DOES NOT CAUSE P.O. PROBLEMS
I have taken some time to do this post as I wanted to do some research into this issue. To start, let me state that I am appalled. I cannot believe some of the brutally insensitive and grossly ignorant comments about employees who are on limited/light duty. Maybe I expected better; maybe I expect employees at the Post Office, who all benefit from the protections of the contract, to be better informed and more aware of what their rights are under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). It seems that some people just want to cast limited/light duty employees out the door. Of course these are the people who are loudest complainers when if comes any wrongs they suffer at the hands of management, including their own limited/light duty, or they are in management.
Now, I understand that there is an issue of the worthless ex-president, who is on light duty, but regardless of what he is doing, and he does have the right to request light duty, it does not justify attacks on limited/light duty employees as a group. Lumping these people together as a group is not only typical management behavior it is prejudiced and divisive--no good will come from these attacks. I do have a bit to say about this, but before I do though let me clear some things up. First, the Post Office is obligated under Article 13 of the CBA to provide limited/light duty work. There are things that an employee must do to get limited or light duty, but be it understood that it is an obligation on management to provide such work to employees who are unable to perform their jobs. Limited/light duty is a right of all employees that is protected by the contract, the law, and the Union. Second, notice the terms limited and light duty. For those who are unaware the Post Office has two different terms for injured or ill employees who are unable to perform their jobs those are limited and light duty; limited duty refers to employees who were injured or became ill on the job, light duty refers to employees who were injured or became ill off the job and who are not fully recovered or have reached the level where they will not get any better, known as maximum medical improvement. Limited duty is part of the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA), which is Federal Law, which is administered by the Office of Workers Compensation (OWCP). OWCP has the final say as to if an employee is able to perform limit duty and under what the limitations. Employees who have reached maximum medical improvement, but who are unable to perform the full duties of their job can given what is called a rehab assignment. Fully recovered employees are returned to their duty assignments. Light duty is administered by the Post Office, under which there are two categories temporary and permanent. One important thing that everyone needs to keep in mind is that both limited and light duty, whether permanent or temporary must be supported by medical documentation. So if an employee is on limited duty they are seen and treated by a doctor and then the case is reviewed by OWCP to determine if it is an on the job injury and what work the employee is able to perform based upon what the doctor states are the employee limitations. Now some folks will say that some doctors will write anything for their patients. This might be true, but there are protections in the system.
If OWCP chooses to it can send the employee for a second or third opinion. The same is true for light duty, except that it is administered by the P.O. If the P.O. desires it can send the employee for a second or third opinion also. There are procedures outlined in the CBA and other manuals to make certain that only deserving employees are given limited or light duty. The system is not perfect; no system made by humans is perfect. The fact that some people might take advantage of the system does not justify broad attacks on all employees who are on limited/light duty. It is a right for all employees. Unfortunately most employees will need to be on limited/light duty at some time. So keep in mind, all of you who attack limited/light duty that when the time comes that you are injured or ill and unable to perform your job you will be protected by the same system that you are attacking now. With that clear I want to address some other comments.
Management can reassign employees on limited or light duty. Again there are rules that management has to follow. Employees can be reassigned to different shifts, facilities, and crafts in order to provide work. Problem is that management just cannot seem to get this right. So when I see comments about how we just need to get rid of all of the limited/light duty I figure that the must be coming from some moron 204b, supervisor, or manager who does not understand their obligations and just wants to find an easy way to deal with the issue. These same morons also want to blame the financial problems of the USPS on limited/light duty. What a steaming pot of poop.
Anyone who has been paying attention knows that the Bush administration, seeing an opportunity to pull in some cash to the Federal coffers and looking for an excuse to rationalize the privatization of the USPS strapped an obligation to the USPS that they did not do to any other Federal Agency. That obligation is the pre-funding of retirees health care benefits to the tune of 55 billion dollars over the next ten years. For those with math problems that is 5.5 billion dollars a year. So when the USPS says it is losing 2 billion dollars a year, you might want to thank Georgie Bush and his pals and not blame the limited/light duty employees like some brain dead supervisor or manager.
As far as limited/light duty infringing on the rights of others and such, well no person is required to do the work of two people. If you think you are and if you are taking short cuts then the only person you can blame is yourself. The CBA states that you are only required to give a fair day's work for a fair day"s pay. Keep in mind that not everyone has the same abilities. I know that I am not in a position where I can judge others work abilities so I tend not to throw the first stone.
Also, management can create duty assignments to cover limited/light duty employees and heaven forbid they could actually hire people to properly meet staffing needs. The real problem then goes back to management not doing the right thing for all employees, healthy or not. Management that does not even for the most part know or understand their own rights, rules, and obligations. Management that tries to be inventive and creative, but completely ignores their agreements and trashes employees. When we have people like Lisa Shear running the show it is no wonder that the USPS has so many problems. Look at the wonderful way she botched the past Christmas season. I wonder how many more semi trailers are still parked somewhere in Portland with Christmas Priority Mail inside and she still gets to keep her job. You folks who keep pointing at the limited/light duty need to place the blame for the Post Office's problems where it really lies; incompetent management.
In closing I have copied one of the comments from the last blog that sums up my thoughts quite well.
Lone Wolf said...
Let's see, can't make a good argument so you attack the background, knowledge, skill, experience or ability of the person. Just for the record, along with my postal service I have been self employed, worked for the private sector, oh and I still work for the private sector along with my post office job. I have not seen rampant layoffs in my field of work. I also served in the military and when I left the military I worked for two more years in the private sector before getting on at the Post Office. During that time I used my VA benefits and food stamps, that ought to stick in your craw, and went to college and earned a degree in two majors one of them being Business Administration. I continually look for other jobs and I know full well how difficult it is to find another one in the private sector, it is even more difficult in the Federal Government, especially one that pays as well as the Post Office. I hope to find one that meets my needs and wants. I have also been on light/limited duty occasionally during my time at the post office as injuries or illness required. At my private sector job they allow people to be on light duty as well, without being sent away. I have been there and done that as they saying goes, how about you?
People need help occasionally as they suffer the ups and downs of life. What is wrong with helping people through difficult times?
Your question as to who to get rid of the light duty people or the workers is such a weak argument and it clearly demonstrates a bad mind set of some people that there has to be a choice between light duty or no Post Office. Well, there doesn't. You make it sound like employees on light duty are pushing the Post Office under, that it is breaking the budget. Well here's a thought; the USPS budget is not being broken by the few employees on light duty. They are working, they are doing something. So many people buy into the management argument that the light duty employees are causing the problem that it scares me, you seem to have taken that idea hook line and sinker. By the way how much does the Post Office to pay people on light duty? Do you have some real hard figures or are you just talking out your backside? My feeling that you do not have a clue.
As far as fixing the problems at the Post Office, my experience leads me to believe that the management side of the house is far more bloated and overpaid than the craft side. EAS gets paid a lot more for doing a lot less. I say reduce the numbers of supervisors and managers. Oh, and you still sound like a supervisor.
