DonKarnage28 -- " There is a regular who is retiring in two weeks."
-- Check out Article 12.2.B.3 -- Rural Carrier Posting -- of the contract.
-- For starters, an RCA needs to have 1 year of continuous service before being able to participate in the bidding process.
-- Manglement is supposed to post a route within 30 days of the route becoming vacant. The key word is "vacant" which means the regular rural carrier is no longer on the USPS employment rolls. Just because the regular carrier is not longer in the office, the carrier could be burning up annual and or sick leave.
-- Another fly in the ointment is the route could be considered for consolidation, adjustment, or conversion. In that case, once manglement notifies the union, there could be a 60 day extension before the route posted for bidding.
-- In a perfect world, the process would got something like this:
- the route is posted within 30 days of it becoming vacant.
- the route is posted for 10 days.
- the route is awarded within 10 days.
- the awardee is placed on the route within 21 days. If the placement is in December, manglement could extend the placement into January, but not beyond the first full pay period.
- placement is usually done on the first day of a new pay period.
-- One additional fly -- if there is an excessed regular carrier within 100 miles ( or possibly further ), that carrier could get the route.
"How long does it take me to become regular?"
-- IF you are the successful bidder on the route, you become a regular rural carrier the day you are placed on the route.
-- Used to be a few says for orientation at District to go over the paper work, but these days you will get a binder via the mails - probably will phone number(s) to call if there are questions.
"Any tips on Bidding?"
-- Consensus is to "bid all".
-- There is a Power Point presentation on the e-bidding process ( search for "bidding presentation" in RI's KNOWLEDGEBASE Section at the top of the page ) Study it.
-- Be sure to print out or at least take a screen shot of your confirmation number.
-- Don't believe any talk ( rumors ) in the office regarding who is / might / will / won't be bidding on which ever route.
