Case Testing Parcel Instructions

CurrentResident · Feb 22, 2018

I'm in possession of 2 separate emails from district level thanks to a clerk who thought they were instructions for carriers. In both emails counters are reminded that "case testing is done with only raw letters and flats in the case. Case testing is to be done one piece at a time ( example; case test one piece, determine credit, remove, case test the next piece)."

First- last count I case tested with ALL mail, including DPS because casing DPS is my standard practice. The counter had a bird, but I was backed up by whoever she called to question my casing of DPS. The quoted instructions above specify raw letters and flats, however the actual count guide says "any non-rigid article that does not fit in the letter or flat separations (where flat separations are used) with OTHER MAIL is considered a parcel." It doesn't say just raw letters and flats. Any other reference to back me up on this would be appreciated.

Second- Case testing one piece at a time? This goes directly against what we were told at count training. It seems a no brainer that if you case it and find out its not a parcel then it is a letter or a flat. At that point it's just mail and shouldn't be removed. This is from an email that was sent to every POOM, Postmaster, OIC and clerk in my district.

oi veh. · Feb 22, 2018

And you are passing it on to your DR, correct?

Deer Smearer · Feb 23, 2018

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote">
<strong>Lady Carrier said </strong>
I've been thru several counts. The best way to do this is to case everything you can, then right before marking parcels or pulling down ask the counter to come show you how to case all the items you were not able to case. Like the 4 Uline catalogs for a business with only a 2 inch slot that already has 20 letters and 5 flats. If they can show you how to get all 4 in that slot with the mail without removing or damaging any then you have learned something, if not they just proved to themselves that those will be carried and counted as parcels. If they want to remove the letters and flats, hand them a rubber band so that will be bundled and called a parcel, then case a catalog, remove and call parcel and continue on.

It seems that there are too many people that won't LISTEN they hear something being said but don't actually LISTEN and understand. Those people have to be shown examples.

</blockquote>
U lines are flats. If a customer gets 20 it's 20 flats. If they came wrapped as a firm bundle then it would be a parcel.

Page 16-17 of 2016 mailcount guide or page 18 of the 2018 guide.

"Catalogs are counted as flats if they will fit into the empty separation to which they are addressed...."

MiddleOfNowhere · Feb 24, 2018

last night i found a step 4 grievance from 11-28-80. r8-c-0108/c8r4c19357 - decision regarding catalogs that ended -

if a catalog will fit into an empty separation, all like catalogs for that size separation will be counted as flats, regardless of the fact that more than one catalog must be cased into that separation, and regardless of the number of families or deliveries in that particular separation. if a catalog will not fit into an empty separation because of size, then all like catalogs for that size separation will be counted as parcels.

a different standard than the average non-rigid article. this was in the knowledge base here for supporting mailcount documents.

Deer Smearer · Feb 24, 2018

<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>MiddleOfNowhere said </strong>
last night i found a step 4 grievance from 11-28-80. r8-c-0108/c8r4c19357 - decision regarding catalogs that ended -

if a catalog will fit into an empty separation, all like catalogs for that size separation will be counted as flats, regardless of the fact that more than one catalog must be cased into that separation, and regardless of the number of families or deliveries in that particular separation. if a catalog will not fit into an empty separation because of size, then all like catalogs for that size separation will be counted as parcels.

a different standard than the average non-rigid article. this was in the knowledge base here for supporting mailcount documents. </blockquote>
That's what I mentioned earlier.

There are 2 items to help carriers understand mail count issues.

First, the mail count guide. Second, the mail count supporting documents.

When the guide gives an example it references the page in the supporting documents citing cases that are relevant.

btdtret · Feb 24, 2018

M-O-N et al -- "if a catalog will fit into an empty separation, all like catalogs for that size separation will be counted as flats.."

-- That was another of my pet peeves during count.

-- Always wanted to tell manglement that the catalog would be delivered to the slot where it fit!