Junk Mail Being Used to Track New Orleans Recovery

"...The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center has linked the number of homes actively receiving Valassis Communications' RedPlum direct mail promos to a Google map incorporating Street View...."    

This Article is From: blog.wired.com

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VER Letter / Early Retirement Discussion Board

If you are one of the many people trying to get information on the upcoming Voluntary Early Retirement, the following source is a great place to stop by and get a feeling for what others are thinking and what is going on at different facilities across the country. Here is a snippet of one post. Click the link to read more.

"...I have no doubt that if I sign the dotted line and mail it in, I will be accepted. KCMO is doing a lot of abolishing of Tour 2 jobs, jobs around our area are being abolished and those employees excessed to our plant, also casuals are being fired left and right..."    
Please post to the link to let us know what is taking place in your area! Help keep others informed.

Source: community.federalsoup.com

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Mail Handler Convention Update

"...Davis. “The architects of our Constitution recognized the need for a government-run postal system that provided universal access and affordable prices to all Americans. In fact, I’m not sure that some people are aware of it, but the U.S. Constitution actually lists the establishment of Post Offices before it talks about granting congressional authority to declare war or to set up a federal judiciary. And so our founding fathers knew that a postal system, government run, . . . was important. The history of the Postal Service is firmly entwined in the history of the development of this country.”
Convention by the day:
# Day One: Monday
# Day Two: Tuesday Part 1
# Day Two: Tuesday Part 2
# Day Two: Tuesday Part 3
# Day Three: Wednesday
# Day Four: Thursday
# Day Five: Friday ..."    

This Article is From: www.npmhu.org

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USPS To Request VER Authorization For Additional Positions

In a letter to Ted Keating, President of the National Association of Postal Supervisors USPS wrote:

"...we have made a decision to request authorization for additional positions, including those that you are recommending. It is important to reiterate however that there is no approval from OPM regarding additional EAS positions at this time...."    

This Article is From: www.postalreporter.com

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In Historic Speech, NALC’s Young Emphasizes ‘Need to Work Together’

APWU 19th Biennial Convention News Bulletin #01-2008, Aug. 19, 2008

"...“Something’s got to change, and we’ve got make it happen,” Young said during an address to APWU delegates on the first day of the convention. “The men and women of the NALC are ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the men and women of the APWU to make sure that it does.” Young said that the most important thing was to get America’s perspective back in order...."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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USPS cuts employee hours

USPS cuts employee hours in response to mail volume loss

"...Due to initiatives to reduce work hours and overtime, compensation expenses for the US Postal Service dropped by $247 million — or about 2.5% — in the third quarter compared to the same period last year, according to a financial report that the USPS has filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission...."    

This Article is From: www.dmnews.com

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Mail processing changes in Maine

Mail service shifts some mail processing in Maine

"...Richard B. Reed Jr., president of the Bangor Area Local 536 of the American Postal Workers Union, wrote a letter to a number of postal customers indicating that the switch will adversely affect mail delivery. "The mail is shipped by truck between (the two facilities) and the extra travel time would add an automatic one day to the delivery process in the best-case scenario," Reed wrote. "The employees here at EMP&DF do not feel that is in the best interest of the customer."..."    

This Article is From: www.boston.com

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Request for consideration to include all additional EAS field positions as part of a Voluntary Early Retirement (VER)

Mr, Ted Keating, President,
National Association of Postal Supervisors requested USPS seek additional authorization to include more EAS positions for VER eligibility

This Article is From: www.naps.org

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APWU and NPMHU COLA

APWU and NPMHU postal employees will receive a Cost-Of-Living Adjustment of $1,477 and will be effective Aug. 30, 2008. The COLA will be in checks Pay Period 19-08 which is Sept 19, 2008. This equates to a 71-cent per hour increase ($56.80 per pay period).


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Next NALC Postal Contract COLA...

 
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.5 percent in July, prior to seasonal adjustment. The July level of 216.304 (1982-84=100) was 6.2 percent higher than in July 2007. This equates to $1,498 annually for NALC postal employees covered under the National Contracts. The COLA will be effective the pay period beginning August 30 and received in checks on September 19. The new COLA is equivalent to 72 cents per hour ($57.60 per pay period).


Latest CPI-W Release from the BLS

CPI Reference: www.bls.gov

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Elvis Presley: Collecting The King

"...December 21, 1970, the U.S. Postal Service announced in 1992 that Elvis' image would be used for a commemorative postage stamp. In an unprecedented move, the Postal Service let the American public decide whether to use the image of Elvis as a young rocker or one of him starring in a special Hawaiian performance. The image of the young rocker won out, and the Elvis stamp is the most widely publicized stamp issue in history, and the top selling commemorative postage of all time. More than 500 million Elvis stamps have been printed, more than three times the print run for any other commemorative stamp...."    

This Article is From: www.hofmag.com

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The FERS is Flying

"...about three things you can do to plan for retirement under the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) so that you won't be caught financially short at retirement...."    

This Article is From: www.federalnewsradio.com

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Alabama Post Office Burglarized And Set On Fire

"...burglars broke into the post office between 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Friday.
Epes is located along I-20/59, between Boligee and Livingston. ..."    

This Article is From: www.nbc13.com

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'Road Rage' Led to Federal Agent's Shooting Outside Florida Post Office

"...on his way to a dialysis appointment when he and Pettit, 52, who also was driving, exchanged obscene gestures.

Wonder pulled into a busy post office parking lot, and Pettit followed. The men began arguing and Wonder pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot Pettit once in the back of the head..."    

This Article is From: www.foxnews.com

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Chinese stamp exhibition

Singapore launches Chinese stamp exhibition

"...first official postage stamps in China, Cultural Revolution stamps - Stamps as propaganda tools, as well as contemporary Chinese stamps..."    

This Article is From: news.xinhuanet.com

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Postal worker’s age bias suit goes back to the district court

"...Because the Supreme Court expressed no view as to the First Circuit’s holding (89 EPD ¶42,690) that sovereign immunity did not present a bar to the worker’s suit (the Postal Reorganization Act generally “waived the immunity of the Postal Service from suit by giving it the power ‘to sue and be sued’ in its official name”), the circuit court remanded the case to the district court for further proceedings consistent with the Supreme Court’s opinion and the sovereign immunity portion of its decision. (Gomez-Perez v Potter, 1stCir, 91 EPD ¶43,255)..."    

This Article is From: hr.cch.com

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USPS Wood Pallet Splintery Retun

"...It seems the USPS got into its present dilemma by failing to create an adequate pallet control system. Now it seems the USPS may be embarking to another equally precipitous course of action. It is moving to a wood pallet program without specifications and other quality control measures in place to ensure a consistently good quality pallet every trip. ..."    

This Article is From: www.materialshandling.net

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Post Office Parking Lot Shooting

Federal agent dies after Fla. post office shooting

"...Pettit was shot once by a man during a possible fight in the post office parking lot, officials said. No one else was injured, and it wasn't clear whether the shooting was related to the agent's job. The suspect drove off in a car and police were combing the area for him...."    

This Article is From: ap.google.com

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Circumstantial case against Army scientist is unveiled

"...the timing of the announcement, a week after Ivins’ suicide and a month after the government paid another former Fort Detrick scientist almost $6 million for wrongly implicating him for years, drew skepticism about whether authorities now had the right man. Ivins’ lawyer, Paul Kemp, asserted his client’s innocence and called the government’s news conference "heaps of innuendo and a staggering lack of real evidence — all contorted to create the illusion of guilt by Dr. Ivins."..."    

This Article is From: www.star-telegram.com

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Postal Workers - No Time To Stroke Cats

"...Most postal workers are fiercely proud of the job they do and see it very much as a community role, way and above the concept of putting letters through letterboxes. This view would seem to be supported by Royal Mail itself which runs an annual competition to find postal workers that have demonstrated a commitment way and beyond the requirements of the job. In that respect, postal workers do stand out against employees in many other service industries, even if not entirely unique. Postal workers, at least for the moment, see the new working ethos as akin to working like robots, particularly with timed walks, but they weather the changes in the hope that it will at least secure more jobs. ..."    

This Article is From: www.hellmail.co.uk

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Meriden postal routes cut

"...a mail carrier showed up a little before 7 p.m., explaining to Swedock that route cuts had been made and the carriers were trying to adapt.
"That's ridiculous," Swedock said Monday. "It's ridiculous for the carriers too. I'm all for efficiency, but at the same time, if it ain't broke don't fix it."..."    

This Article is From: www.myrecordjournal.com

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Q&A: Is there proper postal carrier attire?

Are postal carriers not required to wear uniforms anymore?

"...Permanent full-time city letter carriers and other postal employees who deal with the public are required to..."    

This Article is From: www.tampabay.com

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Anthrax Update

New DNA Technique Led Authorities to 'Anthrax Killer'

"...A government scientist told the Associated Press Sunday that investigators started with DNA from some of those victims and matched specific DNA patterns to anthrax cultures that the suspect, Army scientist Bruce Ivins, 62, was responsible for in the lab...."    

This Article is From: www.foxnews.com

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FERS Sick Leave

House Passes FERS Sick-Leave Bill

"...included in a larger bill, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1108), which Waxman also authored. The bill is similar to a bill (H.R. 5573), which was introduced earlier this year by Rep. James Moran (D-VA).

Under the provision, federal employees who retire within three years from the date of enactment would receive credit for 75 percent of unused sick leave; employees who retire more than three years after enactment of the legislation would get full credit, similar to CSRS employees. Federal employees hired after 1983 are covered by FERS; most of those hired in 1983 and before are covered by CSRS...."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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Government Accountability Office report,: USPS Outsourcing not justified

USPS Unable to Justify Outsourcing, GAO Finds
APWU Web News Article #71-08, July 28, 2008

"...The report pointed out that, under the terms of the collective bargaining agreements, when the Postal Service is contemplating outsourcing, it “must consider five factors: public interest, cost, efficiency, availability of equipment, and qualification of employees – and must determine whether outsourcing will have a ‘significant impact’ on work performed by postal employees covered by collective bargaining agreements.”

If outsourcing will have a significant impact on postal employees, the USPS “must compare the costs of performing proposed work with postal employees and with a contractor, notify the affected union that it is considering outsourcing and consider union impact before making a decision.”

But the GAO was unable to determine the Postal Service’s total outsourcing contracts related to bargaining unit work, because the USPS does not track these contracts separately. And, the GAO found, “the Service does not know the savings related to its outsourcing efforts because it does not have a process to evaluate the impact of outsourcing or to track actual savings...."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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Reports: Possible pipe bombs found at two Ohio post offices

"...WBNS-TV says the devices were found at postal facilities in Guysville and Stewart..."    

This Article is From: usatoday.com

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Doggies Gone Postal

Postal Workers Barred From Carrying Doggie Treats

"...Mail carrier versus dog: the eternal conflict. Contrary to the cliché, some dogs aren't trying to chase mail carriers away, they can't wait to see them. That's because some carriers try to soothe the savage beasts along their routes with doggie treats..."    

This Article is From: wcco.com

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Mailman seeks comfort in kilt

"...Paul Lunde, who promoted the resolution in Oregon and has worn kilts on St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, and occasional Saturdays when his supervisors aren't paying attention, said that expanding the uniform choices would be a way to express his Celtic heritage, just as Jewish postal workers are allowed to wear yarmulkes...."    

This Article is From: www.boston.com

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USPS Advisory Council: APWU -v-Bush

APWU Sues Bush Over Failure To Appoint USPS Advisory Council

"...Under the law, the postmaster general serves as chairman of the council, the deputy postmaster general serves as vice-chair, and the president is required to appoint 11 other members, including four nominated by postal labor unions; four representatives of major mail users; and three representing the public at large. The postmaster general is named in the suit because the responsibility for forming the council may have been delegated to him as chief executive officer of the Postal Service..."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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COLA Update for June 2008 (CPI)

Contract COLA: $1,330

"...The actual COLA will reflect the increase in the CPI between January and July 2008. It will be payable the second full pay period following the release of the July 2008 index..."   

Source: www.nalc.org

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(APWU) Burrus to VER-Eligible Employees: ‘DON’T GO’

"...about an offer of Voluntary Early Retirement (VER), APWU President William Burrus is advising union members to delay making a decision as long as possible.

“The decision about when to retire is a personal one that is influenced by family obligations and lifestyle,” Burrus said. “But the attractiveness of ending a career early should be weighed with consideration of factors that may not be readily apparent.”

In addition to life-long annuity reductions, he said, employees should realize that the Postal Service offer is being made because of the prospect of heavy financial losses in the current fiscal year and beyond. “The opportunity to retire early may be tempting, but it is not being offered for the employee’s benefit: It is intended to improve the financial condition of the Postal Service.”

“An employee who retires after 25 years of service can expect to receive an annuity of less than half of the average basic salary of the last three years,” Burrus said. He noted that this would exclude most of the time period covered by the 2008 upgrade and the September 2008 Cost-of-Living Adjustment, which is expected to be over $1,000 — one of the largest in postal history.

“Employees who can work for another 15 years before reaching their annuity maximums can expect pay hikes over that time equal to the nearly $18,000 in raises over the past 15 years,” Burrus said of the increase from $34,000 to September’s $52,000.

“The USPS would save about $1 million in salary, benefits, and retirement annuity for each such employee,” he said.

“Those who take the early-out offer will allow the Postal Service to avoid these future obligations, while receiving a significantly lower annuity for the balance of their lives — and lives of their survivors.” The annuity reduction would be “substantial,” he said, and cannot be justified unless the Postal Service offers an incentive.

“We have discussed incentives with the Postal Service,” Burrus said, “but, so far, management has refused to consider any kind of bonus in conjunction with the early-out offer.” The discussions with management are continuing, he said.

“We do not oppose Voluntary Early Retirement per se,” Burrus said, “but we believe incentives should be offered and all eligible employees should be included.”

“And we expect that if a sufficient number of employees do not accept the early-out, the Postal Service will still face a significant deficit, and will still be forced to find ways to reduce the workforce. We will be having continuing discussions with postal management,” he said, “and these discussions will be influenced by the number of employees who voluntarily retire without incentives.”

“In this uncertain economy, there is no reason to make a hasty decision,” Burrus said. “Energy and medical costs are escalating, which will make it extremely difficult to survive on a fixed income. One simply has to consider the financial disincentives to retire early, especially without an upfront monetary incentive.”

“As employees who meet the eligibility criteria think about their choices, I ask that they forgo making a quick decision. At this time, the union’s recommendation to eligible employees is that unless you have compelling personal reasons to retire early, DON’T GO.” ..."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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Clinton to Address Letter Carriers' Convention

Over 8,800 Delegates Heading to Boston Event

"...Over 8,800 letter carriers are planning to convene in Boston July 21-25 as delegates to the 66th Biennial National Convention of the National Association of Letter Carriers -- the largest convention among AFL-CIO unions...."    

This Article is From: www.marketwatch.com

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Employees Would Be Best Served by Postponing Early-Out Decisions

"...We also can expect that if a sufficient number of employees do not accept the early-out offer, the Postal Service will still face a significant deficit, and will still be forced to find ways to reduce the workforce. In light of these factors, it would be foolish for employees to retire early without achieving all of their personal objectives. The union will continue to discuss the details of the early-out offer and will report the results of those discussions. Among the subjects to be addressed are whether all APWU-represented employees will be included and whether eligible employees will receive an incentive bonus for retiring...."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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Severance Pay for Postal and Federal Workers

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Federal Severance Pay

APWU President Burrus states, "...that for this VER, which is not the result of contract negotiations, severance pay must accompany an offer of early retirement."

With this valid statement, postal workers are wondering how severance pay is computated. OPM explains it as follows [Reference: http://www.opm.gov/oca/pay/html/severance_pay.asp]:

Description

Severance pay is authorized for full-time and part-time employees who are involuntarily separated from Federal service and who meet other conditions of eligibility.
Eligibility for Severance Pay

To be eligible for severance pay, an employee must be serving under a qualifying appointment, have a regularly scheduled tour of duty, have completed at least 12 months of continuous service, and be removed from Federal service by involuntary separation for reasons other than inefficiency (i.e., unacceptable performance or conduct).
Ineligibility for Severance Pay

An employee is not eligible for severance pay if he or she is serving under a nonqualifying appointment; declines a reasonable offer of assignment to another position; is serving under a qualifying appointment in an agency scheduled to be terminated within 1 year after the date of the appointment; is receiving injury compensation under 5 U.S.C. chapter 81, subchapter I; or is eligible upon separation for an immediate annuity from a Federal civilian retirement system or from the uniformed services. The employing agency must determine whether an employee was provided a reasonable offer, as defined in 5 CFR 550.703.
Qualifying Appointments

The following appointments are qualifying appointments for severance pay eligibility:

* A career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service or the equivalent in the excepted service;
* A career appointment in the Senior Executive Service;
* An excepted appointment without time limitation, except under Schedule C or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
* An overseas limited appointment without time limitation;
* A status quo appointment, including one that becomes indefinite when the employee is promoted, demoted, or reassigned;
* A time-limited appointment in the Foreign Service, when the employee was assigned under a statutory authority that carried entitlement to reemployment in the same agency, but this right of reemployment has expired; and
* A time-limited appointment (or series of time-limited appointments by the same agency without any breaks in service) for full-time employment that takes effect within 3 calendar days after the end of a qualifying appointment.

Nonqualifying Appointments

The following types of appointments are nonqualifying appointments and do not convey eligibility for severance pay:

* An appointment at a noncovered agency (see the definition of agency in 5 CFR 550.703);
* An appointment in which the employee has an intermittent work schedule;
* A Presidential appointment;
* An emergency appointment;
* An excepted appointment under Schedule C or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
* A noncareer appointment in the Senior Executive Service or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes; and
* A time-limited appointment (except for a time-limited appointment that is qualifying because it is made effective within 3 calendar days after separation from a qualifying appointment), including�
o A term appointment;
o An overseas limited appointment with a time limitation;
o A limited term or limited emergency appointment in the Senior Executive Service, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3132(a), or an equivalent appointment made for similar purposes;
o A Veterans Readjustment Appointment; and
o A Presidential Management Fellows appointment.

12 Months of Continuous Employment

To be eligible for severance pay, an employee must have completed at least 12 months of continuous service by the date of separation. This continuous service may consist of one or more civilian Federal positions held over a period of 12 months without a single break in service of more than 3 calendar days. The positions held must have been under one or more qualifying appointments; one or more nonqualifying temporary appointments that precede the current qualifying appointment; or an appointment to a position in a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard that precedes the current qualifying appointment in the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, respectively.
Resignations and Involuntary Separation

If an employee expects to be involuntarily separated and resigns, the employee is considered to have been involuntarily separated if he or she resigns after receiving a specific written notice that he or she will be involuntarily separated by a particular action effective on a particular date; or a general written notice of reduction in force or transfer of functions which�

* Is issued by a properly authorized agency official;
* Announces that the agency has decided to abolish, or transfer to another commuting area, all positions in the competitive area by a particular date (no more than 1 year after the date of the notice); and
* States that, for all employees in that competitive area, a resignation following receipt of the notice constitutes an involuntary separation for severance pay purposes.

However, a resignation is not considered an involuntary separation if the specific or general written notice is canceled before the separation (based on that resignation) takes effect. Resignations under any other circumstances are voluntary separations and do not carry entitlement to severance pay.
Computation of Severance Pay Fund

An employee�s severance pay fund may consist of two parts�the basic severance pay allowance and an age adjustment allowance, if applicable.
Basic severance pay allowance

The basic severance pay allowance consists of�

* One week of pay at the rate of basic pay for the position held by the employee at the time of separation for each full year of creditable service through 10 years;
* Two weeks of pay at the rate of basic pay for the position held by the employee at the time of separation for each full year of creditable service beyond 10 years; and
* Twenty-five percent of the otherwise applicable amount for each full 3 months of creditable service beyond the final full year.

The weekly rate of basic pay for employees with variable work schedules is determined based on the weekly average for the last position held by the employee during the 26 biweekly pay periods immediately preceding separation. The regulations at 5 CFR 550.707(b) provide specific instructions on calculating the weekly rate for various types of variable work schedules, including part-time work and seasonal work. For information on how to calculate the approximate amount of severance pay for employees with non-variable work schedules, please see the �Severance Pay Estimation Worksheets� at http://fehb.opm.gov/rif/general/egrifben.asp.
Age Adjustment Allowance

The basic severance pay allowance is augmented by an age adjustment allowance consisting of 2.5 percent of the basic severance pay allowance for each full 3 months of age over 40 years.
Rate of Basic Pay

Rate of basic pay means the rate of pay fixed by law or administrative action for the position held by the employee, including, as applicable, annual premium pay for standby duty, law enforcement availability pay, straight-time pay for regular overtime hours for firefighters, night differential for prevailing rate employees, locality payments, and special rate supplements. Rate of basic pay does not include additional pay of any other kind. (See definition of rate of basic pay in 5 CFR 550.703.)
Lifetime Limitation

An employee may not receive a total of more than 52 weeks of severance pay during his or her lifetime.
Creditable Service for Computing Severance Pay

The following types of service are creditable for computing an employee�s severance pay:

* Civilian service as an employee (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2105), excluding time during a period of nonpay status that is not creditable for annual leave accrual purposes under 5 U.S.C. 6303(a);
* Service performed with the United States Postal Service or the Postal Rate Commission;
* Military service, including active or inactive training with the National Guard, when performed by an employee who returns to civilian service through the exercise of a restoration right provided by law, Executive order, or regulation;
* Service performed by an employee of a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard and who moves to a civilian position with the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard, respectively, without a break in service of more than 3 days; and
* Service performed with the government of the District of Columbia by an individual first employed by that government before October 1, 1987, excluding service as a teacher or librarian of the public schools of the District of Columbia.

Accrual and Payment of Severance Pay

Severance pay accrues on a day-to-day basis following the recipient�s separation from Federal employment. Severance payments must be made at the same pay period intervals that salary payments would be made if the recipient were still employed. The amount of the severance payment is computed using the recipient�s rate of basic pay in effect immediately before separation. Severance payments are subject to appropriate deductions for income and Social Security taxes. Severance payments are the responsibility of the agency employing the recipient at the time of the involuntary separation that triggered the current entitlement to severance pay. The regulations at 5 CFR 550.709 provide more details on the accrual and payment of severance pay.
Reemployment and Termination or Suspension of Severance Pay

If an individual entitled to severance pay later accepts a position with the Federal Government or the government of the District of Columbia, he or she is no longer eligible for severance pay and severance pay is terminated. The employing agency must then record on the appointment document the number of weeks of severance pay the individual has received. If the employee again becomes entitled to severance pay, the agency from which the employee is involuntarily separated must recompute the severance pay allowance on the basis of all creditable service and the individual�s current age. The agency must deduct the number of weeks for which severance pay previously was received from the number of weeks it would take to exhaust the recomputed allowance.

If an individual entitled to severance pay is employed by the Federal Government or the government of the District of Columbia under a nonqualifying time-limited appointment, severance pay is suspended during the life of the appointment, but resumes (without being recomputed) when the employee separates from the nonqualifying time-limited appointment. The resumed severance payments are the responsibility of the agency that originally separated the individual involuntarily.
References

5 U.S.C. 5595
5 CFR part 550, subpart G

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Early Retirement Incentive ...other government entities

While the USPS attempts to reduce employee numbers without benefit or cash incentives, other government organizations provide a more appealing offer. In one example, the State of New Jersey offers (2008) an Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) with Paid New Jersey Health Benefits Program (SHBP) post-retirement medical benefits, additional years of service (an additional 5.45% of final average salary), and $500 per month for 24 months after retirement, paid separately from the retirement allowance. Now that's a State that appreciates their employees ...and of course the $136 million in immediate budget savings, and more savings in future years. If one singular State can reap such huge benefit, how much would the Postal Service save in a similar early retirement offer?

Of course, no one can fault the USPS for FIRST attempting to reduce numbers without benefit or monetary incentives, as it makes sense to first try to take the cheaper way out ...no matter how unsuccessful that will be. However, there will be a few that will take the Voluntary Early Retirement without incentive, and that will produce an economic benefit to the USPS. The big question is, "when will the USPS offer a VSIP to truly entice individuals to retire that were not already considering retirement?" Some speculate they will not offer a cash or benefit incentive at all, while some realize that will be the only way to reduce numbers substantially. Let's wait and see how well this non-incentive offer pans out.


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USPS VERA Approved

[NPMHU] First Update on VERA: Voluntary Early Retirement

"...The National Office has learned that the Postal Service has formally been granted authority by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to offer a VERA to certain postal employees during the period from June 30, 2008 through June 30, 2009. ..."    

This Article is From: npmhu317.blogspot.com

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Postal Early Outs

"...a buyout payment. Some agencies are offering both (on a very limited basis) but the USPS is not going to do that. Buyouts are worth a maximum of $25,000, but after deductions the take-home payment is in the $16,000 to $18,000 range. ..."    

This Article is From: www.federalnewsradio.com

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Post office to cut 20K employees

"..."I've heard rumors that they're not offering cash -- this would be a buyout without cash, so they must be going to offer years of service," said Jones, a clerk at the drive-through service window. "I'm planning to stick around a couple of more years."..."    

This Article is From: www.delmarvanow.com

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Local postal workers tired of violence in workplace

"..."Management is constantly harassing, intimidating, finger pointing, and bullying letter carriers on the workroom floor on a daily basis," said Williams. "Management is constantly standing behind us while we are prepping our mail, in order to try and see if they can intimidate us into speeding up in the office." Tensions are high because of the need to deliver mail on more routes with fewer employees. Representatives from the U.S. Postal Service say they are facing economic challenges and are looking for ways to work more efficiently while still treating their workers appropriately. ..."    

This Article is From: www.9news.com

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APWU Meets with USPS, Seeks Bargaining Over Early-Outs

"...“I also reiterated our request for all pertinent information,” he said, “including the Postal Service’s request to the Office of Personnel Management requesting authority to offer early-outs, and OPM’s response.” Under the law, federal agencies, including the Postal Service, must receive approval from OPM to offer Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) opportunities to their employees...."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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COLA CPI-W Update: May 2008 CPI-W

May 2008 CPI-W COLA

"...The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 1.0 percent in May 2008 according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS)..."    

This Article is From: www.narfe.org

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No Buyouts for USPS Postal Early Retirement

20,000 postal clerks, mail handlers may get early retirement

"...a statement issued to Federal Times July 8, the Postal Service said it will not offer buyouts to anyone taking early retirement. The Postal Service said further details on the early retirement offer will be released later this week...."    

This Article is From: federaltimes.com

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Contract letter carrier followed...

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Hidden camera crew trails 'contracted' letter carrier

"...Union leaders warned management this would happen. If the U.S. Postal Service contracted out mail delivery in places like Beaverton, Ore., there would be accountability problems and breaches of mail security, said National Association of Letter Carriers officers like L.C. Hansen, president of Branch 82 in Portland...."    

This Article is From: www.workdayminnesota.org

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Ben Franklin produced the first catalog in the U.S.

Benny does catalogs

"...You know I don't like to brag, but I was reminded by the postal newsgroup that I was the very first customer to send out a mail order catalog. It only happen..."    

This Article is From: yourpostalblog.blogspot.com

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http://postal-newsgroup.blogspot.com/2008/06/benjamin-franklin-philately.html
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Early Out: APWU and USPS to Meet July 8, 2008

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APWU, USPS to Meet July 8 Over Possible 'Early Out' Offer

"...The union learned unofficially on July 3 that the Postal Service had requested authority from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to offer early retirement to 40,000 postal employees.

No specifics of any early-retirement plan are available. “As information is provided, we will share it with our members,” Burrus said.

The meeting, which was rescheduled from July 7, is being held at the request of the APWU. As Burrus reported in an Update for union members last week, the union interprets the National Agreement as requiring bargaining over early-retirement offers. A written demand for notification has been sent to postal management..."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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FMLA Rights

Employer May Require Doctor's Note to Support Paid Sick Leave In Addition to FMLA Medical Certification

"...a better argument had she alleged that the Postal Service interfered with her FMLA rights by requiring that she provide FMLA medical certification. While the FMLA permits an employer to require the employee to abide by the procedural requirements for paid leave, it also provides that, if the paid leave certification requirements are less onerous than the FMLA certification requirements, an employer may only impose the less strict paid leave requirements. 29 CFR 825.207(h). ..."    

This Article is From: federalfmla.typepad.com

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Standard Mail Delivery

Requesting In-Home Dates Only Inflates Postage Costs

"...There is a general lack of understanding by many postal processing facilities and personnel as to what the requested dates really mean. Because of that, there are times when postal employees go out of their way to ensure that mail is being processed and delivered by the dates on the mail. How do they go out of their way to ensure this? It could be segregating the mail by the dates requested which results in additional handling or utilization of additional floor space. It could be processing the mail in a separate pass on sorting equipment or, in the worst-case scenario, manual processing it to avoid waiting for the normal machine time. Or it could be "warehousing" mail that has been delivered too early...."    

This Article is From: www.qg.com Quad/Graphics

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USPS Early Out Offer

APWU to Meet With USPS Over Possible 'Early Out' Offer

"...The union has learned unofficially that the Postal Service has requested from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) the authority to offer early retirement to 40,000 postal employees. In response to an inquiry from my office, a meeting with Postal Service headquarters has been scheduled for Monday regarding these reports...."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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Postal Retirement and Military Retirement ...Combining the two

With the Postal Service requesting Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, there have been many questions about combining military retirement and postal retirement. The big question is whether or not it is a good idea to do so or not. Simply put, you must determine (calculate) if combining the two will generate more income or not. www.govexec.com has an excellent article to assist you in making that difficult decision. Read the article here: Mixing Civilian and Military Retirement

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USPS Early Out Retirement

APWU to Meet With USPS Over Possible 'Early Out' Offer

"...The union has learned unofficially that the Postal Service has requested from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) the authority to offer early retirement to 40,000 postal employees. In response to an inquiry from my office, a meeting with Postal Service headquarters has been scheduled for Monday regarding these reports.
No specifics of the early-retirement plan will be available until full discussions have taken place with the USPS. ... APWU is demanding bargaining on any proposal to offer “early outs.” We believe that all APWU-represented employees should be eligible, and that there should be monetary incentives for interested employees. ..."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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Postal holiday closing on July 4

ARTICLE TITLE: Postal windows get some extra shuteye on Saturday, July 5

"...offices of the postal-service area known as the Mountain Mini Cluster, which encompasses facilities from Nebo to Murphy and is managed from the General Mail Facility on Brevard Road in Asheville...."    

This Article is From: www.mountainx.com

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Postal Workers Honored for Finding Beetles in Mail

"...recognized U.S. Postal Service employees at the Mohnton Post Office this morning for intercepting an illegal shipment of Asian beetles. ..."    

This Article is From: wfmz.com

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Thieves steal gas from postal trucks, cars

"...Postal workers called police when they noticed a broken gas cap on the ground along with the nozzle to a gas can. Police then checked other cars in the lot. At least half a tank of gas was siphoned from the postmaster’s sport utility vehicle..."    

This Article is From: www.bostonherald.com

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Support Keeps Growing For Mail Network Protection Act

"...The following House members added their names as co-sponsors of the bill between June 19 and July 1: Mail Network Protection Act —
Shelley Berkley (D-NV-1)
Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-5)
Frank A. LoBiondo (R-NJ-2)..."    

This Article is From: www.apwu.org

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USPS Mail Handler Level 6

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A reader asked, "is there a Level 6 Mail Handler?"

Answer:     Yes ... a reference in the current Mail Handler National Contract found in Article 9.2 , page 21 identifies the "Step Progression" of a Level 6 Mail Handler. We can find no corresponding pay scale, so we do not know if a Level 6 still exist or not. Rumors of the past mention some position that either does still exist or held by a senior mail handler somewhere. If anyone else has information, please comment.

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Concord postmaster charged with sex offenses

"...held her against her will while they were working at the post office. A 25-year U.S. Postal Service employee..."    

This Article is From: www.salisburypost.com

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