In offices of less than 100 work-years a ratio of 1 transfer for every 6 vacancies (1 in 6) applies for the duration of the National Agreement. What is the duration of the 2018-2021 National Agreement when applying the 1 in 6 ratio of the MOU Re: Transfers?
Answer: Article 43, Section 2 states, "Unless otherwise provided, this Agreement shall be effective March 10, 2020, and shall remain in full force and effect to and including 12 midnight September 20, 2021, and unless either party desires to terminate or modify it, for successive annual periods."
2. When an eligible employee applies for a transfer from one Postal installation to another in regular
eReassign are they bidding on a particular posted residual vacancy?
Answer: No. An employee applying in regular eReassign is requesting a reassignment (transfer)
from one installation (bid cluster) to another installation (bid cluster). The residual vacancies are
posted per the language of the MOU Re: Residual Vacancies - Clerk Craft - Paragraph C.
Employees should be assigned to vacancies based on the posting and the employee's availability at the time of the approved/accepted reassignment.
3. How often does an employee need to apply in eReassign?
Answer: In regular eReassign an employee is applying for a transfer to another installation (bid
cluster), not a specific duty assignment. This application is active for 12 months from date of
submission or until reached for review. The employee can withdraw the application at any time in
that 12 month period. When the employee is placed in review, a decision is made to accept or deny. If the employee's transfer request is accepted and he/she reports to the new installation (bid cluster), all active requests for other installations are closed. If the transfer request is denied, the application to this installation (bid cluster) is closed. Applicants can extend their requests prior to the 12 month expiration in accordance with the instructions on the confirmation screen in eReassign.
4.What makes an employee eligible for reassignment?
Answer: All career employees are eligible for reassignment if they have met the 12/18 month
requirement in their current installation as defined in the MOU Re: Transfers. For transfers within the geographical area covered by a District, or to any adjacent District, an employee must have 18
months of career service in his/her present installation prior to requesting reassignment to another
installation. For transfers outside the geographical area as described above, the employee must
have 12 months of career service in his/her present installation prior to requesting reassignment to another installation. (Page 304 -307 of the 2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement).
5.What happens if an employee applies prior to becoming eligible?
Answer: Each USPS District eReassign Coordinator is required to monitor the applications in
regular eReassign. If a career employee submits an application prior to meeting the 12/18-month eligibility requirement, the employee will be notified in writing of his/her eligibility date. If the
employee is still interested in a transfer he/she will need to submit another application once eligible. The ineligible application will be removed from the pending list of applicants.
6. Does the transfer opportunity ratio 1 in 4 or 1 in 6 include both full-time residual vacancies and parttime flexible (PTF) vacancies?
Answer: Yes. The limit on the number of career reassignments (1 in 4 or 1 in 6) includes the
combined opportunities of full-time residual vacancies and PTF vacancies.
7. How is the transfer opportunity ratio applied in offices of 100 or more work years?
Answer: For offices of 100 or more work-years, a ratio of 1 transfer for every 4 vacancies applies. At least 3 of the posted full-time residual and PTF vacancies will be filled by conversion of Postal Support Employees (PS Es) based on their relative standing to maintain a ratio of 1 transfer to 3
conversions. Calculation will be tracked to specific blocks of 4. When an employee is being
considered for transfer, if the employee/employer rejects the offer/request, the vacancy will be filled by PSE conversion after exhausting all eligible employees pending in eReassign. To be eligible, the applicant must submit an application prior to the close of that month's posting. If the final result is a PSE conversion the transfer opportunity in the specific block of 4 cannot be made-up at a later date. This ratio will be reset per Q&A #14 (see below).
8. How is the transfer opportunity ratio applied in offices of less than 100 work years?
Answer: For offices of less than 100 work-years, a ratio of 1 transfer for every 6 vacancies will be applied for the duration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). At least 5 of the career
vacancies will be filled by conversion of PSEs to career status based on their relative standing.
Once a transfer is accepted the remaining vacancies of the 1 in 6 ratio will be filled by PSE
conversion. Calculation will be tracked to specific blocks of 6. When an employee is being
considered for transfer, if the employee/employer rejects the offer/request, the vacancy will be filled by PSE conversion after exhausting all eligible employees pending in eReassign. To be eligible, the applicant must submit an application prior to the close of that month's posting. If the final result is a PSE conversion the transfer opportunity in the specific block of 6 cannot be made-up at a later date. This ratio will be reset per Q&A #14 (see below)
9. Where in the pecking order are retreat rights to PTF vacancies handled?
Answer: Employees with Clerk Craft retreat rights would fill PTF vacancies in accordance with Article 12.5.C.5 or Article 12.5.C.5.b(6) prior to consideration of PSE conversions and transfers (MOU - Step B.1 ). Retreat rights do not count towards the ratios of 1 in 4, or 1 in 6.
10. Where in the pecking order are transfers to PTF vacancies considered?
Answer: Transfer requests are considered in conjunction with PSE conversions per Item B.1 of the MOU Re: Residual Vacancies - Clerk Craft.
11. When there are two required qualifications on a residual vacancy, when does the employee enter the second deferment period? For example, a PSE is scheduled for conversion to a Sales, Services/
Distribution Associate (SSDA) with scheme qualification, the PSE enters window training first and is converted upon qualification on the window. When does the newly converted employee enter the
scheme deferment period?
Answer: The newly converted career clerk will enter scheme training within 10 days of conversion to career. The required scheme training will be conducted in accordance with Handbook M-5,
Schemes: Construction, Assignment, Training, and Proficiency.
12. Which language is controlling for the term of the 2018-2021 National Agreement, the MOU Re: Residual Vacancies - Clerk Craft or Article 37.5.D?
Answer: The MOU Re: Residual Vacancies - Clerk Craft is the controlling document for the term of the 2018-2021 National Agreement. The Article 37.5.D language was placed in the 2015-2018 National Agreement in anticipation of the MOU Re: Residual Vacancies - Clerk Craft expiring. Once the March 10, 2020 Interest Arbitration Decision determined the MOU Re: Residual Vacancies - Clerk Craft would continue, the MOU language became controlling.
13. The 2018-2021 National Agreement, in accordance with the Goldberg Interest Arbitration decision dated March 10, 2020 requires the conversion of PSEs with 2.5 years of relative standing in 125 work year offices or larger. Will PSEs who will be converted pursuant to this obligation be able to make selections from residual vacancies identified in eReassign?
Answer: PSEs to be converted on May 9, 2020, will be able to preference residual vacancies available for the April 2020 eReassign posting. If insufficient residual vacancies in the installation (bid cluster), the PSEs will be assigned to unencumbered schedules equal to the number of placements necessary. If the residual vacancy has skills or schemes the unencumbered employee will be scheduled for training or enter a deferment period as appropriate.
14. Will the tracking for transfers be reset for the term of the 2018-2021 National Agreement?
Answer: For the purpose of beginning a new 1 in 4, or 1 in 6 ratio calculation, the starting point will begin with the June 1, 2020, posting of residual vacancies and PTF vacancies in eReassign. Prior postings with transfers pending have already been calculated with the ratio in place at the time of the posting and results of the posting. Any pending transfers from prior postings will be finalized or conversions authorized if transfer fails to finalize.
15. For the 1 in 6 ratio installations (bid cluster) what action is first, conversion or transfer?
Answer: For the first vacancy to fill, there is no requirement on which action should be first. If the relative standing date of the PSE within the installation (bid cluster) is older than the date of the request for a transfer to the installation, consideration should be to convert the PSE first. If the date of the transfer request is older than the relative standing date of the PSE, the transfer should be selected first. Once a transfer is accepted the remaining vacancies of the 1 in 6 ratio will be filled by PSE conversion.
16. What is the seniority date for applicants accepted from a canvass?
Answer: The seniority is established as the effective date of placement into the new installation (bid cluster).
17. What was the intent of language in Paragraph B.2 of the MOU for Filling PTF Vacancies?
Answer: The intent of the language in Paragraph 8.2 of the MOU was if the PTF vacancy was not filled through PSE conversion within the installation (bid cluster) or through regular eReassign, the vacancy would be filled through a simultaneous canvass of PTF clerks by seniority and PSEs by relative standing within a 50-mile radius of the installation with the vacancy. Any PTF applicants will be processed ahead of PSE applicants. The canvass will not count against the ratio as they are voluntary. If the employee is not qualified on the requirements of the PTF assignment (window, etc.) he/she must qualify at the current installation (bid cluster) and if he/she fails to qualify, reassignment is denied. If the PSE fails, a separation notice will not be issued. The PSE will remain in his/her current status and current installation (bid cluster).
18. Is there a limit on the number of times an employee can be accepted for a canvass?
Answer: An employee placed through a successful canvass, must remain in the new bid cluster for a period of 12 months from the date of placement.
Document Type: Question & Answer
Craft: Clerk