Rural PTF working as a regular

[drakeME]

Hey all, I've been a Rural PTF since about March, so have had some career benefits since then, but I've also been working full time for almost 11 months now as the regular on my primary route (the regular is incapacitated.) What I've been trying to find out, but cannot on USPS's convoluted websites, is if I am entitled to benefits BEYOND what a normal PTF gets, since I am the defacto regular and look to be for the foreseeable future. Most importantly, am I entitled a set day off, in addition to Sunday, as a regular receives? I only ask because I've had 2 days off in a week maybe twice this entire year. Basically I'm working as the regular and also have to work most Sundays. I'm reaching burnout point especially with the Xmas season overtime as any carrier probably is. Not sure I can keep going as is.

I plan to suck it up until January, and then see if I can negotiate a 5 day work week (as long as I'm continuing on as the regular.) I will try to work this out regardless if I am "entitled" to it or not, but would love to know if someone out here might know such things and or can point me in the right direction. Thanks.

 

[blamethesub]

Hope this helps:

Relief Day on Vacant J and K Routes
When a substitute, rural carrier associate, or rural carrier relief employee is serving full-time on a vacant route or during the absence of the regular carrier, a relief day shall be granted, in the case of a J route or a K route, if requested by the employee and if a leave replacement is available, or if required by local management.

 

[oi veh.]

Hey all, I've been a Rural PTF since about March, so have had some career benefits since then, but I've also been working full time for almost 11 months now as the regular on my primary route (the regular is incapacitated.) What I've been trying to find out, but cannot on USPS's convoluted websites, is if I am entitled to benefits BEYOND what a normal PTF gets, since I am the defacto regular and look to be for the foreseeable future.

Hi and welcome. Bad news...you are not a regular. The benefits you have now are what you will have until you are a regular.

Don't wait until January. Tell your PM you need and want a relief day.

 

[drakeME]

A relief day meaning any day of the week, not a specific day as a regular would have every week? Random days off per week just makes making plans difficult obviously.

Given the hell that December is, I'm not entirely sure I'd want to do this for the rest of my life. Regular seems years away in any case, so not sure I will make that. Just want to make the present more bearable.

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[oi veh.]

Try for Saturday and see what happens.

If not, then request Monday.

When I was a sub filling in for an incapacitated regular, Wednesday is what worked best for coverage, so that's what I had each week.

 

[gotstamps]

A relief day meaning any day of the week, not a specific day as a regular would have every week? Random days off per week just makes making plans difficult obviously.

Given the hell that December is, I'm not entirely sure I'd want to do this for the rest of my life. Regular seems years away in any case, so not sure I will make that. Just want to make the present more bearable.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Mgmts choice if sub is available. You could just request a day off since you do earn leave.

 

[btdtret]

drakeME -- "I've been a Rural PTF since about March, so have had some career benefits since then, but I've also been working full time for almost 11 months now as the regular on my primary route (the regular is incapacitated.) "

-- For starters, I'd say you have an identity crisis.

-- A PTF ( Designation 76 ) has a minimum of 2 K routes in his/her string. If you have been filling in full time for almost 11 months for an incapacitated regular without running a second K route, that would make you a Designation 74 ( Rural carrier associate appointed via Form 50 to serve full time on a vacant route or in the absence of the regular carrier for more than 90 days. )

-- What is on the previous three Form 50's and what are the effective dates? Could be manglement never sent in the paperwork! ( in this case that would be beneficial to you -- until some bean counter catches it )

-- Your time as a PTF counts towards retirement as it is a career position. Not so as a Designation 74.

-- Check out Step 4 ( O-6 ) aka -- Order of Consideration:

1. Primary Assigned Leave Replacement

A - entitled to weekly Evaluated Hours when covering route for full week. May only then be replaced to avoid overtime or additional overtime ( good luck with that this time of the year )
B - when covering route for entire week, they may be required and/or request to take a relief day on J or K routes. The relief day is not necessarily the same as the regular carrier. ( make your intentions known to manglement regarding a day off )
C - RCA scheduled on a day-to-day basis -- so does not apply

-- No such thing as a "defacto regular" though it may seem like it. At least there is no Designation for it.

-- As a RCA and not a PTF, you could be fair game for Sunday work. Nope -- scratch that. Step 4 ( S-106 ) in part:

- RCA's serving vacant regular routes or serving regular routes during the extended absence of the regular carriers, including the first 90 days before becoming a Designation 74 WILL NOT be scheduled for Sunday / holiday parcel delivery unless all leave replacements from both the volunteer and non-volunteer lists are scheduled.

- In addition, management may bypass leave replacements for Sunday/holiday parcel delivery if such assigned work hours would result in the leave replacement exceeding 40 hours at the end of the week.

-- Safe bet manglement will try to ignore the above if short of RCA's.

" I only ask because I've had 2 days off in a week maybe twice this entire year. "

-- Nothing in black and white regarding how many days and RCA can work -- as long as manglement chooses to ignore overtime.

"then see if I can negotiate a 5 day work week [ in January ]"

-- Try pointing out the Order of Consideration to manglement.

 

[Skierstmoritz]

A relief day meaning any day of the week, not a specific day as a regular would have every week? Random days off per week just makes making plans difficult obviously.

Given the hell that December is, I'm not entirely sure I'd want to do this for the rest of my life. Regular seems years away in any case, so not sure I will make that. Just want to make the present more bearable.

Thanks for the replies guys.

What relief day went with the route? What day did the regular have off? See if the pm will go for that day?

 

[gotstamps]

Are there no other rcas in the finance unit?

They should be running a route on a daily basis and not a ptf where a regular is absent for an extended period of time, and earning beanies as a 74.

sorry, but there is nothing that states that a Route should be pulled off PTF string if the Regular goes on extended leave. I have fought this one before & lost.
I would love to see this fixed! Something to the effect that a PTF must run their “String” if the Regular is not working their Relief Day. Nothing says they have to which isn’t fair to the other “String routes”.

 

[Voglio-il mio]

A relief day meaning any day of the week, not a specific day as a regular would have every week? Random days off per week just makes making plans difficult obviously.

Given the hell that December is, I'm not entirely sure I'd want to do this for the rest of my life. Regular seems years away in any case, so not sure I will make that. Just want to make the present more bearable.

Thanks for the replies guys.

If you can get a random day of the week, take it, if availability of coverage is an issue! As they say its a start.

I don't know how the rules are for a PTF are but as an RCA if you are covering a vacant route you would (should) be selected for a Sunday shift only as a last resort, (all other options and lists are supposed to be exhausted before requiring you to work).

 

[Voglio-il mio]

If you can get a random day of the week, take it, if availability of coverage is an issue! As they say its a start.

I don't know how the rules are for a PTF are but as an RCA if you are covering a vacant route you would (should) be selected for a Sunday shift only as a last resort, (all other options and lists are supposed to be exhausted before requiring you to work).

Sorry for the repeated information! "btdtret" already covered this. I didn't read all the other post before responding.

 

[Morty]

This thread interests me. A coworker on my string is recently out, thus leaving me without a PTF. Maybe for good?

 

[drakeME]

The postmaster created two PTF positions in the office to throw a bone to the two longest serving RCA's (myself and another dude.) I got the promotion after I had already been filling in full time on the route as an RCA.

So technically I do have a 2nd route, but I have not worked it since I am on my primary all the time. My secondary has been filled by other RCA's available. Should it be done this way? No idea.

So no "identity crisis" per se - I am getting the benefits and higher pay rate a PTF receives, which certainly makes it more tolerable, but I am still not sure it is enough to keep me going long term, unless I can get far more 5 day weeks.

I should have mentioned - we are definitely short staffed, which is also part of the equation, and I do understand management often has little choice but to request 6 and 7 day weeks from me given this shortage. However, understanding and empathy do not make missing time with my family any easier. I don't want to be a diva, I really don't, but work life balance has gotten out of whack.

I know I'm not a "regular" - but I do the job every bit as well as one, with less pay, far less time off, and on top of that, do whatever else is shoveled my way. I've lost more of my "days off" to regulars calling out "sick" (yeah right) than I can count. I guess you could say I have some disdain with the whole way things are done in this regard, but well, that's a whole other can of worms.

 

[btdtret]

drakeME -- "The postmaster created two PTF positions in the office to throw a bone to the two longest serving RCA's (myself and another dude.) I got the promotion after I had already been filling in full time on the route as an RCA.

So technically I do have a 2nd route, but I have not worked it since I am on my primary all the time. My secondary has been filled by other RCA's available. Should it be done this way?

-- I seriously doubt it as a PTF has two K routes to work. If you are only working one route, that's not what the PTF position is for. Anyone??

"So no "identity crisis" per se - I am getting the benefits and higher pay rate a PTF receives, which certainly makes it more tolerable, "

-- Would like to know what is on your last three Form 50's.

-- You may not have an "identity crisis" but could very well have a "monetary" crisis if some bean counter at Eagan discovers you are only working one route as a PTF. There might be a letter of demand in your future, so best to be putting some $$ in an account should that day arrive.

"I know I'm not a "regular" - but I do the job every bit as well as one, with less pay, far less time off, and on top of that, do whatever else is shoveled my way. I've lost more of my "days off" to regulars calling out "sick" (yeah right) than I can count. I guess you could say I have some disdain with the whole way things are done in this regard, but well, that's a whole other can of worms."

-- If manglement has you as a PTF, that could be your "reward" for being such a dependable worker.

 

[Morty]

Actually as a PTF you started at a higher step than a table2 regular will.

 

[drakeME]

No doubt btdtret - that's not what the intent behind the position and the formula office is for (PTF working only one route.) However, with a regular incapacitated, how else could it be done? Someone has to cover the route. There are 8 K's and 1 J in the office with only two PTFs and 2 RCAs (one of which is almost brand new, and the other has had medical issues and hasn't worked a day in December.) So yeah... staffing definitely a problem... but I am powerless to change that - ultimately that is a management issue.

Yes, the position was created as much because of morale and discontent with the senior RCAs as it was necessity. And I do appreciate the gesture. But again, time off trumps money for me.

Forgive my ignorance, but what are form 50's?

Another aside - the route is without a doubt overburdened also. Just a big combination of issues.

 

[Tank]

Actually as a PTF you started at a higher step than a table2 regular will.

Umm, no. PTF is still an hourly position without separate holiday pay and only guaranteed to work their string of two or three routes* and essentially remain on call for the other two or three days each week. I'll be glad to give up those inconveniences for a minimal cut in pay while enjoying a stable work week, a predictable day off, and no longer being on call.

*One of my routes the regular was often asked to work their relief day so I would be shuffled off to another. In an office of 22 routes it's hard to have expertise in every one of them.

 

[Morty]

I contacted my DR on these issues and some others for my situation. Apparently there's enough 'issues' happening with PTFs that the NRLCA is drafting yet another MOU to address them.

 

[btdtret]

drakeME -- "Forgive my ignorance, but what are form 50's? "

-- The PS Form 50 ( aka Notification of Personnel Action ) has 86 blocks of Employee Information / Position Information and Salary Information as well as the Nature of Personnel Action. Keep everyone of them literally forever!!

-- You get one when you start with the USPS and whenever there is a change in career status such as salary, position ( appointment to PTF ), etc

-- Should be in your e-file via liteblue. Print such documents from the e-file because once you actually retire from the USPS, the USPS cuts ties with you as in not being able to log into liteblue to access your e-file.

"the route is without a doubt overburdened also. "

-- There is "overburdened" and then there is "overburdened"

- overburdened: a route gets so much and so many parcels, it is hard to get it done within evaluation

- the contract's definition of overburdened per Article 9.2.C.7.B. Overburdened Routes.

a. Definition - a route is considered overburdened when:

1) The standard hours for the route are outside of the Table of Evaluated Hours ( 57:36 ); or

2) The regular carrier who is assigned to the route does not or is not expected to, meet the requirement to stay within the annual guarantee for the route. ( aka 2080 / 2240 problems )

-- Which one applies to your route?

-- Was your route counted in September 2019? If so, did you do the count?

-- What is your hire date?

 

[drakeME]

Meeting evaluation has not a problem during normal times of the year (with a few rare exceptions), though it's been impossible since Black Friday (even with parcel help.)

It's not "my" route as we've established, so no did not do a count, and the regular did not one do one last year either (since they were also ill then.) It's been evaluated at 9.2 per day for quite some time, but has added dozens of new boxes since then, and package volume has increased fairly dramatically as well.

We have a city carrier aux route that dovetails with my route, so logistically (in theory), it would be easy to break off a chunk without causing any major headaches I'd think. But management has shown little interest in doing so (too much paperwork?)

I started as an RCA in Sep 2016