Protect Yourself, Fill Out Forms
Now more than ever it is important to protect yourself and your route by filling out all the necessary forms that are listed below. With the new route adjustment process known as TIAREAP it is imperative to document everything you do. Some examples could be if you needed assistance, worked overtime, left mail behind or if you’ve taken a partial day off whether using sick leave or annual leave. All too often carriers are either not filling out the forms or just leaving them unsigned on the Supervisor’s desk. It is also essential that when you submit the form to either the Supervisor or Postmaster, they sign it and make a copy for your records. These forms are essential to document that you made a request, notified Management of an issue, or received assistance out in the street.
When a Letter Carrier fails to obtain a copy of the form this is when a problem may occur that could shed doubt that a request or notification was made. If you fail to obtain a copy of the request or notification the carrier places himself/ herself in danger. This danger could include having to defend themselves without any proof that any such form was submitted to Management. In one of my offices the TIAREAP Process was used to evaluate a route and an issue arose regarding the carrier’s street time. On a few occasions the carrier received street assistance because the carrier left early for the day. Basically, the carrier’s street time for the days in question were determined as if the carrier had performed the entire route using less street time. The evaluation method used was the 7-week analysis and those few days reduced the street time significantly. Unfortunately, the carrier did not get a copy of the P.S Form 3996 which could have helped document that the carrier received the assistance. The evaluation process relied upon the Digital Street Review (DSR). Unfortunately, the assistance was not recorded by local Management which lowered his street time evaluation. All this could have been avoided if the carrier retained a copy of Form 3996. Form 3996 provides contractual language that it’s a carrier’s responsibility to complete the form, when they are of the opinion, they will be unable to complete the assignment within 8 hours. The contractual language also provides that the carrier has the right to request a copy to help protect themselves.
PS FORM 3996
PS Form 3996 must be used by a Letter carrier to tell the Manager when you cannot complete your assignment in 8 hours. This responsibility for a Letter Carrier to inform their Supervisor is found in the Handbook M-41: City Delivery Carriers Duties and Responsibilities under Section 131.41 and 131.42 and states:
131.41 It is your responsibility to verbally inform Management when you are of the opinion that you will be unable to case all mail distributed to the route, perform other required duties, and leave on schedule or when you will be unable to complete delivery of all mail.
131.42 Inform Management of this well in advance of the scheduled leaving time and not later than immediately following the final receipt of mail. Management will instruct you what to do.
Do not be fooled by those Supervisors who will state to you that it is not necessary for them to provide you a PS Form 3996 or state they will give you one at a later time. This ploy is used by some Managers to deny them out of their rights. In these instances, by the Letter Carriers not obtaining the P.S Form 3996 from their supervisors, they are unable to document they received assistance or that the overtime was approved. As stated above Letter Carrier’s should not only request a copy of Form 3996 from their supervisor but also request a copy of the completed form.
The Supervisor must provide you with a copy when requested. This requirement is not optional, nor may it be provided back to a Letter Carrier at a later time in the day or the next day. Management’s requirement to provide a copy of Form 3996 is found in Article 41 and states: The Employer will advise a carrier who has properly submitted a Carrier Auxiliary Control Form 3996 of the disposition of the request promptly after review of the circumstances at the time. Upon request, a duplicate copy of the completed Form 3996 and Form 1571, Report of Undelivered Mail, etc., will be provided the carrier.
If a Letter Carrier’s request for a copy of 3996 is not provided by the Supervisor, a Letter Carrier should notify their steward so a grievance can be filed if necessary.
PS FORM 1571
PS Form 1571 is the form that Letter Carrier’s use to record undelivered or curtailed mail. The responsibility for a Letter Carrier to record undelivered or curtailed mail is found in the handbook M-41: City Delivery Carriers Duties and Responsibilities under section 131.44,131.45 and 131.46 and states:
131.44 Report on Form 1571 all mail undelivered including all mail distributed to the route but not cased and taken out for delivery. Estimate the number of pieces of mail.
131.45 Do not curtail or eliminate any scheduled delivery or collection trip unless authorized by a manager, in which case you must record all facts on Form 1571.
131.46 Before you leave the office, enter on Form 1571 the mail curtailed; when you return, add any mail which was not delivered, and which was returned to the office. Follow any special local procedures set up to identify errors and corrective actions for mail returned because it was out of sequence.
Completing PS Form 1571
Section 442.1 After return from trip, obtain PS Form 1571, Undelivered Mail Report, (see Exhibit 442.1) from unit manager.
442.2 Add any mail which was not delivered but was returned to the office.
442.3 Sign the form and give it to a unit manager.
As noted in the language from the M-41 stated directly above it is the Letter Carrier’s responsibility to notify Management of Undelivered mail whether it occurs because of curtailed mail in the AM (never curtail unless instructed to do so by a manager) or if you bring undelivered mail back in the PM when a Carrier returns to the office after completion of their assignment.
Management, however, as stated in Handbook M-39 (Management of Delivery Services) has a responsibility to issue Form 1571 to any carrier when instructed to curtail mail and place what appropriate action the manager is taking on P.S Form 1571 including signing and dating the form. In addition, the language in the M-39 also requires that Management upon request from a Letter Carrier to request a duplicate of the completed form to them.
The exact language from Section 11.2(j) of the M-39 Handbook states:
j. Issue Form 1571 when the carrier is instructed to curtail mail, indicating action thereon. Upon request, a duplicate of the completed form will be provided the carrier.
The requirement to provide a carrier with a copy of the completed P.S. Form 1571 is also found in the M-41 cited above. If a Letter Carrier’s request for a copy of P.S. Form 1571 is not provided by the Supervisor, a Letter Carrier should notify their Steward so a grievance can be filed if necessary.
As stated above this article refers in detail requirements related to P.S Form 3996 and P.S Form 1571. However, it is highly recommended that whenever presenting a supervisor with any other form, notice or request it be done in writing and a copy be returned to you. This includes but not limited to P.S Form 1767, P.S. Form 3971, P.S Form 1723, Vehicle repair tags, Department of Labor Form (CA-1, CA-2) and request to hold down a vacant assignment, to name just a few.
This article will be for November and December issue, so I want to say Thank You to all the Veterans on Veteran’s Day for your service. I want to wish Everyone a Happy Thanksgiving may you be able to share it with family and friends. I also want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday. Stay safe Everyone.
