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Pay Information National and Operating Services Agreements | IT-AS Agreement | NPPN Agreement | |
Major
Postal Unions at a Glance |
For Employees Covered by the
National Agreement
and the
Operating Services Agreement:
(11/18/09) In October, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) rose to 630.140, still well below the July 2008 index of 644.303 (upon which the last COLA increase was based). The CPI-W must rise above 644.303 before another COLA is due. After the third month of the six-month measuring period, and assuming the next COLA were based on the October CPI-W, the 7th COLA under the 2006 National Agreement and the Operating Services Agreement would be zero. However, the 7th COLA will be based on the Janary 2010 CPI-W index and will be effective March 13, 2010 (pay period 07-10, pay date April 2, 2010).
The fifth and sixth COLAs, which would have been effective Mar. 24, 2009 and Aug. 29, 2009, respectively, were both zero due to the fact that the January 2009 and July 2009 CPI-W were both below the July 2008 CPI-W. (See chart below.)
Effective with the sixth COLA, under the 2006 National Agreement and Operating Services Agreement, employees have so far received the following cost-of-living adjustments totaling $2,642: $0 (effective March 17, 2007, pay period 07-2007, pay date April 6, 2007); $686 (effective Sept. 1, 2007, pay period 19-2007, pay date Sept. 21, 2007); $479 (effective March 15, 2008, pay period 07-2008, pay date April 4, 2008); $1,477 (effective Aug. 30, 2008, pay period 19-2008, pay date Sept. 19, 2008); $0 (effective March 14, 2009, pay period 07-2009, pay date April 2, 2009), and $0 (effective Aug. 29, 2009, (pay period 19-09, pay date Sept. 18, 2009).
Click here for a table of historical pay changes.
For Employees Covered by the Information Technology/Accounting Services Agreement:
(11/18/09) - In October, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) rose to 630.140, still well below the Sept. 2008 index of 640.226, upon which the fourth COLA was based. The CPI-W must rise above 640.226 before another COLA is due. After the first month of the six month measuring period, and assuming the next COLA were based on the October CPI-W, the seventh COLA under the 2007 IT/AS Agreement would be zero. However, the seventh COLA will be based on the March 2010 CPI-W index and will be effective May 8, 2010 (pay period 11-2010, pay date May 28, 2010).
The fifth and sixth COLAs, which would have been effective May 9, 2009 and Nov. 7, 2009, respectively, were both zero due to the fact that the March 2009 and Sept. 2009 CPI-W were both below the Sept. 2008 CPI-W.
Effective with the sixth COLA, under the 2007 IT/AS Agreement, employees will have received the following cost-of-living adjustments totaling $2,558: $333 (effective May 12, 2007, pay period 11-2007, pay date June 1, 2007); $499 effective Nov. 10, 2007 (pay period 24-2007, pay date Nov. 30, 2007); $811 (effective May 10, 2008, pay period 11-2008, pay date May 30, 2008); $915 (effective Nov. 8, 2008 (pay period 24-2008, pay date Nov. 28, 2008); and $0 (effective May 9, 2009 (pay period 11-2009, pay date May 29, 2009); and $0 effective Nov. 7, 2009 (pay period 24-2009, pay date Nov. 26, 2009).
Click here for the current IT/ASC payscale (effective Jan. 17, 2009) [pdf]
For employees covered by the National Postal Professional Nurses Agreement:
(08/14/09) The NPPN interest-arbitration award, issued April 28, 2009, granted five raises in the contract, which concludes on Aug. 10, 2012. Two raises were implemented retroactively, with a 3.3 percent increase effective Aug. 18, 2007, and a 3.1 percent raise effective since Aug. 16, 2008. As part of the implementation of the award, these two raises were reflected in the nurses’ paychecks dated July 24, 2009.
Effective Aug. 15, 2009 (PP18-09), the basic annual salary for each step shall be increased by 1.6 percent, which is equal to the change in the June 2009 ECI over the June 2008 ECI.
Click here for the latest NPPN payscale (effective Aug. 15, 2009).
(11/18/09) - The CSRS retiree COLA is based on the increase in the third quarter (July, August, September) average of the CPI-W over the same quarterly average from the previous year. The third quarter average for 2009 fell 2.1% from the 2008 third quarter average. All COLAs are upward adjustments, but based on the fall in the quarterly average there will be no automatic increase in CSRS benefits for 2010. In addition, for 2011, the third quarter average for 2010 will be compared back to the third quarter average of 2008 (since no adjustment is made based on the third quarter of 2009). Since the 2008 third quarter average is 2.1% higher than the current quarterly average, the index must rise higher than 2.1% to reap any increase in 2011. Note: The 2009 CSRS Retiree COLA was 5.8% effective with the January 2009 payment.
(11/18/09) - The FERS retiree COLA is based on the increase in the third quarter average of the CPI-W over the same quarterly average from the previous year. However, if the CPI-W quarterly average increases three percent or more, the COLA is the increase less one percent. If the quarterly average increase is between two percent and three percent, the COLA is two percent. If the quarterly average increase is two percent or less, the COLA is equal to the quarterly average increase. The third quarter average for 2009 fell 2.1% from the 2008 third quarter average. All COLAs are upward adjustments, but based on the fall in the quarterly average there will be no automatic increase in FERS benefits for 2010. In addition, for 2011, the third quarter average for 2010 will be compared back to the third quarter average of 2008 (since no adjustment is made based on the third quarter of 2009). Since the 2008 third quarter average is 2.1% higher than the current quarterly average, the index must rise higher than 2.1% to reap any increase in 2011. Note: The 2009 FERS Retiree COLA was 4.8% effective with the January 2009 payment.
For Social Security recipients:
(11/18/09) - The Social Security COLA is based on the increase in the third quarter average of the CPI-W over the same quarterly average from the previous year. The third quarter average for 2009 fell 2.1% from the 2008 third quarter average. All COLAs are upward adjustments, but based on the fall in the quarterly average there will be no automatic increase in SSI benefits for 2010. In addition, for 2011, the third quarter average for 2010 will be compared back to the third quarter average of 2008 (since no adjustment is made based on the third quarter of 2009). Since the 2008 third quarter average is 2.1% higher than the current quarterly average, the index must rise higher than 2.1% to reap any increase in 2011. Note: The 2009 Social Security Retiree COLA was 5.8% effective with the January 2009 payment.
(11/18/09) - The percentage increase in the December CPI-W index from year to year determines the FECA COLA increase. After the tenth month of the 2010 COLA measuring period, the CPI-W index has risen 3.3%. Note: the 2009 FECA COLA was $1 reflected in payments beginning in April 2009. The December 2008 index was 0.5% below December 2007, but the law does not permit negative adjustments and requires a COLA of at least $1.00.
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Employees earn sick and annual leave in accordance with postal regulations found in Subchapter 510 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM). Article 10, Section 2, of the National Agreement provides that "The leave regulations in Subchapter 510 of the [ELM], insofar as such regulations establish wages, hours or working conditions of employees covered by this Agreement, shall remain in effect for the life of this Agreement."
Annual Leave
Full-time career employees earn annual leave based on their number of creditable years of service in accordance with the following accrual chart:
Leave Category |
Creditable Service |
Maximum Leave Per Year |
4 |
Less than 3 years |
4 hours for each full biweekly pay period; i.e., 104 hours (13 days) per 26-period leave year. |
6 |
3 years but less than 15 years |
6 hours for each full biweekly pay period plus 4 hours in last full pay period in calendar year; i.e., 160 hours (20 days) per 26-period leave year. |
8 |
15 years or more. |
8 hours for each full biweekly pay period; i.e., 208 hours (26 days) per 26-period leave year. |
Part-time employees earn annual leave based on their hours worked in
accordance with the following chart:
Leave Category |
Years of |
Maximum Leave per Year |
Rate of Accrual |
Hours in Pay Status |
Hours of |
4 |
Less than |
104 hours, or 13 days per 26-period leave year or 4 hours for each biweekly pay period. |
1 hour for each unit of 20 hours pay in status. |
20 |
1 |
6 |
3 years |
160 hours, or 20 days per 26-period leave year or 6 hours for each full biweekly pay period.* |
1 hour for each uni of 13 hours in a pay status. |
13 |
1 |
8 |
15 years |
208 hours, or 26 days per 26-period leave year or 8 hours for each full biweekly pay period. |
1 hour for each unit of 10 hours in pay status. |
10 |
1 |
*Except that the accrual for the last pay period of the calendar year may be 10 hours, provided the employee has the 130 creditable hours or more in a pay status in the leave year for leave purposes. |
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Sick Leave
Sick leave for all career employees is accrued as follows:
Employee Category |
Time Accrued |
Full-time employees |
4 hours for each full biweekly pay period - i.e., 13 days (104 hours) per 26-period leave year. |
Part-time employees |
1 hour for each unit of 20 hours in pay status up to 104 hours (13 days) per 26-period leave year. |
Click here for a copy of
ELM Subchapter 510
(Updated 02/14/08) This chart [pdf] answers the question: Upon promotion, what pay step in the promoted grade will I get?
How to Use This Chart:
1. In the shaded 'From Grade' sections, find the grade and step from which the employee is being promoted.
2. In the shaded 'To Grade' section immediately below the section identified above, move down to the grade to which the employee is being promoted.
3. Move across to the right from the grade to which promoted, and down from the step from which promoted, and assign the intersecting step. Example, an employee is promoted from a grade 4, step H in schedule-2 to a grade 6 in schedule-2. Go to the section marked "From Grade 4" and move across to step H. Next go down to grade 6 in the light shaded section, and move across to until to come to the intersection at step H. Assign step H as the step to which promoted.
