Procedure for notifying RCA
- Thread starter Omcba92
- Start date
DB.Cooper
Well-known member
I seldom ever call a sub.... I let mngt know when I need off, then they decide who's working.... scheduling is a mngt function.... not in the Reg Carrier job description....
Sometimes I'll mention to the primary sub on my route when I'll be off, just as a courtesy heads up to them..... but, not my job to schedule them.... ?
Omcba92
Member
That was my understanding as well.I seldom ever call a sub.... I let mngt know when I need off, then they decide who's working.... scheduling is a mngt function.... not in the Reg Carrier job description....
Sometimes I'll mention to the primary sub on my route when I'll be off, just as a courtesy heads up to them..... but, not my job to schedule them.... ?
DB.Cooper
Well-known member
Crazy thing is tho.... sometimes when I notify mngt, they'll ask if I've let "my" sub know yet... ?
Omcba92 -- "What is the correct procedure to notifying RCA of unscheduled absent day?"
-- That is part of manglement's job description.
-- However #1 -- giving the RCA a head's up call can go far in a working relationship.
-- However #2 -- not all post offices get notices regarding unscheduled absences.
-- As in "BD.Cooper's" post, if manglement says that to you - smile and say "No, since you do the scheduling, that is your job."
-- That is part of manglement's job description.
-- However #1 -- giving the RCA a head's up call can go far in a working relationship.
-- However #2 -- not all post offices get notices regarding unscheduled absences.
-- As in "BD.Cooper's" post, if manglement says that to you - smile and say "No, since you do the scheduling, that is your job."
I keep a calendar at the case.
I outline any annual leave in bright marker and put an "A" in the square. Then I tell my sub, in person, or by text if he's not in the office.
My sub can always double check my calendar if he forgets.
He's awesome.
I'm not required to tell him, I just think he deserves a heads up.
The carrier that trained me would give me a list of each day he was taking off for the year, once a year. I'm not that organized.
I outline any annual leave in bright marker and put an "A" in the square. Then I tell my sub, in person, or by text if he's not in the office.
My sub can always double check my calendar if he forgets.
He's awesome.
I'm not required to tell him, I just think he deserves a heads up.
The carrier that trained me would give me a list of each day he was taking off for the year, once a year. I'm not that organized.
your the kind of reg i could work well with ....my first reg would let me know way ahead of time and she would text and remind me too.she retired .........then i got one that didn't bother to let me know when she took off so i took off too another route.
You sound like my primary I love it as a sub. It’s the only for sure schedule I can ever go by. Thank you and all the others who give a sub a heads up.
Good for you. The person who I subbed for (approx 5 yrs) would never tell me, after awhile, I kinda knew, very rude.
For our poor subs, everything is "subject to change," as it says on the bottom of the schedule. Someone may think they're on a certain route, then someone calls out sick and the sub is moved to a different route. I give them so much credit, they've all really learned to roll with whatever happens. Thank God, we've got a good group of subs right now--wish we had more! I hope they stick around!!
Boondocksaint
Member
I used to let my subs know my annual days in advance, and call/text them I was sick can they go in. After so many I cant make it/do it times. I said screw it. Its not my job to find my replacement, management can figure it out. So whether subs know or not is not my problem. Plus I put my annual leave in usually a month in advance, so if management lets them know the day before, it makes them look bad knowing they could've let the sub know days/weeks in advance.
DB.Cooper
Well-known member
Yes, as you said.... and some subs try to schedule stuff on days they don't wanna work ... and, sometimes mngt has plans to switch them around or loan them out to other offices.... so for all those reasons, it's not my job.... I might mention I'll be off, or maybe not.... ?
This is how it should especially for those who are in office with plenty of subs. This is how it should be in smaller office. Some of you who work in huge office shouldn't worry about who is subbing, but in our smaller office they should.
We RCA have a life too. One thing that drives me bockers is when a regular takes off and just doesn't bother to ask me if I have anything planned or what not especially in our small office.
This past year from April to like August I was the only RCA in my office of 5 routes (4K and 1J) and an aux route (I don't considered him an RCA since it is route he worked 6 days a week).
Well everyone was great about asking me about working days they needed off besides one. I don't care about working all the time, but with me being only RCA, it would be kind to ask me before writing down on leave slip (Our office makes you write down who is working for you so that they know and can contact them if they don't) that I was working when I had plans already made and then you decided at 5pm to call off the next day. He continuously kept doing this too without asking me. I finally went off and told supervisor next time he turns slip in writing me down as working and not giving me any notice, I'm just not showing up.
I have taken over the Aux route, so the Saturdays, I am working the AUX and his route since he got surgery on the 18th (could be grievance since over 12 hours evaluated (13.2 evaluated), but I don't mind working them here and there in cases of emergency since I can get them done in about 10-11.5 hours. What happened? He decide to take off Thursday through Saturday before the surgery.
I told supervisor next time he does that, I'm filing grievance (He will hate me for doing that but I'm tired of being taken advantage of) and he will be working it. I also mention that his leave should have never been approved. He could take Thursday and Friday off no problem, but there was no available to work Saturday til they decide to screw me into it like normal. I had plans on Saturday already and got screwed over into working a double when it wasn't planned. The grievance would be over worrking over 12 evaluated hours (together my Aux 4.33 and his route 8.8) is almost 13.2 hours evaluted.
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It is management's job to schedule, not the regular carrier's. Management is to inform you if you're working. You absolutely have no grievance about a regular carrier not informing you of your schedule. Many will give you a heads up about taking a day off. Many will not because they are not required to. You do not get to decide when someone takes a day off. Management must grant leave according to the carrier's wishes. Carriers should not be writing down who is covering for them. Scheduling is management's job and only management.
The grievance wouldn't be over that. It is over being scheduled to work over 12 hours evaluated time and giving a regular a day off that he shouldn't have been able to take off. Our office currently has 3 RCA including me working the Aux route. So when he put in for Thursday through Saturday, no RCA was able to work it. My Aux route is 4.33+ his 8.8 is well over evaluated time I can work. All other RCA work 8-9 hours routes on Saturday. I don't have an issue working two routes on a Saturday (#1 If I know well ahead of time so I don't plan on anything, which I had plans made on for the Saturday he took off and I got screwed & #2 ONLY IN CASES OF EMERGENCY, not just I want off because I want it.) I'm sick of getting taken advantage of on this BS. I.E. His previous sick was feeling sick and went and got COVID tested on Saturday so I said I would work a double since it was an emergency. That's different than I just want it off because I want off (That's not emergency & no RCA is able to work).
I have zero issues working a double route in emergency (I.E. With him getting surgery, I have ZERO ISSUE because I know what to expect when he had surgery) but he took off the weekend before his surgery because he wanted it and got it (took advantage of me because he knows they will force me to work a double WHEN THERE WAS NO RCA THAT COULD WORK to that Saturday) so I got forced into working a double (again this is 13+ hours evaluated between the 2 routes). He can't take it off if no RCA is available.
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Defiant
Well-known member
I've had it both ways subbing for 2 different regulars. The first one hardly ever took time off, except for one big chunk, so if they had an unexpected request they would always shoot me a text to make sure I was good. The second one uses time liberally and on a whim so they let the pm check availability. Either one works for me. Somebody has to make sure you can cover it, who cares who it is?
Voglio-il mio
Well-known member
I have a calendar hanging on my case that I write all planned days off on. My RCA has been informed of this and keeps an eye on it so that if he is not available he will put a leave slip in to be off also, therefore pushing my coverage to a secondary RCA!
I have never called the RCA assigned to my route for planned time off or the above reason. I also don't know whom else in the office may have requested the same time off and where management will be using staff to cover leave. Its up to them and the matrix to resolve that!
I would be concerned that if I called my RCA to come in to cover for me, when he was already planned by management to be coverage somewhere else, it would screw things up which may result being short coverage for a route somewhere in the office!
Bottom line that's why they make the big bucks, let them make that call!
I have never called the RCA assigned to my route for planned time off or the above reason. I also don't know whom else in the office may have requested the same time off and where management will be using staff to cover leave. Its up to them and the matrix to resolve that!
I would be concerned that if I called my RCA to come in to cover for me, when he was already planned by management to be coverage somewhere else, it would screw things up which may result being short coverage for a route somewhere in the office!
Bottom line that's why they make the big bucks, let them make that call!
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