After just getting my job as an RCA, my wife and I have been going crazy trying to figure out child care that would work for us. We've finally realized that there will be approx. 6 days a month that I will not be available to be called in. Is this going to be an issue? Should I be forthcoming about this with my PM?
Rules for availability
- Thread starter Zezera
- Start date
Zerera -- " [ about ] 6 days a month that I will not be available to be called in. Is this going to be an issue? "
-- Approach the PM with this information - soon!. Better to do it in advance, before an "event" happens. Some PM's will "work" with an RCA to accommodate such an issue while other PM's will not.
-- It is something that should have been mentioned / brought up during the interview process.
-- No real hard and fast rules about "availability". Manglement expects RCA's to sit by the phone all day -- just in case. Not required to do so.
-- Some accommodating offices have an agreement of 9:30 or 10:00 o'clock as a "cut off" time. But one never knows when a situation will arise that needs to have an RCA called in, if none of the RCA's already in are available to assist.
-- Page 50 of the contract: "repeated unavailability for work" constitutes just cause for removal. ( "repeated" does not have a numerical value )
-- Section 665.41 of the ELM ( Employee Labor Management Manual ): Requirement of Regular Attendance -- Employees are required to be regular in attendance. Failure to be regular is attendance may result in disciplinary action, including removal from the Postal Service. ( "regular" has not been given a set value )
-- Approach the PM with this information - soon!. Better to do it in advance, before an "event" happens. Some PM's will "work" with an RCA to accommodate such an issue while other PM's will not.
-- It is something that should have been mentioned / brought up during the interview process.
-- No real hard and fast rules about "availability". Manglement expects RCA's to sit by the phone all day -- just in case. Not required to do so.
-- Some accommodating offices have an agreement of 9:30 or 10:00 o'clock as a "cut off" time. But one never knows when a situation will arise that needs to have an RCA called in, if none of the RCA's already in are available to assist.
-- Page 50 of the contract: "repeated unavailability for work" constitutes just cause for removal. ( "repeated" does not have a numerical value )
-- Section 665.41 of the ELM ( Employee Labor Management Manual ): Requirement of Regular Attendance -- Employees are required to be regular in attendance. Failure to be regular is attendance may result in disciplinary action, including removal from the Postal Service. ( "regular" has not been given a set value )
At the time of the interview I had every intention of having 100% availability. The problem is I can't find a day care willing to only have an infant for 2 days a week. And anything over that I can't justify the expense with almost no guaranteed hours. I'm just afraid that if I tell my PM about it they'll sack me ASAP.
Zerera -- "I’m just afraid that if I tell my PM about it they’ll sack me ASAP."
-- Sometimes the truth hurts, unfortunately.
-- IMHO - best to let the PM know ASAP, before it becomes an issue.
-- Just how new an RCA are you? Have you begun to work with a regular carrier to be trained on a route?
-- The USPS has spent upwards of $8,000 to $10,000 to get you this far. Manglement should not be willing to toss you out just yet. Besides the Postmaster General put out that RCA's are to be kept "at all costs" back in 2015.
-- If there are numerous RCA's in your office, you stand a better chance to work something out with the PM and hopefully the other RCA's will be understanding. If in a sub-short office, that might not be possible.
-- Good luck.
-- Sometimes the truth hurts, unfortunately.
-- IMHO - best to let the PM know ASAP, before it becomes an issue.
-- Just how new an RCA are you? Have you begun to work with a regular carrier to be trained on a route?
-- The USPS has spent upwards of $8,000 to $10,000 to get you this far. Manglement should not be willing to toss you out just yet. Besides the Postmaster General put out that RCA's are to be kept "at all costs" back in 2015.
-- If there are numerous RCA's in your office, you stand a better chance to work something out with the PM and hopefully the other RCA's will be understanding. If in a sub-short office, that might not be possible.
-- Good luck.
blamethesub
Well-known member
It's hard to advise you on this, because offices are very different. Much depends on how big or small your office is, and how short staffed it may be.
I would think in the short term, as long as you are available for the scheduled relief day for your primary route, you should be fine. If you are short of RCAs and you will be expected to learn additional routes right away, your availability may be more of an issue. If they try to schedule you for a day where you can't be available, you will have to say no. Saying no too often can lead to problems, but again it depends on the specifics of your office. If your phone rings on a day where you are home with your child, don't answer it.
In the meantime, learn the job to the best of your ability. Don't give them additional reasons to think of you as a bad investment. If you do well, they will have a greater desire to work around your issues. Best of luck.
I would think in the short term, as long as you are available for the scheduled relief day for your primary route, you should be fine. If you are short of RCAs and you will be expected to learn additional routes right away, your availability may be more of an issue. If they try to schedule you for a day where you can't be available, you will have to say no. Saying no too often can lead to problems, but again it depends on the specifics of your office. If your phone rings on a day where you are home with your child, don't answer it.
In the meantime, learn the job to the best of your ability. Don't give them additional reasons to think of you as a bad investment. If you do well, they will have a greater desire to work around your issues. Best of luck.
blamethesub
Well-known member
Excellent. Make sure you have caller ID, and don't answer the phone on those days. You haven't refused to work if they didn't get in touch with you.
blamethesub
Well-known member
The postal service wants you to think they own you, but they don't. We all have a life outside of work. I suggest you don't make this an issue before it actually is one. You have much to learn in the next few weeks. Take in everything that you can. Get a feel for the people you are working with to see if this is even going to be an issue, rather than telling them what you can't do on day 1.
I chose my name here as a gentle reminder never to become the kind of regular that I witnessed as a sub. I watched one in particular tell a customer the sub had misdelivered her parcel the day before. "Don't worry. I'll find out what he did with it and bring it to you." I knew the sub hadn't worked the day before. The regular did. So, "Blame it on the sub" became my battle cry whenever I saw a regular just casually blame their sub for every little thing - deserved or not.
I chose my name here as a gentle reminder never to become the kind of regular that I witnessed as a sub. I watched one in particular tell a customer the sub had misdelivered her parcel the day before. "Don't worry. I'll find out what he did with it and bring it to you." I knew the sub hadn't worked the day before. The regular did. So, "Blame it on the sub" became my battle cry whenever I saw a regular just casually blame their sub for every little thing - deserved or not.
faceindawind
New member
When I started 21 years ago. I can recall a RCA and REG bringing their baby in and placing them under a work station table until child coverage arrived to pick them up.
gotstamps
Well-known member
<blockquote class="spPostEmbedQuote"><strong>Faceindawind said </strong>
When I started 21 years ago. I can recall a RCA and REG bringing their baby in and placing them under a work station table until child coverage arrived to pick them up. </blockquote>
Yeah and there used to be ashtrays at the cases, too.
When I started 21 years ago. I can recall a RCA and REG bringing their baby in and placing them under a work station table until child coverage arrived to pick them up. </blockquote>
Yeah and there used to be ashtrays at the cases, too.
grvljammer
New member
Alot depends on your regular too. Some will work with you if they know you cannot make it in those days, I have heard others do not. Ive been lucky on both my routes, they text and we decide what days work, and which ones do not. Will also help if the other rca knows your route and is wanting more days.
UnknownUser
Well-known member
I also have children. Concerning child care, a regular I used to work for (I've switched routes, and offices in my town) used to give me heads up, when they were feeling ill or needed time off. Usually if you're in good standing, so to speak, they can give you notice the night before or days in advance notice. If not, and you have no option to go into work they will figure it out, if there's other subs.
Personally I would say screw them in those circumstances. I heard recently a new term they could possibly call RCAs. "Meat robots". I like it. They do not care about you. They care about getting 'it' done. Talk to your regular and if they're willing to let you know about their absences you should be fairly safe about keeping your job.
Personally I would say screw them in those circumstances. I heard recently a new term they could possibly call RCAs. "Meat robots". I like it. They do not care about you. They care about getting 'it' done. Talk to your regular and if they're willing to let you know about their absences you should be fairly safe about keeping your job.
If it's a consistent 6 days per month; so, management can schedule those specific days off for you, I can't see why it would be a problem. Seems to me management can make that work. I would talk to the supervisor and let them know now. If it's not cool with them, you're still new enough to just quit and go to the competition. PO's loss.
