But Article 12 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which governs reassignments, safeguards full-time employees who have lost their positions as a result of downsizing.
In the 1980s, when automated equipment began to replace Letter Sorting Machines, USPS management concluded that many employees would be excess to needs of their section, craft, or installation. In accordance with Article 12, the Postal Service started to withhold residual vacancies (jobs that remain vacant after they have been posted for bid) in large numbers.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement requires management to withhold residual vacancies when excessing is anticipated - rather than convert part-time flexibles to full time and assign them to the positions - in order to accommodate career employees who may be reassigned because their positions were abolished.
What the Union Does
Whenever management anticipates excessing will take place from an installation, USPS Area management provides the union's regional coordinator with an Impact Statement. Every time the Eastern Region Coordinator office receives an Impact Statement, the union's Automation Committee takes action. In the Eastern Region, the committee members are National Business Agents Eric Wilson, Lamont Brooks, Doug Mirowski and Frank Giordano, and me.
The Automation Committee and Area Management meet with local union and management officials to discuss the contractual provisions involved and to get input from the local officers.
As a result of these meetings, we have been successful on many occasions in minimizing the number of employees excessed outside of their installation.
We discuss every impact. We have had meetings about an impact to a single employee.
Comparative Work-Hour Report
Article 12 stipulates that when employees are excessed out of their installation, the union at the national level may request a comparative work-hour report of the losing installation 60 days after the excessing of such employees.
The comparative work-hour study can be a critical factor in challenging improper excessing. If the report fails to substantiate that business conditions warranted the action, Article 12 says, the retreat rights of the employees shall be activated, and they will be permitted to bid on vacancies in their original installation.
The Eastern Region has an agreement that a meeting will take place after the comparative work-hour report is issued to discuss whether the report justifies the excessing. We have agreed that if we cannot resolve differences of opinion on this subject, the matter will be placed at the top of the arbitration docket. The Eastern Region has been very successful at arbitration concerning excessing.
Moratorium
The extension of the 2000-2003 Collective Bargaining Agreement imposed a moratorium on excessing APWU-represented employees more than 50 miles, unless the employee is slotted into a vacancy created as a result of the early-out provisions of the contract extension. This moratorium will end six months after management provides the APWU with its plan for plant consolidations.
In the interim, the extension agreement has significantly reduced the number of employees being excessed out of their installation.
Between the signing of the contract extension in December 2002 and the summer of 2004, management notified the APWU that more than 500 employees in the Eastern Region were excess to the needs of their installation. These employees could not be moved, however, due to the moratorium.
Pros and Cons
Although staffing has been reduced at virtually all facilities due to automation, excessing outside the installation has been avoided in many cases due to attrition, contractual provisions, and the hard work of local union officials and the Automation Committee.
To date, few employees have been moved out of large installations, but many employees have been moved out of small facilities.
Downsizing has been the result of many management actions: Function One studies, Function Four studies, and the Labor Scheduler software, which is designed to reduce staffing. The Automated Package Parcel Sorter (APPS) machines, which will be deployed on a wide scale in 2004 and 2005, will replace Small Parcel and Bundle Sorters. We have experienced non-stop deployment of automated equipment.
From 1998 to 2003, the APWU lost 51,553 Clerk Craft career employees, 248 Motor Vehicle Operators, and 52 Vehicle Maintenance employees. We have gained 415 Maintenance Craft employees. In 2003 alone, there was a reduction of 54 million work-hours nationwide. Management projects an additional reduction of 25 million work-hours in 2004. This would mean a loss of 11,000 more employees.
The Letter Carrier Craft has lost 11,409 employees, and the Mail Handler Craft has lost 5,471 employees during the same period. The only craft other than maintenance to experience an increase in employees is the Rural Letter Carrier Craft, which gained 9,370.
These factors have severely limited the conversion of part-time flexibles to full time. According to Article 12, only large installations (those that meet the criteria of 125 or more work years) can force conversions to full-time while an installation is withholding vacancies. However, if the hours worked by the PTF are in non-impacted hours, conversions should take place. Management has resisted making the conversions in some places, but we have won arbitrations on this issue.
Not a Single Layoff
With all the downsizing, not a single APWU member has been laid off. We are part of perhaps the only industry in the country that can make such a claim.
If it wasn't for the APWU, 51,000 clerks could have been simply laid off. But because of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the APWU's work to enforce Article 12, no APWU-represented employees have lost their jobs.
ABOUT THE EASTERN REGION COORDINATOR'S OFFICE
Mike Gallagher
Eastern Region Coordinator
1401 Liberty Place
Sicklerville, NJ 08081
Telephone: 856-740-0633
Fax: 856-740-0742
Hearing Impaired: 856-740-0715
The Eastern Region Coordinator is responsible for organizing the union’s grievance activity at the Step 3 level and arbitration in seven states and the District of Columbia. He supervises the scheduling of Step 3 grievances throughout the region; schedules arbitration hearings for the cases that remain unresolved, and assigns the union’s advocates.
It is highly recommended that you visit the National APWU web site and follow the directions given for - When Excessing Happens to You
Q2. May only full-time regular employees be excessed?
A2. No. Part-time regular and part time flexible employees may also be excessed in their separate categories.
Q3. What happens to employees who do not occupy a duty assignment in a section (e.g. unencumbered/unassigned, light/limited duty same/other crafts who were placed
in the section), when excessing from a section?
A3.They will be removed from that section prior to excessing of employees who occupy duty assignments in the section.
Q4. Is an employee’s light or limited duty status considered in excessing situations?
A4. No. An employee in a light/limited duty status will be excessed in the same way that employees in a full duty status are excessed, based on the pay level ofthe
duty assignment that they hold and their seniority. They will receive reasonable accommodation ifnecessary in their new duty assignment/installation.
Q5. An employee is receiving saved grade afterbeing excessed into a lower pay level duty assignment. Which pay level does the employee occupy for future
excessing?
A5. The level ofthe employee’s present duty assignment as indicated on the employee’s PS Form 50.
Q6. Is the Postal Service required to minimize impact on regular work force employees prior to excessing?
A6. Yes. In order to minimize the impact on employees, to the extent possible, all casuals working in the affected craft and installation will be separated prior to making
involuntary reassignments. Also, to the extent possible, part-time flexible employee work hours will be reduced. There is an obligation to separate casual workers if
doing so would yield sufficient hours to establish a regular full time duty assignment: that is eight hours within nine or ten hours, the same five days during a service week.
Q7. Does attrition in the impacted work location reduce the impact?
A7. The Postal Service will count attrition in the impacted work location, if it occurs in the identified wage level after the notice of excessing is provided to the union.
Q8. Will the Postal Service provide advance notice to the impacted employees prior to excessing?
A8.Yes. When excessing employees from the section and/or craft within the installation, the Postal Service will provide reasonable notice at the local level. When
excessing outside ofthe installation, the Postal Service will provide the impacted employees with a minimum of 60 days notice, if possible.
Q9. What notice will the Postal Service provide to the Union?
A9. The Union will receive six (6) months advance notice when possible. For automation based excessing the union will receive a minimum of ninety (90) days
advance notice.
Q10. How are placement opportunities for impacted employees identified?
A10. The Postal Service will provide the APWU Regional Coordinator with a notice of intent to withhold residual vacancies in which to place impacted employees. A
residual vacancy is a duty assignment that goes unbid, and remains after assignment ofunencumbered employees and activation ofretreat rights. In the Clerk Craft, when
a duty assignment is identified as residual, the local manager will give the local union president a written notice that the duty assignment is being withheld pursuant to
Article 12.
Q11. How many duty assignments will be withheld?
A11. A sufficient number ofresidual duty assignments will be withheld to place impacted employees. Maintenance and Motor Vehicle craft residual vacancies in wage level PS-3 and below may be withheld if necessary. Maintenance and Motor Vehicle craft residual duty assignments PS-4 and above will only be withheld if an
identified impacted employee meets the minimum qualifications for that withheld duty assignment.
Q12. How will the Postal Service determine which impacted employee is placed in a withheld residual duty assignment?
A12. Impacted employees will use their seniority to select a withheld duty assignment for which they meet the minimum qualification(s). Minimum qualifications are usually the requisite entrance examination, a driving license (including a Commercial Driving License-CDL where necessary), an experience requirement, or a demonstration ofa skill (e.g. typing). Please check the qualification standards to determine the minimum qualifications for a particular position.
Ql3. If employees are being excessed from more than one installation within a close geographic area at the same time, which employees will select first from the listing of
withheld duty assignments?
A13. Area management and the APWU Regional Coordinator will meet and determine the appropriate method to be used for selection from the list.
Q14. Can an impacted employee be placed in a withheld duty assignment in a higherpay level?
A14. An impacted employee maybe placed in a withheld duty assignment in the same or lower pay levels. An APWU represented employee impacted by a REC
closing or by CFS changes may be placed in a higher pay level withheld duty assignment in APWU represented crafts.
Q15. What is the pay level for placement ofan impacted employee receiving savedgrade (clerk craft only)?
A15. The pay level for placement is the pay level the employee is presently being paid. That is the saved grade pay level. For example, a Mail Processing clerk PS-5
receiving saved grade PS-6, maybe placed in withheld duty assignments from PS-6 and its equivalent or lower (clerk craft only).
Q16. Can an employee volunteer to replace an impacted employee?
A16. Senior non-impacted employees in the same wage level, craft, status (FTR-PTR-PTF) and installation may elect to take the place of a junior impacted employee
and be excessed. In the clerk craft these volunteers will retain their seniority and status however they will not receive retreat rights and will be unable to exercise their
seniority for for bidding purposes for 180 days in the gaining office. In the maintenance craft the volunteer will take the seniority ofthe impacted employee that they replace. In the motor vehicle craft the volunteers will take their own seniority in the same wage level and position description.
Q17. Can an impacted full time regular employee decide to remain in the installation by voluntarily converting to PTF status?
A17. Yes. Each impacted FTR may decide to remain in the installation as a PTF and will retain their craft seniority. If they do this there is no increase in the overall
PTF work hours available for the PTF pool, in fact there will be a reduction due to Article 12 prerequisites. Additionally, a FTR who voluntarily converts to PTF status
will not have retreat rights. This opportunity does not apply to the maintenance craft at this time where PTF positions do not exist as of April 6, 2005.
Q18. Do PTF hours worked in withheld duty assignments count toward maximization?
A18. No. However, PTF’s must be working in withheld positions for their hours to be excluded from the terms of the maximization MOU.
Q19. May the Postal Service withhold PTF vacancies?
A19. Yes. Article 12 allows the Postal Service to withhold PTF vacancies when excessing PTF’s or when closing an independent installation.
Q20. When an employee is excessed into a different craft within the same installation does that employee receive retreat rights?
A20. No. That employee must return to their former craft upon the first available residual vacancy. If the first available residual vacancy is in a lower wage level, the
returning employee will receive saved grade.
Q21. If an employee is excessed into a different craft in a new installation do they have to return to their former craft upon the first available vacancy?
A21. No. Employees excessed into a different craft outside ofthe installation have retreat rights and may return, but are not required to return, to their former craft and
former installation.
Q22. What does the term installation mean?
A22. An installation is the composite ofthe work areas and/or facilities in which employees may use seniority to bid. An installation may be made up ofa post office,
P&DC, BMC, stations and branches, etc..
Q23. What will be the seniority of an impacted employee excessed into a different craft?
A23. The contract ofthe gaining craft/union will determine the employee’s seniority.
Q24. May a senior non-impacted employee volunteer for placement in withheld duty assignments outside oftheir craft?
A24. Involuntary cross craft reassignments within the installation are not available for senior non-impacted volunteers. Senior non-impacted employees may volunteer
for placement in withheld duty assignments outside their craft and outside ofthe installation within the same wage level and status (FTR,PTR,PTF).
Q25. What happens to vacant duty assignments once the Postal Service has withheld a sufficient number ofresidual vacancies to place impacted employees?
A25. The Postal Service will not withhold more residual duty assignments than are necessary to place all impacted employees. The Postal Service may substitute
residual duty assignments to the withheld pool that are closer to the impacted office, or residual duty assignments within the same craft. The Postal Service will release
residual withheld duty assignments not needed. These withheld duty assignments will be released for PTR bidding, PTF preference, or transfers where applicable.
Q26. How will non-impacted employees become aware of the opportunity to replace an impacted employee?
A26. The Postal Service will post a notice on official bulletinboards. The notification will include a listing ofthe withheld duty assignments.
Q27. How far can an impacted employee be excessed?
A27. The Postal Service will attempt to place impacted employees as close to their present work location as possible, but the impacted employee will be placed as far as
necessary to find a residual withheld vacancy.
Q28. Who is eligible for relocation benefits?
A28. An impacted employee, or a volunteer in place of an impacted employee, may be eligible for relocation benefits as indicated in Publication 164 if “your new
position meets the 50-mile rule as defined by IRS regulations”. Employees should check with their personnel office to determine eligibility.
Q29: If excessing from a section occurs while a clerk is serving a bidding restriction, is the bidding restriction waived for purposes ofthe in-section bidding pursuant to
Article 12.S.C.4.c?
A29: The employee would not be subject to the bidding restriction as such in-section bidding is controlled by Article 12, not Article 37.
Q30: What is an 'in lieu' job?
A30: An 'in lieu' job is a position that was withheld in another installation that is offered to senior, non-impacted, employees who wish to volunteer to go into that position in lieu of an impacted junior employee who would be placed into that position.
Q31: If I bid on an 'in lieu' job, do I have to take that job or can I change my mind?
A31: Once you are the successful bidder on an 'in lieu' position you must go into the position. The postal service will cut a new PS Form 50 assigning you to the new facility.
Q32: During the 'in lieu' bidding process are employees eligible to travel to the location at postal service expense to check the area for housing and such, if so, how much time do they get? If not, at what point would employees be able to travel at Postal Service expense to do these things?
A32: During the pre-bid process, employees are not entitled to Postal compensation to check-out the new location(s) to determine if it is the location they desire to select. However, such employees are entitled to various levels of compensation after they have selected and been awarded a job. For example, compensation includes travel for up to 10 days to find a permanent residence in the new location, temporary housing until the employee moves into the new residence, as well as five days for the actual relocation process when the employee is ready to move. Compensation also includes per diem for a period of time, various costs for selling the current home and movement of your current household goods by a Postal contractor. Keep in mind though, employees are entitled to relocation benefits only if the distance between their current home and the new job is more than 50 miles than their current home is to their current job. For more information, review the excerpt of relocation benefits included in this section and the F-12 Handbook.
Q33: If a full-time regular employee decides to revert to a part-time flexible rather than be assigned to a position in another facility will they lose their seniority?
A33: If a full-time employee volunteers to become a part-time flexible that employee will retain their seniority date. However, that employee will not have retreat rights into any residual vacancies that may become available. You must also remember that according to our contract the workhours of PTF employees must be reduced when full-time employees are excessed out of the facility.
Q34: If I am an impacted employee and I bid to the Mail Handler Craft must I do anything to keep my saved grade and how long is saved grade for?
A34: In order to maintain "saved grade" the employee must bid or apply for every "posted" duty assignment in their former wage level. If a Level 5 employee is excessed to a Level 4 Mail Handler assignment, they must bid on all Level 5 Mail Handler jobs. If they are excessed to a Level 3 Custodian, they must apply (via the P.A.R./P.E.R.) for all Level 5 Maintenance Craft jobs (if qualified) in order to maintain their "saved grade." "Saved grade" lasts forever, provided the employee continues to bid or apply for every job in their former wage level which is posted within the Craft to which they are then currently assigned.
Q35: If I am an impacted employee and I voluntarily bid on a job, whether it be a MH or Clerk position, do I get the right to return to the clerk craft when a vacancy becomes available? Are my rights to return to the Clerk craft the same whether I voluntarily bid or if I am slotted (involuntarily) somewhere?
A35: Regardless of how an "impacted employee" is assigned a job (voluntarily selected by seniority or slotted [forced] into a job by juniority), the manner by which the employee returns to the Clerk Craft in the original Installation is the same. However, there is a difference between (1) the employee who stays in the Installation but goes into different Craft and (2) the employee who leaves the Installation to go into a job regardless of Craft. When an employee leaves the Installation, they have "retreat rights" to return to the original Installation if a job becomes available in the Craft from which they were excessed. "Retreat rights" provide the impacted employee with an option to either go back to the original Installation, or, remain at the new Installlation. However, if the employee remains within the Installation but goes into a different Craft, that employee has no "retreat rights" because they have no option but to return to the original Craft when a job becomes available, based upon their seniority in their original Craft.
Example #1: If a Philadelphia Clerk becomes a Philadelphia Mail Handler, that employee has no option to remain as a Mail Handler, if a Philadelphia Clerk job becomes available and Management has gotten down to their name on the seniority list of all of the impacted Philadelphia Clerk Craft employees who were excessed.
Example #2: If a Philadelphia Clerk becomes an Atlantic City Mail Handler, that employee has the "retreat rights" option to either stay as an Atlantic City Mail Handler or return to the Philadelphia Clerk Craft, if a Philadelphia Clerk Craft job becomes available and Management has gotten down to their name on the seniority list of all of the impacted Philadelphia Clerk Craft employees who were excessed.
Senior volunteers can select jobs of any Craft, but only outside of the Installation and they do not have "retreat rights."
Q36: What is the most amount of time an impacted employee, who does not want to be moved, could wait to make the decision to convert back to a PTF?
A36:The employee has up until the time they are slotted [forced] to go into a Full-Time residual vacancy to elect to become a PTF Clerk if they do not desire to be excessed. Managmeent cannot force a Full-Time Regular to become a PTF. Impacted employees must be careful in electing this option as there are a number of drawbacks with becoming a PTF (e.g., reduced work hours, potential of reduced retirement if the employee is never converted back to Full-Time, no guarantee of being converted to Full-Time, etc.). This should be the very last choice! Also, impacted employees shouldn't be persuaded to become a PTF in another Craft beacuse they would be placed at the bottom of the PTF seniority list and have to wait until all of the PTFs in that Craft are converted to Full-Time. This is also a choice which should not be made until the very end. Remember, Management has an obligation to find the impacted employees a Full-Time job.
Q37: What "retreat rights" options should the employee fill-out on the "retreat rights" letter?
A37: The employee should select the "Same, Higher and/or Lower Level" option on the "retreat rights" letter. This option covers all bases. The employee would be offered jobs in the Craft to which they were assigned before they were excessed. When contacted by Management in the future, the employee would have the luxury of deciding at that time whether to return to the Philadlephia Installation. If they like their new Installation and do not want to return to Philadlephia, they can then "decline" their "retreat rights." However, if the employee fails to select any of the "retreat rights" options, then they can only return to Philadelphia by transfer, which would mean becoming a PTF again with a new period of seniority.
Q38: If I am reassigned to a position in another facility and I do not wish to accept it will I be eligible for severance pay if I am terminated?
A38: You may be eligible for seveance pay if you are involuntarily separated provided you have been employed by the postal service for at least 12 consecutive months except in the following circumstances:
a. The employee is entitled to an immediate retirement annuity including discontinued service retirement.
b. At the time of separation, the employee is offered and declines to accept a position in the postal service of like seniority, tenure, and pay within the same commuting area.
c. The employee is separated for cause.
d. The employee, at the time of separation, is receiving compensation as a beneficiary of the Federal Employees Compensation Act, except when receiving this compensation concurrently with postal pay.
If the offer of a position does not meet the required criteria for purposes of this regulation and the eligible employee rejects the offered position, the employee is considered "separated." If the employee does not meet the eligibility criteria for discontinued service retirement, but does qualify for severance pay, the employee should; forward a letter rejecting the written offer and request a written estimate of the amount of severance pay entitlement.
Q39: How much severance pay would I be entitled to?
A39: In no case shall the severance pay exceed 52 weeks' basic compensation. The employee is credited with 1 week's basic compensation (weekly basic rate of pay, excluding COLA) for each year of creditable service up to 10 years. The employee is credited with 2 weeks' basic compensation for each year of creditable service in excess of 10 years. Each 3-month period of service that exceeds 1 or more full years of service is computed as 25% of a full year.
Q40: How will severance be paid to me?
A40: Employees receive severance pay each biweekly pay period, less withholding for taxes. The pay continues until the severance fund is exhausted or the employee is reemployed by the postal service or another federal agency.
Q41:What factors trigger the offering of "retreat rights" back to the Philadelphia Clerk Craft?
A41:One factor is when a Clerk Craft employee permanently vacates a Clerk Craft bid job (e.g., retires, quits, gets fired, promoted to Supervisor, transfers, etc.) their job is posted for bid and after the full bidding process, a "residual vacancy" exists. That "residual vacancy" is then offered, in seniority order, to the excessed employees who have "retreat rights." Once an employee declines to retreat to a Philadelphia Clerk Craft "residual vacancy," that employee will no longer have "retreat rights" and will not be offered any additional Philadelphia Clerk "residual vacancies" and will stay at their new Installation. Another factor is due to the results of the "Comparative Work Hour Report" which is designed to analyze whether the decision to excess is supported by the hours worked by the employees who remain in the Philadelphia Installation after the excessing has occurred. A review of this report and the actual work hours of the remaining employees may indicate that a number of the impacted employees should not have been excessed and should be offered their "retreat rights."
Q42:Will all of the employees who've received the 60-Day Involuntary Reassignment letter be excessed?
A42:No. Management had the contractual obligation to provide as much advance notice as possible to the "total" number of potentially (impacted) employees to be excessed. However, for each senior employee who "volunteers" to leave, or, for each employee who quits, retires, is fired, transfers or gets promoted to Supervisor, a corresponding number of junior impacted employees is "saved" from being excessed.
Q43:Can the job of a junior impacted employee who is now "saved" from being excessed be taken away and given to a senior employee?
A43:No. If the "saved" employee has a bid job which will remain after the excessing occurs (e.g., Window Clerk), then the junior employee remains in their job. However, if at some time after the current excessing process Management determines to reduce the number of employees at the Section or Station where the "saved" employee works, that junior Clerk would be excessed from the Section or Station to another Section or Station within the Philadelphia Installation and their job would be posted for bid for the senior Clerks who remain in that Section or Station.
Q44:What is the seniority date of a Clerk Craft employee when they return/retreat back to the Philadelphia Clerk Craft after having been excessed to another Craft?
A44:The employee would regain the Clerk Craft seniority they held at the time they were excessed, plus the time they spent in the other Craft. For example, an employee who had 10 years of Clerk Craft seniority when excessed and spent two years in the Mail Handler Craft after being excessed, would have 12 years of seniority when they return/retreat back to the Clerk Craft.
Q45:What is the seniority of a Clerk Craft employee who is excessed to a Clerk Craft job in another Installation?
A45:Regardless of where the Clerk Craft employee is excessed, they do not lose any seniority if they are excessed into another Clerk Craft job.
Q46:Why did junior impacted employees receive a "waiver" form in the Mail Handler bid package and what "rights" were "waived?"
A46:The "waiver" form which was included in that package was not meant for everyone. That form was intended for any "Preference Eligible" Military Veteran employee who desired to select a lower level job. The "Preference Eligible" veteran has a "right" to be placed in the same level job when excessing occurs. Regulations of the Merit Systems Protection Board prohibit the Postal Service from forcing a "Preference Eligible" Military Veteran into a lower level job. However, the "Preference Eligible" can voluntarily select a lower level job and receive "saved grade." This form should have been provided only to "Preference Eligible" Veterans and only after they were identified as the successful bidder for a Mail Handler job. The "rights" that were to be "waived" was for the "Preference Eligible" to be placed in a same level job.
Q47: What is the salary level of an employee who is excessed from the Clerk Craft to another Craft (e.g. Mail Handler Craft?)
A47: A Clerk Craft employee, who is excessed to another Craft but to a lower salary level, will receive "saved grade." This means that the employee will continue to be paid at the level they were assigned to before they were excessed and will receive Contractual and Cost of Living Allowance increases negotiated by the APWU.
Q48: If I am excessed into the Mail Handler Craft will I have to bid on level five Mail Handler jobs in order to maintain my "saved grade?"
A48: Yes. In order to maintain your saved grade you will have to bid on all Mail Handler level five job vacancies.
Q50: What happens to employees who are either Rehab or Limited Duty?
A50: Management has an obligation to make every effort to find Rehab and Limited Duty employees work which is consistent with their physical limitations. If the particular employee is a senior non-impacted employee who is not subject to being excessed, then management will first review the work available within the new Plant, as well as the AMC and City Stations to see if the employee can be accommodated. If the employee cannot be accommodated, then management will look to other post offices within a 50 mile radius to see if work is available. If no work is provided, then management will expand that radius again to see work, consistent with the employee's limitations is available. If ultimately no work is provided consistent with the employees' physical limitations, the employee has option to file for "loss wage compensation" with OWCP and to file an appeal with the Merit Systems Protection Board and/or process a grievance. For junior, impacted employees subject to excessing, work for these employees would only be explored outside of the Philadelphia Installation. However, the same procedures and options would apply. Keep in mind that there are additional protections under law for Rehab and Limited Duty employees which will be afforded in the event work cannot be found.
Q51: Can full-time regular Rehab or Limited Duty employees be reduced to a PTF?
A51: No. However, the workday for these employees can be reduced, based upon the number of hours of work which can be found. Management has the obligation to find these employees work, or such employees would be compensated through OWCP for any work (or hours of work) which cannot be found.