{"id":5013,"date":"2012-08-23T21:51:11","date_gmt":"2012-08-24T02:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/?p=5013"},"modified":"2012-08-23T21:51:11","modified_gmt":"2012-08-24T02:51:11","slug":"elm-revision-staffing-remotely-managed-post-offices-and-part-time-post-offices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/2012\/08\/23\/elm-revision-staffing-remotely-managed-post-offices-and-part-time-post-offices\/","title":{"rendered":"ELM Revision: Staffing Remotely Managed Post Offices and Part-Time Post Offices"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM)<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

3 Employment and Placement<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

350 Assignment, Reassignment, and Promotion<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

354 Assignment of Unassigned Employees<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

354.3 Actions for Nonbargaining Employees in Connection With the Discontinuance, Consolidation, and Restaffing of Post Offices<\/p>\n

[Revise 354.3 to read as follows:]<\/p>\n

354.31 Background<\/p>\n

Statutory and regulatory requirements mandate consider\u00adation of the effects of closing or consolidating a Post Office on Postal Service employees in that office, and making a public record and analysis concerning the effects on these employees.<\/p>\n

354.32 Definition of Terms<\/p>\n

District manager refers to the manager who is proposing the discontinuance or restaffing of a Post Office within his or her district.<\/p>\n

Discontinuance of a Post Office includes the consolidation of the Post Office (i.e., the replacement of a Post Office with a Community Post Office) or the discontinuance of a Post Office without establishing another facility to replace it.<\/p>\n

Restaffing of a Post Office occurs when the staffing of a Post Office with currently assigned career nonbargaining employees is changed following a change to its competi\u00adtive area.<\/p>\n

354.33 Planning Considerations<\/p>\n

The dual objectives of minimizing the impact on individual employees and maximizing the economies to be affected by consolidating, discontinuing, or restaffing Post Offices can best be achieved through careful planning and judi\u00adcious placement of impacted employees. Management keeps employees informed at each step of the process and identifies positions appropriate for reassignment and for which employees are willing to accept reassignment volun\u00adtarily.<\/p>\n

354.34 Postmaster and Supervisors<\/p>\n

354.341 Postmasters<\/p>\n

When the district manager proposes to recommend the discontinuance or restaffing of a Post Office where there is an incumbent postmaster, each of the following alterna\u00adtives, as applicable and appropriate, are discussed with the incumbent postmaster, and the district manager prepares a memorandum stating which alternative is recommended: The alternatives listed below are available. In considering them, and determining whether an employee can perform the essential functions of an alternative position, it may be necessary to consider the requirements of Handbook EL-307, Reasonable Accommodation, An Interactive Process, depending upon the circumstances in each case.<\/p>\n

a. Reassignment to Another Postmaster Vacancy. The district manager may recommend that the estab\u00adlished procedures for the selection of postmasters be waived and that the postmaster be reassigned to an existing postmaster vacancy located within the same district. The district manager includes in the memo\u00adrandum a statement that the postmaster meets the requirements and qualifications of the vacant post\u00admaster position to which reassignment is recom\u00admended and can satisfactorily perform the duties of that position. A signed statement from the postmas\u00adter that the reassignment recommended by the dis\u00adtrict manager, if approved, will be accepted, must also be obtained for the record.<\/p>\n

b. Unavailable Postmaster Vacancy. In the event there is no postmaster vacancy to which an affected post\u00admaster may be reassigned, the district manager noti\u00adfies the postmaster in writing. If the affected postmaster accepts a non-postmaster assignment, that postmaster retains the right, for 104 weeks from the date of reassignment, to be offered a vacant postmaster position located within the district at his or her former level, when one occurs. Declination of an offer in writing, voluntary acceptance of a lower-level postmaster position, or promotion to a higher-level postmaster position terminates the right to be offered a postmaster vacancy at the postmaster\u2019s former level.<\/p>\n

c. Reassignment to a Supervisory Vacancy. If there are no postmaster vacancies available for possible reas\u00adsignment, or if it is determined and documented that the postmaster does not meet the requirements and qualifications of the vacant postmaster positions available and cannot satisfactorily perform the du\u00adties, the district manager may recommend that the postmaster be reassigned to an existing supervisory vacancy within the district. The vacancy can be a sta\u00adtion or branch manager position. The district manag\u00ader documents that the postmaster meets the requirements and qualifications of the vacant super\u00advisory position to which reassignment is recom\u00admended and can satisfactorily perform the duties of that position; and includes a signed statement from the postmaster that the reassignment recommended by the district manager, if approved, will be accepted.<\/p>\n

d. Reassignment to Another Position in the Postal Service.<\/p>\n

(1) If there are no postmaster or supervisory vacan\u00adcies within the district to which the postmaster can be reassigned, because (a) either the vacan\u00adcies do not exist; or (b) it is determined and docu\u00admented that the postmaster does not meet the requirements and qualifications of the positions that are available for possible reassignment and cannot satisfactorily perform the duties of those positions, the district manager recommends that the postmaster be reassigned to another position in the Postal Service.<\/p>\n

(2) As appropriate, postmasters at noncity delivery offices may be offered available full- or part-time clerk or carrier positions or other available craft positions for which qualified. In all such cases, the individual\u2019s seniority is established in accordance with the applicable provisions of the National Agreement.<\/p>\n

(3) In recommending reassignment to another posi\u00adtion in the Postal Service, every effort is made to recommend a position for which the annual pay that the postmaster can expect to receive is as nearly equal as possible to the pay received dur\u00ading the last year as a postmaster.<\/p>\n

(4) A signed statement from the postmaster that the reassignment recommended by the district man\u00adager, if approved, will be accepted, must be obtained for the record.<\/p>\n

e. Voluntary Retirement.<\/p>\n

(1) Eligibility for voluntary retirement is established if, by the expected date of discontinuance or restaff\u00ading of the Post Office, the supervisor has been employed under the Civil Service Retirement Sys\u00adtem for at least 1 year within the 2-year period pre\u00adceding the discontinuance or restaffing, and:<\/p>\n

(a) Has at least 30 years of creditable service and is at least 55 years of age.<\/p>\n

(b) Has at least 20 years of creditable service and is at least 60 years of age.<\/p>\n

(c) Has at least 5 years of creditable service and is at least 62 years of age.<\/p>\n

(2) If the postmaster is employed under the Federal Employees Retirement System, one of the follow\u00ading conditions must be met:<\/p>\n

(a) Has at least 30 years of creditable service and is at least the minimum retirement age (MRA) (see 583.14).<\/p>\n

(b) Has at least 10 but less than 30 years of cred\u00aditable service and is at least the MRA. This is a reduced annuity retirement at the rate of 5\/12 of 1 percent for each month (5 percent for each year) the employee is under age 62.<\/p>\n

(c) Has at least 20 years of creditable service and is at least 60 years of age.<\/p>\n

(d) Has at least 5 years of creditable service and is at least 62 years of age.<\/p>\n

(3) The district manager advises the postmaster of the eligibility for voluntary retirement. Under no circumstances may the district manager attempt to coerce the postmaster into taking voluntary retirement in lieu of reassignment to a postmaster, supervisory, or any other position in the Postal Service. The decision to take voluntary retirement in lieu of reassignment must be made by the post\u00admaster, and this alternative may not be recom\u00admended by the district manager, unless the supervisor has chosen it.<\/p>\n

f. Discontinued Service Annuity.<\/p>\n

(1) Eligibility for a discontinued service annuity is established if, by the recommended date of dis\u00adcontinuance or restaffing of the Post Office, the postmaster has been employed under the Civil Service Retirement System for at least 1 year within the 2-year period preceding the discontinu\u00adance or restaffing (see 563.21); and<\/p>\n

(a) Has at least 25 years of creditable service regardless of age.<\/p>\n

(b) Has at least 20 years of creditable service and is at least 50 years of age and the employee does not decline a \u201creasonable offer\u201d of another position.<\/p>\n

(2) If the employee is impacted by the discontinuance or restaffing and refuses a reasonable offer of another position, he or she will not qualify for a discontinued service annuity (DSR) annuity. For DSR annuity purposes, a job offer is considered reasonable if the following requirements are met:<\/p>\n

(a) The offer is made in writing.<\/p>\n

(b) The employee meets the qualifications for the position being offered.<\/p>\n

(c) The position offered is:<\/p>\n

(i) Within the employee\u2019s local commuting ar\u00adea, unless geographic mobility is a condi\u00adtion of the employee\u2019s employment;.<\/p>\n

(ii) Another career position;<\/p>\n

(iii) With the same work schedule, that is, part-time or full-time;<\/p>\n

(iv) Not more than the equivalent of two grade or pay levels below the employee\u2019s current grade or pay level; and<\/p>\n

(v) Within the employee\u2019s agency.<\/p>\n

(3) Other requirements:<\/p>\n

(a) The employee\u2019s creditable service must include at least 5 years of civilian service.<\/p>\n

(b) The employee must separate from a position subject to CSRS coverage.<\/p>\n

(c) The employee must be covered by CSRS for at least 1 year within the 2-year period immedi\u00adately preceding the separation on which the annuity is based.<\/p>\n

(d) The employee\u2019s accrued and unused annual leave or donated leave may be used to meet either the age or service requirement to qualify for a discontinued service retirement.<\/p>\n

(e) The employee may request to be placed on approved annual leave beyond the effective date of the involuntary separation notice so that the employee may use enough leave to satisfy the age or service requirement.<\/p>\n

(f) The employee\u2019s remaining annual leave bal\u00adance, if any, will be paid in a terminal leave pay\u00adment.<\/p>\n

(g) The employee may not use sick leave to meet minimum age and service requirements.<\/p>\n

(4) The district manager advises the postmaster of the eligibility for a discontinued service annuity and of the fact that under present law this type of annuity requires a reduction of 1\/6 of 1 percent for each full month (2 percent a year), if any, the employee is under 55 years of age at the time of retirement.<\/p>\n

(5) If the postmaster is under the Federal Employees Retirement System, the same age, service, and reasonable offer requirements must be met, but there is no reduction for being under age 55 (see 583.21).<\/p>\n

(6) If a FERS employee has a CSRS annuity compo\u00adnent, the CSRS portion of the annuity is reduced by 1\/6 of 1 percent for each full month (2 percent a year), if any, he or she is under age 55.<\/p>\n

(7) Under no circumstances may the district manager attempt to coerce the postmaster into accepting a discontinued service annuity in lieu of reassign\u00adment to a postmaster, supervisory, or any other position in the Postal Service. The decision to accept a discontinued service annuity in lieu of reassignment must be made by the supervisor, and the district manager may not recommend this alternative, unless the supervisor has chosen it.<\/p>\n

354.342 Supervisors<\/p>\n

When the district manager proposes to recommend the discontinuance or restaffing of a Post Office at which a supervisor is stationed and whose position would be abol\u00adished, and the district manager prepares a memorandum for the record stating which alternative is recommended, the alternatives listed below are available. In considering them, and determining whether an employee can perform the essential functions of an alternative position, it may be necessary to consider the requirements of Handbook EL-307, Reasonable Accommodation, An Interactive Process, depending upon the circumstances in each case.<\/p>\n

a. Reassignment to a Postmaster Vacancy. The district manager may recommend that the established pro\u00adcedures for the selection of postmasters be waived, and that the supervisor be reassigned to an existing postmaster vacancy. The district manager includes (1) a statement that the supervisor meets the require\u00adments and qualifications of the vacant postmaster position to which reassignment is recommended and can satisfactorily perform the duties of that position; and (2) endorses a signed statement from the super\u00advisor that the reassignment as recommended by the district manager, if approved, will be accepted.<\/p>\n

b. Reassignment to a Supervisory Vacancy. The district manager may recommend that the supervisor be re\u00adassigned to an existing supervisory vacancy, includ\u00ading that of a station or branch established as a result of a consolidation. The district manager includes (1) a statement that the supervisor meets the require\u00adments and qualifications of the vacant supervisory position to which reassignment is recommended and can satisfactorily perform the duties of that position; and (2) endorses a signed statement from the super\u00advisor that the reassignment as recommended by the district manager, if approved, will be accepted.<\/p>\n

c. Reassignment to Another Position in the Postal Service.<\/p>\n

(1) If there are no postmaster or supervisory vacan\u00adcies to which the supervisor can be reassigned, either because: (a) the vacancies do not exist; or (b) it is determined and documented that the supervisor does not meet the requirements and qualifications of the positions that are available and cannot satisfactorily perform those duties, the district manager recommends that the supervisor be reassigned to another position in the Postal Service.<\/p>\n

(2) Supervisors may be offered available full- or part-time clerk, carrier, or other craft positions for which they are qualified. In all such cases, the individual\u2019s seniority is established in accordance with the applicable provisions of the National Agreement.<\/p>\n

(3) A signed statement from the supervisor that the reassignment to another position in the Postal Service as recommended by the district manager, if approved, will be accepted, must be obtained for the record.<\/p>\n

d. Voluntary Retirement.<\/p>\n

(1) Eligibility for voluntary retirement is established if, by the expected date of discontinuance or restaff\u00ading of the Post Office, the supervisor has been employed under the Civil Service Retirement Sys\u00adtem for at least 1 year within the 2-year period pre\u00adceding the discontinuance or restaffing; and<\/p>\n

(a) Has at least 30 years of creditable service and is at least 55 years of age.<\/p>\n

(b) Has at least 20 years of creditable service and is at least 60 years of age.<\/p>\n

(c) Has at least 5 years of creditable service and is at least 62 years of age.<\/p>\n

(2) If the supervisor is under the Federal Employees Retirement System, one of the following condi\u00adtions must be met:<\/p>\n

(a) Has at least 30 years of creditable service and is at least the MRA (see 583.14).<\/p>\n

(b) Has at least 10 but less than 30 years of cred\u00aditable service and is at least the MRA. This is a reduced annuity retirement at the rate of 5\/12 of 1 percent for each month (5 percent a year) the employee is under age 62.<\/p>\n

(c) Has at least 20 years of creditable service and is at least 60 years of age.<\/p>\n

(d) Has at least 5 years of creditable service and is at least 62 years of age.<\/p>\n

(3) The district manager advises the supervisor of the eligibility for voluntary retirement. Under no cir\u00adcumstances may the district manager attempt to coerce the supervisor into taking voluntary retire\u00adment in lieu of reassignment to a postmaster, supervisory, or any other position in the Postal Service. The decision to take voluntary retirement in lieu of reassignment must be made by the supervisor, and this alternative may not be recom\u00admended by the district manager, unless the super\u00advisor has chosen it.<\/p>\n

e. Discontinued Service Annuity.<\/p>\n

(1) Eligibility for a discontinued service annuity is established if, by the recommended date of dis\u00adcontinuance or restaffing of the Post Office, the supervisor has been employed under the Federal Employees Retirement System; and<\/p>\n

(a) Has at least 25 years of creditable service regardless of age; or<\/p>\n

(b) Has at least 20 years of creditable service and is at least 50 years of age and does not decline a \u201creasonable offer\u201d of another position.<\/p>\n

(2) There is no 1-out-of-2 requirement under FERS as there is under CSRS. Thus, an employee does not have to be under FERS for 1 year to be eligible to retire preceding the discontinuance or restaffing (see 583.21).<\/p>\n

(3) If the employee is impacted by the discontinuance or restaffing and refuses a reasonable offer of another position, he or she will not qualify for a DSR annuity. For DSR annuity purposes, a job offer is considered reasonable if the following requirements are met:<\/p>\n

(a) The offer is made in writing.<\/p>\n

(b) The employee meets the qualifications for the position being offered.<\/p>\n

(c) The position offered is:<\/p>\n

(i) Within the employee\u2019s local commuting ar\u00adea, unless geographic mobility is a condi\u00adtion of the employee\u2019s employment;<\/p>\n

(ii) Another career position;<\/p>\n

(iii) With the same work schedule, that is, part-time or full-time;<\/p>\n

(iv) Not more than the equivalent of two grade or pay levels below the employee\u2019s current grade or pay level; and<\/p>\n

(v) Within the employee\u2019s agency.<\/p>\n

(4) Other requirements:<\/p>\n

(a) The employee\u2019s creditable service must include at least 5 years of civilian service.<\/p>\n

(b) The employee must separate from a position subject to CSRS coverage.<\/p>\n

(c) The employee must be covered by CSRS for at least 1 year within the 2-year period immedi\u00adately preceding the separation on which the annuity is based.<\/p>\n

(d) The employee\u2019s accrued and unused annual leave or donated leave may be used to meet either the age or service requirement to qualify for a discontinued service retirement.<\/p>\n

(e) The employee may request to be placed on approved annual leave beyond the effective date of the involuntary separation notice so that the employee may use enough leave to satisfy the age or service requirement.<\/p>\n

(f) The employee\u2019s remaining annual leave bal\u00adance, if any, will be paid in a terminal leave pay\u00adment.<\/p>\n

(g) The employee may not use sick leave to meet minimum age and service requirements.<\/p>\n

(5) The district manager advises the supervisor of the eligibility for a discontinued service annuity and that under present law this type of annuity requires a reduction of 1\/6 of 1 percent for each full month (2 percent a year), if any, the employee is under 55 years of age at the time of retirement.<\/p>\n

(6) If the supervisor is under the Federal Employees Retirement System, the same age, service, and reasonable offer requirements must be met, but there is no reduction for being under age 55 (see 583.21).<\/p>\n

(7) If a FERS employee has a CSRS annuity compo\u00adnent, the CSRS portion of the annuity is reduced by 1\/6 of 1 percent for each full month (2 percent a year), if any, he or she is under age 55.<\/p>\n

(8) Under no circumstances may the district manager attempt to coerce the supervisor into accepting a discontinued service annuity in lieu of reassign\u00adment to a postmaster, supervisory, or any other position in the Postal Service. The decision to accept a discontinued service annuity in lieu of reassignment must be made by the supervisor, and the district manager may not recommend this alternative, unless the supervisor has chosen it.<\/p>\n

354.343 Reassignment to a Higher-Grade Position<\/p>\n

In situations where the proposed reassignment would be to a higher-grade position, and a promotion procedure is pre\u00adscribed by regulation, that promotion procedure must be followed.<\/p>\n

354.344 Salary Protection<\/p>\n

See 415.12 for information on salary protection.<\/p>\n

354.345 Relocation Expenses<\/p>\n

Any postmaster or supervisor who is reassigned as a result of the discontinuance or restaffing of the Post Office where employed is entitled to reimbursement of approved reloca\u00adtion expenses consistent with Handbook F-15, Travel and Relocation.<\/p>\n

354.346 Discussions With Postmasters and Supervisors<\/p>\n

When possible, the district manager must discuss with the affected postmasters and supervisors the alternatives available to them due to the discontinuance or restaffing of their Post Office of employment. If this is not possible, the district manager will designate another manager in the dis\u00adtrict to discuss the alternatives with the affected postmas\u00adters and supervisors.<\/p>\n

354.347 Subsequent Personnel Actions<\/p>\n

Employees who voluntarily accept lower-grade positions may subsequently be assigned to positions that do not exceed the grade from which they were downgraded. Nor\u00admal promotion procedures may be waived. However, employees must meet the prescribed minimum qualifica\u00adtion requirements for the positions to which they are assigned. Eligibility for special placement in postmaster positions as described in 354.341 is limited to 104 weeks.<\/p>\n

354.348 Refusal of Reassignment Offer or Exhaustion of Options<\/p>\n

If a postmaster or supervisor is offered reassignment to a postmaster, supervisory, or any other position in the Postal Service and refuses to accept any of these alternatives, or if the applicable options listed in 354.34 have been other\u00adwise exhausted, RIF procedures are instituted. The post\u00admasters or supervisors must apply for any retirement benefits for which they are eligible. If the postmaster or supervisor is separated from the Postal Service and is not eligible for either voluntary retirement or a discontinued service annuity, severance pay is paid if provided for in Postal Service rules and regulations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) * * * * * 3 Employment and Placement * * * * * 350 Assignment, Reassignment, and Promotion * * * * * 354 Assignment of Unassigned Employees * * * * * 354.3 Actions for Nonbargaining Employees in Connection With the Discontinuance, Consolidation, and Restaffing of Post […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-usps-news","last_archivepost"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5013"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5015,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5013\/revisions\/5015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}