From PostalReporter.com reader:
“The Postal Service has announced it intends to expand the National Reassessment Process by implementing a Pilot Program for Limited Duty Modified Assignments. That should mean those who have not met their maximum medical improvement. It will be a “Pilot” program in 4 districts nationwide. USPS has set up a meeting with National on April 22 to discuss their intentions, which we all know is to reduce the workforce any way they can. I have been a rehab for approx 18 years. I have a full work day with more than enough to keep busy. USPS has had a stand up in the Santa Ana district saying they intend to start it ASAP (before the national meeting in April). But they intend to use this “Pilot” program to circumvent the established process of interviewing employees. They are saying that anyone not performing “productive and necessary work based on operational necessity” will be targeted. My manager said that means that any rehab, not only the limited duty assignments that USPS nationally has said would be included in pilot, will only be working an hour or two a day, then will be sent home. This is an obvious violation of the established NPR program. Has anyone else out there heard of this railroading policy happening in their area?”
I HAVE BEEN CALLING OWCP AND IT SAYS MY CLAIM IS OPEN FOR MEDICAL BUT THE CASE HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED.I HAVE ASKED TO HAVE MY CLAIMS EXAMINER CALL BUT HE HASN’T. THEY HAD TOLD ME 6-10 WEEKS IF MY CLAIM WAS ACCEPTED. i CALL WEEKLY. MY ARM WAS EXCEPTED AND HAS BEEN CONTINOUSLY MEDICALLY PAID FOR BUT NOW THAT THE NRP TEAM HAS OUSTED ME I HAVE NOT GOTTEN COMPENSATION. I AM SCARED, MY CREDIT HAS BEEN RUINED AND THINGS ARE GETTING REAL TOUGH. I SEND IN MY PAPER WORK EVERY TWO WEEKS LIKE I AM SUPPOSED TO AND THEY HAVE RECIEVED IT ALL.
Anonymous: Yes I’ve been getting paid I recieve a check once a week, one from the post office and the next week I recieve a deposite from OWCP. Call your worker comp office were ever you are ask them what’s going on. Are you sending your Ca 7 and your time analysis form in? If you are then you need to call workers comp, they might have the wrong claim number. This happened to a friend of mine she finally got it straightened out, but you need to stay on top of it. Don’t you have a steward in that office? Make him do his job you need to be firm and stedfast or these bastards will step all over you, fight for your rights this is America!!!
no letters to mail: have you gotten compensation of any kind? I have been out since may 28th 9due to the nrp team)and have gotten nothing and heard nothing from comp. I check by calling and it says my claim still hasn’t been reviewed. I am afraid that I will not get anything and therefore loose everything. I was given a job offer of an hour a day and I refused because my travel was more time than that. the union told me to refuse it because DOL says a reasonable job offer has to be at least 4 hours a day. Now I sit and wait. I have a 60% disability in my right arm/hand. they said I couldn’t use my left???? that’s what I have been doing for 10 years as they watched. 27 years of service–I was a good employee and this is wwhat I get because I was injured.
For all of you Holier Than Thou folks who wreak with integrity…you know, the one’s who come to work everyday just to get paid, but don’t do a damned thing while you are there…your day is coming.
Some of you doing all of the complaining are probably the one’s who spend more time worrying about what other’s are perceived to be not doing rather than doing your own job.
You come in on 4 hrs overtime and spend most of it in the break room or yapping your gums…and we all know how hard employees on the DBCS’s really work, don’t we.
I have never seen any poster worker break a sweat doing anything, except the obese one’s who cannot walk two steps without sweating.
Otherwise, no one really has a damned thing to complain about when it comes to work. How many healthy workers do you see doing everything they can to avoid working?
Hell, even with medical restrictions, many injured workers work harder than the lazy, healthy bums like those who come here bitching about injured workers.
I to am an injured carrier. worked for 22 years as a carrier. I have had two shoulder surgeries, and need another one. I have had two carpel tunnels surgeries and have tennis elbow. I have severe tendonitis. I was one of the “lucky” carriers to have been through the NRP process I lost all my seniority when they transferred me to the clerk craft. Now I have been transferred again into the mail handler craft as the building I was transferred into closed.I am now on the bottom of the seniority list again through no fault of my own. I too do not like the people who are faking their injuries as this makes it all the more harder for those of us who are truly injured. I went through a very hard time to prove my case with work comp and to be treated as a faker by my fellow employees is an insult. If any one of you knows the pain and discomfort that I must deal with every day, and yes it does not “go away” when I clock out, you would not say some of the things you do. I was harassed for years by my fellow carriers and one particular fellow was relentless with his harassment until one day he became injured. I do not wish any ill will on anyone, but be wise and understand it could happen to any one of you.
There are scammers everywhere and they hurt it for the rest of us. I am home hopeing to get my workers comp since I have been denied unemployment because I am useing my leave. I have a meeting with the DRAC team next week. My lawyers are trying to get me my job back stating that I can use my left arm to sort etc. The PO said I am not allowed to use my left arm. Funny I have been doing it for years as my postmaster watched and pushed me to do things beyond my limitations. I always went the extra mile. Did whatever. Figured if I got hurt I would grieve it after. I was careful not to pick up anything heavy. I needed my job! I did more work in my office than the postmaster. He sits on the phone all day and plays on the computer. I did my clerk work and his work. I went home everyday in pain. Funny, 4 years ago I was given a $300 bonus with a letter of apprecation for a job well done from the POOM. I would like my job back but I really don’t want to work for the postal service anymore. I am trusting the union and the lawyers and I sit home hopeing and praying OWCP comes through. The post office is telling OWCP to challenge my compensation — nice aren’t they–because they offered me a 1 hour a day job. They wanted me to travel an 1/2 hour (one way) for an hour. I did it for a week and I was usually sent home before my hour. They are just tormenting me. The union told me to refuse the job offer because the law says that reasonable job accomadations are 4 hrs daily. That is what owcp claims. So I still sit and wait hopeing I do not lost everything that I have worked so hard for over the years. HAS ANYONE OUT THERE GOTTEN OWCP AFTER BEING REMOVED BY THE NRP TEAM???
Time to make a change: I too saw people who couldnt even lift a tray at 5lbs and I would see them walking in carrying alot of stuff. Even though I got hurt I really believe there are scammers in the system and unfortunately that hurt all of us. There really needed to be a change, and some needed to be put back to full duty. One lady had a tummy tuck and was on light duty for a yr. Get real!!!!!!!!!
I was on limited duty for a long time because I got hurt on the SBPS machine, and believe me after I got hurt I sure couldnt go back to working there. Then when they got the killer machine in there, nope never could I even think of working there. I had a manual job but they would shove you over to do these jobs so I had to stay on limited duty. Lucky for me, I got a station job and was doing 90% of the jobs there, so when the reassessment team came to our area, I decided to go back to full duty seeing that i was doing 90% anyway. Well I have to work slower than some of the others, and that pisses off my staion manager alot. In fact she has been nasty to me since I came to that station even though I am trying and there every day. Anyway I have to be careful, and lift things in a careful manner to avoid any further injury. However Its been almost a yr and I am doing ok. Lucky its only manual jobs there because I certainly couldnt go back to the machines. I am hoping I can afford to just say GOODBYE SUCKERS in 3-4 more years. Its been a real hellhole at that PO! Managers treat the hurt workers all like we are lying.
Perhaps if management would delegate work in their offices fairly instead of piling a majority of the heavy work on one or two clerks, injuries would be far less in associate offices. I started with USPS completely fit and healthy. Now I have severe back strain and increasingly aggressive arthritis in my lower back. Doc says at the rate I’m going I may be permanently disabled in 5 yrs–and I’m not even close to 50 yrs. old!! Even tho our associate offices have no particular assigned duties for PTF’s, they seem to have designated me as the heavy work employee. Anyone who has never had back problems (i.e. having your back go completely out and all you can do is lay flat and cry because even breathing in and out hurts!) will not/can not possibly understand. I have worked hard since the age of 15 and am not afraid of hard work. But when work delegations are unfair and there are four other clerks in your office that do NOTHING (yes, nothing) and you’re left to pick up the slack, what then??? I have never missed a day of work in the past with any employer I’ve ever worked for until four years into my career with USPS. Too bad the powers that be can’t do a management overhaul.
can you still collect unemployment if you recieve money from workers comp? I wish they would started this along time ago. Getting paid to be at home doing all the stuff I wasn’t able to finish on my day off and the trips to the beach, My kids in joying all the homemade meals. Dam the NRP there smart what will they think of next. You go you expert you!!!!!
call your claims examiner about your money let them know that you are human and that you don’t live on bread and water this number might help you 415-625-7500 and you can check status on ca7 at 1-866-692-7487
I was a rural carrier for 16 years before being injured. I am now a modified clerk and have been for 10 years. I am full time and work 8 hours a day and I DO WORK. I was interviewed by the NRP pilot program team which is made up of area postmasters last week. The offered me 1 hour a day. It is an insult. They give you OWCP paper but I heard no one yet has been pay by OWCP. I have put in for unemployment. I am still in shock and don’t really no what is going to happen to me. I am afraid I will loose my home now. I have a lawyer and I have the union working with me but it beyond belief this can happen to anyone. I have recieved cash bonuses from the postmaster for appreciation for the work I do and now they are saying they have no work for me. I am 52 due to retire soon. In this economy where does someone my age go. Has anyone else out there been successful with OWCP???
no two are alike. No injury the same, yet easy to judge when you are not the injured party. Support those who are injured and if you are, dont put yourself in a position to where you cant do nothing. Only you know your limitations and you should make it known. We all have to endure pain to a point and only you know how much you can push until you need rest. Dont look down on those who are not 100%, but yet to us who are less than, do the best you can for the task we have been given. Love your job and help one another best you can.
Like some of you have said, you never know, but the day just might come when it will be you who is injured. Don’t be like heartless management which treats injured workers so coldly. You should have compassion toward those who are truly injured. Being injured causes losses in many ways that you are probably unaware of. The last thing an injured person needs is to be put down by coworkers who do not have any idea what it is like to lose physical abilities. I wish all injured employees the best.
I can’t believe the stuff I’ve read, and you call yourself a human being. When I started 20 yrs. ago I was so proud of what I represented those first two words United States. That really meant something to work for the Postal Service. It’s a shame that ignorant lonely and immature people continue to bash there co-workers, do you really think injuries stop when you clock out. Dame fools they continue through the rest of the day everyday. Would you like to tell my kids they couldn’t eat this week because mommy was being sent home with no pay because she worked her ass off for 20 yrs. and this was the thanks she got. How about if I sent you some of my bills or better yet would you feel better if my kids and I were homeless. That would fix things, right? Ignorance!!! “Carma” always bites you in the ass. So before you bash or think you know someones pain remember ” It could be you”!!!
CORRECTION to phone number above 508-541-0148
I have great news for all Postal employees that have had their hours reduced. If you file with your local unemployment office for benefits due to reduced hours you will in FACT receive benefits.
What really makes this awesome is the USPS does not contribute to unemployment therefore every dollar you are given from unemployment will have to be paid back by the USPS dollar for dollar.
They want to play well lets play back. Please inform ALL employees who’s hours have been cut that they are entitled to file for unemployment in their state and receive benefits for reduced hours.
Any questions call me at the Franklin, MASS Post Office. Bill Geoffrion PTF Clerk (Fighting Back) 504-541-0148
AFCS.DBCS,AI,DIOSS,FSM1000 2PASS,(foreign language)?Not. Some of you guys need to get out of (Mayberry),Their acronyms for high speed mega thru put mail processing machines used at mail processing plants,that are causing crippling injuries.Some of which you never recover from.So let the violins play and leave the injured alone.
YOU PEOPLE THAT BAD MOUTH OTHERS SHOULD LOOK OUT,SOMETHING JUST MIGHT FALL ON YOU.YES THERE ARE SOME THAT ABUSE THE SYSTEM BUT THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE REALLY INJURED AND ARE IN PAIN EVERY DAY.
SO GET A CLUE AND STOP DOWNING OTHERS BEFORE THE GOOD LORD GETS YOU!
To 21+ … tell these people! I’ve worked since 12 years old…never afraid of a hard days work Since injured on the job at the USPS, I have been subjected to many intrusions that the average employee would not be. USPS OJI employees are subject to much more scrutiny not only by management, but by government entities and union ‘brothers’ as well. I was assaulted by a manager after a cervical disc extrusion injury on the job. The manager continued to receive all his bonuses, raises and allowed to retire on full retirement pay (unlike the ‘No Tolerance’ policy). These people have no idea what awful fate awaits them upon reporting an ‘On the Job Injury’. Take care, my brother.
i started with the usps 30 yrs ago as a mailhandler, I”VE NEVER BEEN AFRAID OF HARD WORK:
I GAVE THIS GREAT ORGANIZATION MY BODY> after six
(6) SURGURIES I DON’T FEEL THAT I SHOULD PROVE TO
ANY ONE THAT I’M INJURED. AT TIMES I WISH EVERYONE OF YOU THAT ARE CRITICAL OF LD EMPLOYEES
WOULD INJURY YOURSELVES, BUT I’M NOT THAT KIND OF
PERSON.
I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST—-GOD BLESS U
John Says:
April 5th, 2009 at 5:38 am
I understand that at times people do get hurt on the job. I just do not understand how they NEVER get better. The body heals after time. Football players break bones and are back playing a VIOLENT sport within a year tops. We have people who sprained thier back 10 years ago that cannot throw box mail? We really need to start challenging the doctors that provide these restrictions.
Some people don’t heal because the nature of the illness prevents that say a Degenerative Disc in the spinal cord If I could only take back half the crap I dished out to a Limited Duty employee I would and it has happened to me so all you people take note never cast stones in a glass house because sooner or later you may end up the same take it from me it no fun in a wheelchair.
Well said vasiliki: people start calling what you waiting on……………..
For those of you who have lumped all injured employees into one group of lazy”rehabs” may you be the next one who gets hurt. Then you will know what it is like. Sure there are people who are faking, but there are legitimately injured employees – and you know it- who have had surgical intervention which has changed the course of their lives- it continues when you go home you know! It affects your life even when you are not at work-duh. If you have actual proof of fraud this is the email address- hotline@uspsoig.gov– Either report someone for fraud or shut up ! Actual injured employees do not like fakers either.
I understand that at times people do get hurt on the job. I just do not understand how they NEVER get better. The body heals after time. Football players break bones and are back playing a VIOLENT sport within a year tops. We have people who sprained thier back 10 years ago that cannot throw box mail? We really need to start challenging the doctors that provide these restrictions.
If an injured worker gets sent home because the postal service failed to provide limited duty that worker gets paid 75% of his salary tax free. The money is paid to the injured worker by the Dept. of Labor. The Dept of Labor then bills the postal service for every penny that the injured worker collects plus and expenses incureed that are related to his injury. the postal service must pay for any physical therapy, medication and doctor bills. If the DOL rehabs the injured worker then the USPS picks up the tab for retraining. Those benefits are mandated by the Federal Employment Compensation Act (FECA). So,in most cases when the postal service sends an injured worker home they are just giving that worker a paid permanent vacation. The worker never gets rehabed into a new job or returns to work anywhere.
Also, if the postal service is not careful in their treatment of injured employees they may face federal age discrimination lawsuits and expensive EEO complaints. Sending an injured worker home without making every effort to find that worker a job within his limitations violates the Rehabilitation Act. Injured workers have rights that are covered by Federal Law and when the postal sevice violates those same laws it can get very expensive.
Limited duty employee is right. He may never fully heal from his “injuries”. If only he had followed the proper work procedures set up by his employer he wouldn’t be in the position he is in now. Let that be a lesson to you all. Where are Davey and Goliath when you need them?
Please my friends, in the middle east you never hear of such things. We have no IODs in our post offices. We allah work together. FMLA? What is this FMLA. The Koran says nothing of FMLA.
Besharpone and Limited duty employee..Blessed says Amen! You are on it!
to time to make a change,
Do you know the difference between an injury and an occupational desease? Don’t think you do. An injury is when you break or sprain a part of your body and it heals with time. An occupational desease is caused from working years at the Post Office doing repetitive work or motions over and over again. Maybe you should do your homework before assuming every injured employee is slacking off. An occupational desease never heals, you moron! Ask a Doctor he’ll tell you. And as far as injured employees lifting grocery bags coming to work, how do you know how much their carry? Didn’t ever lift 5 bags, that only weighed 5 pounds? Did you go over to that employee and lift their bags or put them on the scale to check the weight? Maybe, there restrictions saids, they can lift up to 20 pounds, but not constantly. So before you start judging other employees, please do your homework.
How about all the scabs that let everyone else pay union dues. Aren’t they getting a free ride at dues paying members expense? The list could go on and on. It would be nice if everyone could mind their business!
JEFFRO, your comments only show how uninformed you are. There is no requirement that an injured worker submit for a fitness for duty exam every 30 days.
That is FMLA, buddy! Get your facts straight!
No, it is the PO’s fault that employees are being injured on machines that they are well aware of causing injuries.
That one guy with the “bad back” and proud of it, also seems to be proud that he is “uneducated”, which explains a lot about why he keeps suffering and chocking it up to “pride”.
It is because he is uneducated and does not understand his rights nor does he have any clue to how to go about rectifying his condition, so he calls it “pride”.
Now, you want to talk about “fitness for duty”. What about those who come to work drunk and/or on drugs? Should they take a fitness exam too?
Should you take one everytime you use sick leave for three days whenever you want to take some time off from work, knowing full well that you are not sick?
I will be more that happy to take one. The PO would be doing me a favor. Based on their fitness exam, I could then go ahead and apply for disability retirement.
The problem with you and the other clowns here complaining is that you are so busy worrying about those on limited or light duty that you cannot see the things that you do yourself that takes advantage of the system.
You are really concerned only because you think that someone is getting over where you are not.
There is not one person who can honestly say he truly earns what he is being paid by the postal service. Some of you would like to think you do though.
Typical postal service mentality.
All my injured co-worker keep you head up. those idiot dont realize that they job is not save we have extra benefitsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
MplsP&DC Says:
March 31st, 2009 at 9:49 am
heard it before and will hear it again same story over and over but I still see all the scammers sitting around drooling and feeling sorry for themself, I bust my ass on the DBCS every day and do so with a bad back but I got something called pride. For $25 an hour with no education one should expect some strain on their body, and nothing makes my day worse than seeing the same so called injured people walk by day after day for years with a smile on their face!
they should be thrown out on their asses, and I for one would love to be the one to rip the badges off their damn necks
It isn’t “pride”, it is STUPIDITY!!!
If you are stupid enough to injury your back on the DBCS and continue working, that is your stupidity. Don’t blame other injured workers for you being stupid.
That is why the system is in place…to protect and compensate injured workers.
Too many people like you are more worried about what idiots like those posting here will think of you, rather than being concerned about your own health.
You are probably sucking up to management as well, thinking that they give a damn about your working with an injured back. They will still try to find some way to get rid of you anyway.
It is that or you are to dumb to understand how to process a claim, so you just keep huring yourself and fooling yourself into believing that it has anything to do with pride.
I am an injured worker and don’t give a damn what you and the other idiots think.
As for this program, let the USPS try. There is already a class action law suit pending and I am sure that there will be more.
It does not bother me in the least what they do.
What is the excuse for you lazy bums who are totally healthy but still don’t do anything?
MORE EEO AND MORE LAWSUITS JUST WHAT THE PO NEEDS RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY ARE LOSING MONEY . I HAVE A IDEA PUT THE PEOPLE ON OWCP LIKE THEY SHOULD HAD BEEN FROM THE START SO THESE WHINNERS CAN ONLY TALK ABOUT THOSE WORKERS WHO COME TO WORK WHO DON’T WORK.
MORE EEO AND MORE LAWSUITS JUST WHAT THE PO NEEDS RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY ARE LOSING MONEY . I HAVE A IDEA PUT THE PEOPLE ON OWCP LIKE THEY SHOULD HAD BEEN FROM THE START SO THESE WHINNERS CAN ONLY TALK ABOUT THOSE WORKERS WHO COME TO WORK WHO DON’T WORK.
MORE EEO AND MORE LAWSUITS JUST WHAT THE PO NEEDS RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY ARE LOSING MONEY . I HAVE A IDEA PUT THE PEOPLE ON OWCP LIKE THEY SHOULD HAD BEEN FROM THE START SO THESE WHINNERS CAN ONLY TALK ABOUT THOSE WORKERS WHO COME TO WORK WHO DON’T WORK.