it was the day after labor day. Another carrier in office seems to be taking sick days whenever he accumulates one. Is there a way I can tell if he has been added to the deems list? would seem to be disparate treatment if not?
There is no "Deems" list for rural carriers. That is a city carrier thing.
Upper managers require lower managers to lessen the use of sick days, so they lie. "YOU ARE ON THE DEEMS DESIREABLE LIST", they say, hoping that will scare you into not using anymore sick days until you die or resign/retire.
The only thing they can do to rurals is place them on the "Restricted sick leave" list as Neciat mentioned above. To do that they have to meet with you quarterly and show a reason why they believe you should be on that list after having 2 quarters of problematic sick leave use, and then put that in writing. Which you can grieve.
When they tell you that you are on such a list, ask to see that list. It doesn't exist for rurals. Then ask to see the consequences of a rural carrier being on such a list, because, "I can't find it in my copy of my contract".
Here's how I avoid any problems with my use of sick leave.
When I believe I am feeling unwell, I put in a sick leave request the day before. This way you are placing them on notice that you will be sick, therefore it is SCHEDULED sick leave and they don't get emails from upper management and there is nothing they can do to you. Yes there is the occasional time you wake up sick and have to call in, but that is rare and rare occasions can't be disciplined.
Here's how you know if you manager is lying to you. There is no contractual backing for their statement and no postal regulation either. I've used this method with managers all the way up to district managers. Each one had to agree that no documentation exists to back up their claim and withdrew the order they were attempting to make.