I wrote an article pertaining to the reassessment process and I will be going to all stations with my team, Ron Ventre and Helen Amill to represent all limited duty carriers in the National Reassessment Process. When I arrive at certain stations, the carriers are unaware of the process. That tells me that they are not reading any of the articles or information placed on our web site, which is NYLCBR36.ORG. We try to keep you informed as much as possible, but if you want firsthand information, you should attend our monthly meetings in your union hall.

For an extended period of time members have been misinterpreting billing letters which we have mailed out for many years when the member is not on-the-job. The Branch 36 Bylaws stipulate that members will be billed by Branch 36 when they cannot report for work due to illness or other acceptable reason. It is at those times that we mail out billing for those pay periods involving non-payment of dues.

The form letters which are mailed to those members clearly state that, "…Up to the pay period of , you owe dues for the pay period(s) specified below", and thereafter, the pay periods are itemized and the total dues owed is specified. However, the members are confusing pay periods with when they receive their salaries. No one is billed by the month, only by pay periods.

We are asking all shop stewards to explain this to the unionized members at your stations.

We should pray for and acknowledge support of all men and women in the military serving our country for their continued brave and vigilant protection of our country and our freedom as a democratic nation.
HAPPY FLAG DAY, and
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

I am the administrative executive for the entire Grievance Division of Branch 36. I counsel the hearing officers as to their responsibility and I prepare the material relating to the grievants for the arbitration process. I am an arbitration advocate. I also appear with officers on behalf of Branch 36 at all orientation classes which introduce Branch 36 to those who are new to the letter carrier craft.

1. Purpose:
Under the provisions of Article 13 of the National Agreement and the LMOU, the USPS is obligated to show/provide the greatest consideration for full-time regular, parttime regular, and part-time flexible schedule employees requiring temporary light duty or other assignments, to give each request careful attention, and to reassign such employees to the extent possible in the employee's station/plant.

This policy pertains only to those employees who sustain an "off-the-job injury" or a "non-job related illness" which prevents them from performing their regular job duties and/or other Postal Service work.

Medical Documentation:
In addition to the employee's written request for temporary light duty assignment, the employee is obligated and must submit a medical certificate from a health care practitioner that reflects the following:

a) All medical certificates must be current, and signed by the health care practitioner on official letterhead. The certificates should be submitted within seven (7) calendar days of being signed by the health care practitioner. Copies of medical certificates will not be accepted, only original medical certificates.

Request for Light Duty Assignment
Employees who are unable to perform the full duties of their assigned position may request a temporary light duty assignment as follows:

a) Prior to reporting for his/her scheduled tour of duty, the employee shall submit a written request for a temporary light duty assignment together with an appropriate medical certificate to his/her Manager, Customer Services/MDO/MMO. The Manager, Customer Services/MDO/MMO shall then contact their respective light duty coordinator to determine the availability of light duty work.

b) If a temporary light duty assignment is available, the employee will be given a temporary light duty offer in writing. The employee will be required to sign the form and indicate whether he/she accepts or does not accept the offer. If the employee accepts the offer, he/she will be directed when and where to report to the assignment.

c) If a temporary light duty assignment is not available, management will notify the employee in writing. The employee will be permitted to request leave of his/her choice; either annual leave, sick leave or leave without pay (LWOP), when temporary work is unavailable.

Should you need further clarification in reference to the aforesaid information, feel free to give me a phone call at Branch 36. The number is: (212) 239-3901. To all my Brothers and Sisters, I wish you all a very happy and healthy Passover and Easter

As our operations become more automated, both in the plant and in customer services, it is becoming more difficult to provide productive and necessary tasks to employees within their medical restrictions. A team of management members from operations medical, labor relations, and injury compensation functions here in the District was established to complete the process of identifying necessary tasks and placing employees with medical restrictions in these assignments.

All assignments are based on a review of current medical restrictions: strict adherence and compliance with Postal and Federal policy regulations as well as the collective bargaining agreements.

On a daily basis, if necessary tasks within employee’s medical restrictions are not identified, the employee will be sent home for the remainder of their scheduled workday. Most employees will be advised to report back to their assignment on their next scheduled workday. When no necessary tasks can be identified within an employee’s medical restrictions, the employee will be advised to report back to work upon receipt of updated medical restrictions. When there is no necessary work available, an employee can elect to file a claim for compensation from OWCP or use leave. Assistance will be provided in completion of all appropriate forms.

As our staffing needs continue to change, we are increasingly experiencing situations where sufficient productive or necessary assignments to accommodate injured employees are more difficult to find. We take our responsibility to all employees very seriously and will work to ensure they are afforded all rights under the Federal Employees Act.

To further elaborate on this process, I would like you to go to our website nylcbr36.org. You will be able to read phase II Limited Duty Process Implementation overview. Also, Phase II Limited Duty Process Work Status Meeting and Limited Duty Process - New Medical Documentation / New Injury.

National Reassessment Process.PDF

On February 14. 2010, I wish all letter carriers Happy Valentine’s Day and to all Asian Americans, a happy and healthy Lunar New Year.

Be mindful that drop and relay drivers are being duped and robbed while delivering mail. Here's an example of what is occurring. While you are unloading your truck, a person walks up to you and says, "Excuse me, did you drop this $5.00 bill?" While answering the question, someone else sneaks up behind you and steals from your truck. So be aware and alert. Try to prevent yourself from becoming another crime victim.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL AND A HEALTHY HAPPY NEW YEAR

If you were able to see this camp you would be convince that this camp is a fine place for these children and it is genuinely praiseworthy to give their parents a little free time of their own, which we all need.

Please come aboard and join us in helping to send these children to summer camp by buying as many tickets as possible.

I would like if you would get involved in all the event fundraisers that we hold for MDA. Upcoming is the Bowl-A-Strike for MDA.. "Deliver the Cure .at two locations.

We bill you for the amount of dues owed during the time you receive Workers Compensation, because dues are deducted from your salary only when you are on-the-job.

If you have the NALC Health Plan, you must pay all dues owed because after one year in a non-pay status, you lose your health coverage and become ineligible to acquire it in the future. You would create a disaster for yourself by not retaining your health coverage.

"In general, another problem relative to the workplace is that the carriers are assigned to do more work than is humanly possible within too short a time. We cannot do 10 hours work in 8 hours. Management's edicts become preposterous because too much work is assigned to be done in too little time. Such assignments create and reinforce a burden which causes stress and mistakes. There are members of management who have

Many phone calls are received on the subject of Holiday Scheduling. I explain the necessary information, yet I continue to receive phone calls from the same people regarding this subject. For this reason and because I wish to inform all

It is difficult to believe that we have carriers who, after thirty years of union membership, drop out when they retire. For the sake of two dollars per month they desert the organization which fought so hard for them and gained every benefit they have, and continue to fight after carriers retire. Remaining a member of Branch 36/NALC is the only way you can retain your NALC Health Plan coverage which is still one of the best health plans. Once you hold that coverage you are coved internationally. No matter where you are in the world, your health plan coverage remams intact, no matter where you decide to live.

Note: Change in special military service credits. January 2002, Public Law 107-117, the defense Appropriations Act, stopped the special Extra earning that have been credited to military service personnel.

Special extra earnings are granted for periods of active duty or active duty ltraining. Special extra earnings are not granted for inactive duty training.

Note: Social Security cannot add these extra earnins to your record until you file for Social Security Benefits

Military service in calendar Year 2002 and future years no longer qualifies for these special extra earnings.

HAVE A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY AND FATHER'S DAY AND HAVE A SAFE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

2. Fill out forms (obtain from USPS personnel section or postmaster): application for death benefits under the retirement system; claim for unpaid compensation claim for FEGLI death benefits.

3. Notify the Thrift Savings Plan Service Center, National Finance Center, P.O Box 61500, New Orleans, LA 70161-1500 or call the Thrift Line toll-free at 877 968-3778 if the carrier had a TSP account.

4. Notify the carrier's NALC Branch.

5. If veteran, notify the Veteran's Administration local office or call toll-free 800-827- 1000.

6. Notify banks and other financial institutions.

7. Call the local office of the Social Security Administration or toll-free 800-772-1212

8. Notify Insurance companies (life, health, home, automobile, etc.) If the carrier had a policy with NALC's Mutual Benefit Association, write to 100 Indiana Ave., NM Room 510, Washington, DC 2000 12144 or call 202-638-43 18 or toll-free 800-424-5184. If the carrier was enrolled in the NALC Health Benefit Plan, write 20547 Waverly Court, Ashbum, VA 20149 or call toll free 888-636-4318 Note: Health benefit coverage for a surviving spouse and dependent children continues automatically if carrier had fqmily coverage at time of death and if a monthly survivor annuity is payable.

9. Have Mortuary Officials - Have enough certified death certificales for your need.

Now we'll move on to letting you know.what to do when the retired letter carrier dies.

1. Notify the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): By writing to OPM, Retirement Operations Center, Boyers, PA 16017 Or by phoning OPM toll-free at 888-767-6738.
Or, for quicker action, by providing the required information to NALC's Retirement Department:
By writing the NALC Director of Retired Members, 100 Indiana Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20002-2144.
Or by phoning 202-393-4695 during business hours.
Or by calling toll-free 800-424-5186 only on Monday, Wednesday, or Thursdaj 10-noon and 2-4 p.m. (Eastern time).

NALC will alert OPM so that survivor benefits will commence as quickly a possible, and will send you the application for death benefits under the retiremen system, and the claim for death benefits under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program.

2. Return any uncashed annuity checks to the address on the accompanying Treasy Department envelope. If payments are being deposited through Electronic Funds Transfer directly to a bank or other financial institution, contact them with the retiree's date of death and advise them to return any future payments to the Treasury Department.

3. Obtain enough death certificates for your needs from the mortuary (they may suggest how many).

4. Notify the retired carrier's NALC branch.

5. If the retiree was a veteran, notify the Veteran's Adrninistration local office and/or the commanding officer of the local military installation.

6. Notify the retiree's bank or other financial institutions.

7. Call the local office of the Social Security Administration or toll-free 800-772-1213. Notify insurance companies (life, health, home, automobile, etc.).

8. If the retiree had a policy with NALC's Mutual Benefit Association, write tc 100 Indiana-Ave., NW, Room 510, Washington, D.C. 20001-2144 or call 202-638-4318, If the retiree belonged to the NALC Health Benefit Plan, Write 20547 Waverly Court, Ashburn, VA 20149 or call 888-636-6252. (Note: Health benefit coverage for a surviving spouse and dependent children continues automatically if retiree had family coverage at time of death and if a monthly survivor annuity is payable.)

9. To start, stop or change monthly federal or state income tax withholding or request a duplicate 1099R, call 800-409-6528. You will need the retiree's CSA number and the last four digits of the Social Security number

10. If the retiree participated in the Thrift Savings Plan, contact the Thrift Savings Plan Service Center, National Finance Center, Box 61500, New Orleans, LA 70161 -1500 or call 504-255-6000 TDD 504-255-5113.