The following are excerpts from a letter sent by Susan Carney, APWU Director Human Relations Department to the field:
On May 29, 2009, the Postal Service concluded its National Reassessment Process Limited Duty pilot program. APWU has been notified that this program is being implemented nationwide effective July 13, 2009, with “work status meetings” beginning no sooner than July 27th. You should be aware that the Limited Duty NRP will target limited duty employees as well as those rehab employees who have not yet been subjected ot the original NRP Phase 2, which is now being referred to as the MMI NRP. This new NRP is not intended to replace the MMI NRP. They will exist simultaneously, therefore as explained by the Postal Service, some rehab employees will be subjected to both versions of the program.
It is our belief that this new program has been established to accelerate the NRP, which to this point has proven unfruitful in reducing the Service’s chargeback liabilities when considering the years of resources and finances that the Service has invested in it. We also suspect a dismal response to the USPS’ solicitation , offering early outs is another driving force behind the program.
Nonetheless, the USPS insists that the program merely applies existing NRP processes to the targeted employees and that “available work” decisions will be consistent with current, relevant regulations. However, our review of the new Limited Duty NRP protocol guidelines not only exposed distinct and fundamental differences between the previous MMI program and the new Limited Duty program, but also revealed the continuation of the violations which we previously grieved at the national
Meetings with the USPS
We were advised that districts will start implementation on a staggered basis as determined by each USPS area. The Service projected that there will only be a one-two week period between commencement dates. The USPS further advised that all local and stated union leadership will receive timely briefings, and that employees on the workroom floor will receive a stand up talk regarding the new limited duty process. Additionally, the USPS reiterated that union representation will be provided when bargaining unit employees make such a request.
I was injured 18 years ago while pushing a loaded BMC container on to a truck. I tore the calf muscle of my left leg. While on PT my left knee became swollen. An MRI revealed that that was also injured. I underwent arthroscopy and four bone chips were removed. Arthritis set in.
My doctor allowed me to return to work, with restrictions and limitations. As the years have gone by with more visits to the doctor, more restrictions and limitations were added. Management wanted me to perform work that my restrictions and limitations prohibited. When I told the supervisors to “play by the rules”, they became indignant and told me that my doctor’s orders were not up to date and that I would have to have them updated. I complied and returned with more restrictions. This did not sit well with the supervisors and the tour MDO.
To make a long story short, I was given a “job offer” which allowed me to sit and do “flip-flops”; case outgoing letters; and once the tie-out was begun, I could repair 3rd class flats.
If it were possible I would love to trade places with those who think I’ve been “dogging it” and have them live with the pain. I’ve done my job at the PO for 28 years, plus I served this country in the UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for 20 years with one tour in Vietnam.
Now the powers-that-be want to put me out to pasture by the “Reassessment Process”. I call it discrimination. But, I remain
SEMPER FI!!! Gunny Hill
TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN,YOU DO NOT HAVE ALL THE PICTURE CLEAR.IHAVE BEEN WITH THE PO OVER 20 YEARS,IWAS IOD 4 YEARS AGO,AFTER WORKING HALF MY LIFE ON THE DBCS MACHINES.AND IF YOU KNOW OR HAVE EVER WORED ON ONE ESPECIALLY ONE WITH A BIG STATION.YOU WOULD KNOW IT IS NOT!!!!!! AN EASY JOB.IHAVE ALWAYS TOOK PRIDE IN DOING A GOOD JOB,IT IS THE WAY I WAS RAISED.NONE-THE-LESS I AM NOW INJURED FOR THE REST OFF MY LIFE WITHBOTH KNEES AND A BACK INJURY.I LIVE WITH PAIN ON A DAILY BASICS NOT ONE BUT ME FEELS THE PAIN.IHAVE LIMITED MOBILITY TOWHICH I CAN HARDLY DO THINGS LIKE YOU MIGHT TAKE FOR GRANTED WALKING UP STAIRS ONE STEP AT A TIME,NOT BEING ABLE TO STAND FOR MORETHAN 10 MINUTES ON A GOOD DAY,NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE A SHOWER WITHOUT PAIN.I WISH ALL THOSE WHO THINK IT IS A BIG F….ING JOKE TRADE SHOES WITH ME.AND NOW THE PO IS THOWING ME OUT LIKE TRASH.I HAVE BEEN MADE TO FEEL USELESS SINCE MY INJURY.I STILL COME TO WORK AS MUCH AS I CAN A DO THE BEST JOB I CAN I AM A WORKER ALLWAYS HAVE BEEN ALWAYS WILL.JUST BECAUSE I AM UNABLETO STAND OR WALK LIKE I USED TO.DOES NOT MEAN THE JUST BECAUSE I AM SITTTING DOWN CASING MAIL OR REPAIRING MAIL IAM NOT WORKING.SOME ONE HAS TO REPAIE ALLTHE MESSED UP MAIL THOSE EXPENSIVE MACHINES TEAR UP EVERY DAY.AS THE OLD ADAGE SAYS WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES,AND YOU WILL SEE THERE ARE ALWAYS ANOTHER SIDE TO THE STORY. PEACE IF THEY DO NOT WANT ME GIVE ME WHAT IS DUE ME AND LET ME GO!!!!! I DID NOT INVENT E-MAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Jose, You are quite the idiot ! Are you a postal supervisor?
I was injured on the job and there is work within my restrictions that the postoffice gives to TE’s and sends me home. They are waisting money by paying the TE at a cheaper rate and then pay OWCP. So who is waisting money?????
I THINK ANYONE INJURED ON THE JOB HAS A RIGHT TO WORK ON LIGHT OR LIMITED DUTY.THIS IS NOT NOT MILKING THE SYSTEM. I WAS INJURED DELIVERING MAIL AND AM NOT A SLAKER. I DIDN’T WANT TO NOT WORK, I DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, HOWEVER, WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO? GO HOME AND SUFFER? STOP BLAMING INJURED PEOPLE FOR THE FAILURE OF OUR POSTAL OFFICES AND SERVICES NATION WIDE WHEN THE CAUSE IS CLEAR! THE INTERNET!!!!! THE POST OFFICE HAS BEEN PAYING FOR OFFICES THAT ARE I MILE APART FROM EACH OTHER AND SPENDING MONEY ON USELESS OLD OFFICES THEY SHOULD HAVE CONSOLIDATED A LONG TIME AGE. MAYBE THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP OUGHT TO TAKE A PAY CUT FOR DOING NOTHING WHILE WE SUFFER! I READ SOME OF THESE EMAILS AND THEY MAKE ME SICK! HOW DARE PEOPLE TRY AND SAVE THEIR JOBS AND KICK OUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INJURED ON THE JOB! ISNT THAT CALLED DISCRIMINATION? THE NRP IS JUST A FANCY NAME FOR THE POST OFFICE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY! HOW WE IT LOOK IF OUR COUNTRY DIDNT WANT A SOLDIER BECAUSE HE GOT HURT DOING HIS JOB!!!! SHAME ON YOU POSTAL WORKERS WHO TALK ABOUT INJURED WORKERS? HOW HARD ARE YOU WORKING????
Let me tell you about a permanent limited duty carrier from my office. About eight years ago, we hired a young wife and mother with young kids at home. While still in her 90 days, she was sent out to empty the collection box located directly in front of the Post Office. An elderly patron meant to hit the break of their car, but hit the gas instead. The carrier was thrown through the air over thirty feet away from the point of impact, landing like a rag doll on the road. She was hospitalized for weeks, in rehab for over a year. She walks even now with pain and great difficulty, but at least she walks.
I am a clerk who has never been on any kind of restriction, but that girl does not deserve to be thrown away by a Service that has left her handicapped for the rest of her life, nor does she or many others deserve the nasty comments made by coworkers, and echoed by these comments I have read here.
Hey Jose! I hope you sound more educated than you type!! Geez! It sounds like we shoulda got rid of your a** a long time ago. I understand most of the comments posted, but my issue is the people that were injured on the job. I am not limited duty and I know quite a few LD personnel. I know the one’s that are faking (because I’ve witnessed some amazing feats of instant healing, until it’s time to work again) and I know the one’s who’ve done some horrific damage to their bodies. The USPS is using this NRP thing as a cover to get rid of the “non team players”. They can pick & choose how and who to get rid of while our unions turn and look the other way. Don’t believe me? Ask your steward what they know about NRP. The response I get is “haven’t heard about that, yet”. The fakers (deadweight), get rid of ’em now, the legitimately wounded, take care of them, the hard workers, mgmt needs to ease up on and the purely lazy one’s need to get buried and held accountable for the work? they do. That’s my rant for the day. Thanks
If there is no work for iod people, they are sent home and paid by OWCP. Is the USPS off the hook? No! where do you clowns think the money comes from. Do you think FECA prints money? The USPS has to reimburse OWCP. May as well find some work for them.
The point is meaningful work for these injured people. If there is none,or they can not perfom any they need to apply for disability. At my station there are approximatley 10 employees who cant’t do anything meaningful so they sit un the swing room all day. Thats approximatley $500,0000.00 per year sitting in the swing room while function 4 keeps taking clerk jobs and carrier route keep getting cut.
THAT IS THAT REASONS THE POST OFFICE IS IN TROUBLE TOO MANY OF THOUSE SOMBIES DO NOTHING ACUMS THAT WE ALL DONT GOING TO HAVE A JOB SOON AND THE UNION KEEP THEM BECAUSE THEY DONT WANT TO LOOSE THEIR UNION DUE POST OFFICE HAVE TO START FIRING THEM SOON OR WE GOING TO BE PRIVATIZED
ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO COMMENT ON, ON THE JOB INJURY PEOPLE. YOU DON’T KNOW THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS AN EFFECT ON YOU AS WILL. YOU THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT HURT RIGHT NOW, THAT THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU! WRONG! IN A LONG RUN THE PROBLEM JUST STARTING. SMILE ALL YOU WANT YOUR TIME IS COMING. WE HAVE FAMILY, BILLS, KIDS, JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU. MAN MANAGEMENT HAVE OUR FELLOW CO-WORKERS TURNING THERE BACKS ON EACH OTHER. THEY GO AROUND AND SAY BAD THINGS AND US ASK CO-WORKER BITE! BUT DON’T YOU THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING SO HARD FOR THEM AND THEY ARE GIVING YOU WHAT YOU WHAT THAT THEY WILL NOT TURN ON YOU. I HOPE THAT YOU NEVER GET HURT! AND THEN YOU WILL SEE HOW MUCH THEY NEED YOU! YOU NEED TO THINK BEFORE YOU TALK! BECAUSE YOU ARE THE TYPE OF IDIOTS THAT THE PO USE, UNTIL THEY HAVE NO MORE USE FOR YOU! YOU WILL SEE IDIOTS. MAY GOD WATCH OVER ALL OF US!
People that are injured like myself,at work,deserve equal treatment! I did not ask to be injured… We have family,bills,children,just like you. I do not need to put other employees down,as others do who have weak ego’s. You do not need to add to the stress that management already does with their lies and abuse.
In our office the light duty carriers have curb routes and most of them are on the 12 hour list and get 2 hours everyday of premo overtime piece’s. The rest of us have the park and loop routes and our overtime is more park and loop. And when its time for route adjustments the light duty people( if they get an add) get apartments and curb delivery. Most of them claim they twisted an ankle or wrenched a knee on the job. Two of them work 4 hours a day light duty and get workmans comp for 4 more. I’ve twisted my ankle many times and wrenched a knee several times , and was back to work as soon as it healed in a few days or a week. I can understand a true unhealable injury, I truly wonder if thats the cause with all of them. It almost seems like they won the lottery by having an injury. They’re untouchable, get the same pay,and definately work less hard than the rest of us. I suppose you think I’m a terrible olger for mentioning this, but, its true.
Why not start the program the same day nation wide? I think this a great idea. But I hope that they don’t protect their pets like they always have. I knew too many people that claimed they couldn’t even pitch mail at a manual case A couple couldn’t because of a wing on the case. Someone needs to tell these people, This is the PO,this is what we do. Can’t do the job, go apply for disability. And if the PO isn’t going to get rid of these people, then find another building to put them in so that the workers won’t have to seem. It REALLY drags morale down. After awhile the good workers feel like a fool for working hard and these light duty lazies do NOTHING for the same pay!
Agree…..Agree…..Agree…..we have so many light duty idiots milking the clock it’s pathetic. Not for months but for years and years. One even got fired, got her job back with an some attorney and claims she can’t do anything but paper work….!! Of course, she sleeps most of the night, walks around and talks to everybody, does little of nothing and collects her wages the same as everybody else! It’s shameful and disgusting. Hopefully, USPS will look at these deadbeats and wise up to the fact that they are 100% unproductive and should be out the door ASAP. Then they can start on the next batch of deadbeats. The ones that walk around doing nothing…..the ones who have their jobs for “unknown” reasons…..as if we all didn’t know.
they should have done this a long time ago. USPS would not be in the dire straits they’re in now. Since I started in the USPS, I would ask how do you get a job walking around with a clipboard. Everyone would say just get hurt.
Hey if they kick out the useless light duty at my station, I won’t have a stupid-visor!
We have a guy who has been limited duty since one year after he was hired. Ten years later he still answers phone. Too injured to deliver mail, not too play soft ball. I hope this prohrams gets rid of him and others like him..Free ride almost over.. hehe
I wonder how many usps employees nationwide have been on LIGHT DUTY for more than one year? In my opinion that is what the PO needs to clean up. People should not be allowed to spend sometimes decades milking the light duty. It is really a morale breaker. I’m talking LIGHT DUTY, NOT IOD.
Does that mean they’re going to get rid of the useless stupidvisors (Jerry’s Kids).