mandatory hats!??

Knitting · Oct 25, 2025

EthelAnne said:
We're not letter carriers? News to me. Regardless, that section of the ELM states uniform headgear is at the option of that list of employees.

However, the next section, ELM 934.12, states: Wearing of the cap is mandatory for (a) casual employees, (b) new employees who are not required to wear a uniform during the first 90 days of their employment, and (c) all other employees who are authorized only a cap as a means of identifying them with the Postal Service. No substitute headgear may be worn by these employees.

Above that in the ELM it states

934.11

For the following employees, the wearing of uniform headgear is at the option of the employee:

Area maintenance technician/specialist.
Letterbox mechanic.
Letter carrier.
Motor vehicle operator, tractor trailer operator, driving instructor.
Ramp clerk and transfer clerk, AMF.
Clerk/special delivery messenger.

On the plus side, free hat.

gotstamps · Oct 25, 2025

Lyra said:
she said she will write us up if we don’t wear it lol

Follow orders AND file a grievance. Mgmt cannot tell Rural Craft what to wear, only the guidelines of what is appropriate.

Lyra · Oct 26, 2025

gotstamps said:
Follow orders AND file a grievance. Mgmt cannot tell Rural Craft what to wear, only the guidelines of what is appropriate.

I just submitted the second paperwork for the grievance.

Link · Oct 27, 2025

We got our hats friday as a surprise. PM said it was a treat did not mention that it was mandatory to take one or to wear them whatsoever

blamethesub · Oct 28, 2025

Lyra said:
I just submitted the second paperwork for the grievance.

In the meantime, there's nothing that says you have to wear the hat on your head. Clip it around a belt loop or your scanner holster and smile while your boss has a meltdown.

Wilco183 · Monday at 6:05 PM

I was talking with my carrier today and he said they had a stand up this AM. reference these hats. Summarizing the PM:
- Management and union have come to an agreement (wondering what now).
- PM will pass out hats with USPS logo after talk.
- Doesn't have to be worn.
- USPS wanted to make it such that if a hat is worn then it needed a USPS logo or was blank. Union said no and no it is agreed to.
- PM concluded by telling a carrier "so yes, you can wear your Notre Dame hat".

That's what I'm told anyway.

Dominator · Monday at 6:15 PM

Bill them 8127 time for the entire day for additional duties (carrying/wearing the hat is an additional physical exertion of force), then grieve and contact DOL-WHD when the money doesn't show.

City Craft Mantra: If you want to get rich, just follow their instructions.

Lyra · Friday at 10:12 AM

update win settlement on not mandatory

Dominator · Friday at 4:53 PM

Lyra said:
update win settlement on not mandatory

I'd grieve again arguing for management's failure to compensate during the period which wearing the hat was mandatory.

While local management was notified that carriers have discretionary authority over that directive (through the settlement) , if a ding to the pocketbook staves management from shooting future illegitimate orders from the hip, so be it.

The union may resist or play down this grievance or claim it's "untimely", but the settlement is a "new understanding", else, local management knew the rule the whole time when they issued the order and were feigning good faith, both in issuing the bad instruction and refusing to "resolve the issue at the lowest possible step" - another grievance.