Juneteenth Federal Holiday Will Be Recognized by the USPS
The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was signed into law on June 17, 2021, immediately making June 19 a federal holiday. Because of the short notice, the USPS was unable to cease operations to observe the holiday. Beginning in 2022, the agency will recognize Juneteenth as a holiday eligible to full-time and part-time career employees. The observance will be included in the ELM 518, “Holiday Leave.”
NAPS Responds to OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard
On Nov. 5, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an emergency temporary standard (ETS) to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers (100 or more employees) from the risk of contracting COVID-19. In its issuance, OSHA noted the ETS applies to the Postal Service because the Occupational Safety and Health Act recognizes the Postal Service as a covered private employer.
Under the ETS, covered employers must develop, implement and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination plan, unless they adopt a policy requiring employees to choose either to be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work. Dec. 6 was the deadline for employees to comply with all requirements other than testing.
This includes establishing a vaccination policy, determining employee vaccination status, providing the requisite paid time off and ensuring unvaccinated employees are masked. Beginning Jan. 4, 2022, unvaccinated employees must undergo weekly testing. Any employee who has received all doses of the vaccine by Jan 4. does not have to be tested.
NAPS has begun reviewing the ETS, including its impact on the Postal Service and its employees. NAPS has not received any communication from the USPS regarding how the ETS will be rolled out.
USPS Modifies the Aug. 27 Pay Decision
After consulting with NAPS, the Postal Service has decided to modify the Aug. 27 pay decision for EAS employees. The agency will modify the 2.0% and apply a 2.2% increase to the salary range maximums of each grade in the EAS schedule and apply the dollar amount increase of each maximum to the respective salary minimum range (see chart below).
For example, the current maximum of an EAS-20 is $98,630. A 2.2% increase will be applied to that maximum and result in an increase of $2,170. The maximum will become $100,800 and the $2,170 will be applied to the salary range minimum. The minimum will be increased to $76,170.
The effective day of modifications to the salary ranges is Jan. 1, 2022, immediately before applying any Pay-for-Performance salary-related adjustments.
Rich Wilson
NAPS is saddened to report the death of Rich Wilson, a longtime member of Seattle Branch 61. Rich retired from the Postal Service in 2005 as a senior manager with almost 40 years of service.
He was a longtime member of the NAPS National Convention Credentials & Registration Committee and was planning on attending the 67th National Convention, but became ill with COVID just before the convention. He died Sept. 7.
Rich also served in many leadership positions in NARFE, the last as Region IX vice president. He served 26 years in the Navy Reserve.
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