Crzyruralgrl -- " New RCA here and should’ve received my first check last Friday 6-26 but nope that didn’t happen. Paystub shows $0.00 and my direct deposit was $0.00."
-- That $00.00 certainly creates a vacuum!
-- When pay issues arise, get in touch with your Assistant District Representative ( ADR ) even if you have an office steward.
" Talked to my PO and they said it was delayed because I wasn’t in the system to submit my time and that I would get paid. "
-- May or may not be true. Manglement enters pay data into the computer - so they were unaware you were assigned and working at your post office? Did you ask specifically when you would be paid?
-- On manglement's side, Covid-19 has messed up a lot of things.
" Add to the dilemma that my car wasn’t big enough to deliver out of so I had to purchase another vehicle last week ."
-- Did manglement give you a direct order to get a large vehicle? What was your original delivery vehicle? Any other POV routes directed to get a larger vehicle?
-- Section 141.2 of the PO-603: Your personal vehicle must be large enough to accommodate the NORMAL MAIL VOLUME and constructed to to protect the mail from loss or damage.
- Politely ask manglement just what entails "normal mail volume" ( these days ).
- In the meantime, ask your regular for a copy of the last 4241-M and or 4241. That will give an average for the number of parcel during mail count, which can sometimes considered by manglement as the "normal mail volume". Hopefully you and the regular have been noting the number of parcels on the 4240 on a daily basis.
-- Any LLV routes in your office? Are they making second trips? If so, has the USPS arranged to get larger vehicles for those routes? If not - a long-shot grievance could be for disparate treatment.
"I’ve made it pretty clear that either I get some money or they have to put me in an LLV until it comes in."
-- Unfortunately that could also mean that manglement will just not schedule you until some money begins to flow in from somewhere.
-- Good luck.
-- As noted by others, manglement has the means get you an Employee Emergency Salary Issuance. Tell the PM to look in handbook F-21, Section 23.3. Hint that the PM might also want to check the Postmaster/Field Guide ( for things he may be unaware of ).
-- Unfortunately, USPS pay checks don't get generated every day - just every two weeks.
-- The $00.00 pay check may also mess up you TSP contribution as well as rural carrier related insurances.
-- As "RDRuckus" mentioned, once you get an advance, the USPS wants it back, like yesterday so will be taking a greater interest in the accuracy of your pay check. Of course that means special attention to the person entering you pay data - your PM!
-- Have you checked into the unemployment office in your neck of the woods for possible benefits?