10.1 BASIC AGREEMENT
The local leave program shall be administered within the general framework of Article 10 of the 1994 National Agreement.
10.2 ANNUAL LEAVE - VACATION PLANNING
A. Annual leave is primarily for rest and relaxation.
B. The choice vacation period shall be considered as that time between April 1 and including December 31.
(Ref. 30.2D of the National Agreement.)
C. Sign - up for choice vacation periods shall be conducted prior to March 1, in accordance with the tour rotational priority to be established by the Union prior to the sign - up period. The employee representative under the direction of the supervisor, shall pass the vacation rosters around among the employees. The circulation of vacation rosters shall occur during the months of January and February.
(Ref. Article 30.2C of the National Agreement.)
D. Employees may, at their option, request one selection during the choice vacation period of up to ten (10) days continuous annual leave for employees who earn thirteen (13) days of annual leave per year, or up to fifteen (15) days continuous annual leave for employees who earn twenty (20) or twenty - six days of annual leave per year.
Employees who prefer two selections during the choice vacation period, in units of up to either five (5) or ten (10) days, may at their option, request two selections. However, the total of the two selections shall not exceed the authorized ten (10) or fifteen (15) days, and they may request their second selection only after all other employees on the roster have made their first selection in accordance with the tour rotational priority in force, provided the total number of employees off does not exceed the authorized number.
(Ref. Article 30.2F of the National Agreement.)
E. The employee shall start vacation at the beginning of his / or her basic work week, unless an exception is granted in accordance with Article 10.3E of the 1994 National Agreement. For sign - up purposes, the week in which the major part of the vacation falls will be the week in which the employee signs.
F. Any part of the choice vacation period spent by regular employees performing jury duty, or as official Union delegates to National or State Union Conventions, shall not be charged to the choice vacation period. In such instances, the employee bears an obligation to notify the supervisor of the expected absence as confirmed.
(Ref. Article 30.2G of the National Agreement.)
G. The maximum percentage of employees to receive leave each week during the choice vacation period shall be 15.50 %, with the exception of the month of December. During the month of December, the maximum number allowed off will be 50% of the number allowed off during the remainder of the choice period with the following exception: If the number allowed off during the choice vacation period is 3 or less, the maximum allowed off in December is 1. If the number allowed off during the choice vacation period is 4 or more, fractions will be rounded upward in calculation the number to be allowed off in December. Sign - up for vacation shall be by tours at the Auxiliary Service Facility and the General Mails Facility. Sign - up for vacation at the Air Mail Center, Downtown Station, and any other Station or Branch shall be by facility at the present time.
Any calculations resulting in fractions of a number of .50 or more shall be rounded up to the nearest whole person. Those resulting in fractions of a number of .49 or less shall be rounded down to the nearest whole person. For example: If there are 26 Mail Handlers normally scheduled for Tour One, then 4.03 whould be rounded to four (4 ) Mail Handlers allowed off at one time.
For facilities where Mail Handlers are located other than the General Mails Facility or the Auxiliary Service Facility, the maximum percentage will be that which will allow at least one person off during the choice vacation period, but beyond this, the 15.50% maximum will then apply.
(Ref. Article 30.2C&H of the National Agreement.)
Employees who successfully bid and are assigned to a new tour and / or Facility under the jurisdiction of the Salt Lake City Post Office will normally carry their original annual leave choices with them and every effort shall be made by the gaining tour or other location to honor the employee's original sign - up.
The President of the Mail Handlers Local 332, or his / her designee, and the Manager Distribution Operations, Senior, or his / her designee, will hold a meeting prior to the vacation sign - up to determine the number of employees allowed off, in accordance with the above instructions.
(Ref. Article 30.2C of the National Agreement.)
H. Copies of the completed vacation rosters showing the inclusive dates of the authorized vacation periods shall be displayed in locations mutually agreed to by Management and the Union representative by March 15th.
All changes made subsequent to the displaying of the copy of the completed roster shall be annotated thereon. Such changes shall be initialed by the Manager Distribution Operations, or the senior supervisor on duty that day, and by the employee representative.
If vacation periods signed for are given up by an employee, the employee representative will notify all employees of the change in order of vacation sign - up, starting immediately after the employee who previously held the vacation. This means proceeding down the roster in order of sign- up. The employee representative shall be on - the - clock while passing the vacation roster.
(Ref. Article 30.2I of the National Agreement.)
I. The employer shall, not later than Novemgber 1, publicize on bulletin boards and by other appropriate means, the beginning date of the new leave year, which shall begin with the first day of the first full pay period of the calendar year.
(Ref. Article 30.2J of the National Agreement.)
J. Applications for annual leave during periods other than the choice vacation period or for periods less than five (5) consecutive days occurring during the choice vacation period will be submitted on Form 3971 by the employee directly to the immediate supervisor. Such requests shall be honored on first come, first served basis and shall be approved so long as the specific number of employees allowed off on annual leave is not exceeded, and so long as the request is properly submitted by the end of the employee's regular tour on the day immediately preceding the day for which the leave is desired. Requests for annual leave submitted within the first two hours of the tour of duty will be responded to prior the end of the tour in which it was submitted.
(Ref. Article 30.2K of the National Agreement.)
K. Annual leave to attend Union activities requested prior to determination of the choice vacation scheduled is not to be considered part of the total choice vacation plan. Every effort, consistent with the needs of the service, shall be made to allow Mail Handlers leave on a first - come, first - served basis, to attend Union activities.
(Ref. Article 30.2R of the National Agreement.)
10.3 SICK LEAVE
A. No member of the Mail Handler craft will be threatened, harassed, or in any way intimidated relative to sick leave usage.
B. When a discussion is intended to be relied upon to establish that an employee has been made aware of his / her obligations and responsibilities, the following procedure will be used:
B1. Calendar quarters will be used as the basis for review of excessive sick leave usage.
B2. Discussions given relative to excessive or abusive sick leave usage must include the following:
B2a. Supervisor must advise the employee that the discussion is in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 513.371 of the ELM.
B2b. Discussions must be held in private, preferably in an office.
B2c. Supervisor must advise an employee if notes are being kept on the discussion and that the employee has the right to make and keep notes.
B3. If an employee is placed on the Restricted Sick Leave List, the letter shall identify whether the action is the result of excessive use of sick leave or the employee's abusing sick leave privileges.
10.4 EMERGENCY LEAVE
When an employee has a bona fide emergency, the provisions of Section 512.412 of the ELM shall be followed as stated:
A. The employee must notify appropriate postal authorities as soon as possible as to the emergency and the expected duration of the absence. As soon as possible after returning to duty, employees must submit Form 3971 and the reason for the emergency to their supervisor. The decision as to whether leave will be approved will be made by the employee's immediate supervisor.
10.5 The supervisor will be responsible to see that the leave program is administered according to these provisions.