Workplace issues
Protecting Your Rights
at the Postal Workplace
A letter carrier’s job is a daily challenge. Letter carriers must use both mental and physical faculties to get their jobs done under deadline while overcoming all sorts of obstacles. Though it’s not always obvious, the union has a large impact on letter carriers’ daily lives. NALC’s advocacy efforts, past and present, are aimed at assuring letter carriers are treated and paid fairly in accordance with the National Agreement, the law and other applicable agreements and regulations. These efforts extend from the shop steward level to the regional and national staff.
When disputes arise, NALC is there to handle them, whether they involve a single carrier or thousands. NALC works with both carriers and management to make a carrier’s job safe, but if a carrier is injured on the job, NALC is there to help the carrier get the benefits he or she deserves. And NALC works to protect retirement benefits and help carriers at the end of their careers get the benefits they earned after years of hard work.
This page is the hub for finding information on workplace issues and how NALC represents letter carriers in the workplace. The fastest way is by searching for your issue in the search bar below, or using one of the search terms on the left.
For more information
Check out the sections explained below, which are filled with the latest news and resources to help you deal with issues at the postal workplace.
Many resources and documents relating to workplace issues are available on this site, including the National Agreement, the Joint Contract Administration Manual, the Materials Reference System and many handbooks, manuals, agreements and MOUs, paycharts, decisions, laws and regulations, NALC publications and others.
The Contract Administration Unit (CAU) at NALC Headquarters oversees contract enforcement efforts at the highest level. The group of several NALC officers and staffers, headed by the NALC vice president, oversees the grievance-arbitration system, files, discusses and attempts to resolve Interpretive Step grievances involving issues of contract interpretation, offers advice and support to the national business agent offices in NALC’s 15 regions and compiles and publishes information resources for NALC contract enforcers at all levels of the union.
NALC’s Director of City Delivery is responsible for following issues concerning the structure of letter carrier work—the structure and adjustment of carrier routes and working methods used by carriers in delivering the nation's mail.
NALC’s Director of Safety and Health is responsible for following safety and health issues that relate to letter carrier jobs.
NALC’s Retirement Department assists retired letter carriers regarding their benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). The department also provides help and advice to survivors of retired letter carriers.
If you are a letter carrier who has been injured on the job, click here and follow the instructions to get information about your rights and benefits.
Information about Customer Connect, a joint effort by NALC and the USPS to increase revenues through letter carrier leads headed by NALC's executive vice president, can be found here.
News and Updates
NALC and USPS agree to MOUs to convert CCAs to career status and directly hire career letter carriers in select locations
These MOUs adjust staffing, maintain compliance with the contractual caps on CCA employment in several districts, and move to an all-career model in a number of installations across the country.
Expiration of temporary time limit extension on Step B and arbitration appeals
The NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Re: Expiration of Temporary Time Limit Extension on Step B and Arbitration Appeals (M-01981).
March 2022 JCAM is now available
All previous versions of the JCAM should be replaced with the March 2022 version.
Maximum Annual Leave Carryover Amount of 520 Hours Extended into Leave Year 2023
The NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding (M-01979) that increases the maximum allowable annual leave carryover amounts outlined in the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM).
Several COVID-19 Related MOUs Extended
By joint agreement (M-01976), several COVID-19 related memorandums of understanding have been further extended through May 6, 2022.
New COVID-19 guide available
To help letter carriers navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, a new COVID-19 guide that includes current tools and procedures is now available.
Interpretive dispute filed over PTF Step AA
NALC has filed an interpretive dispute over the Postal Service’s method of calculating overtime pay, Sunday premium pay, general wage increases, and cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for part-time flexible employees in Step AA.
Updated 2022 Letter Carrier Resource Guide is on its way!
NALC is creating a new and updated guide for city carriers at any stage of their career.
Several COVID-19 related MOUs extended until February 2022
By joint agreement (M-01969), several COVID-19 related memorandums of understanding have been further extended through Feb. 11, 2022.
Update on Juneteenth Holiday
President Biden signed into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on June 17, 2021, making June 19 a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
Four National-Level Grievances Settled
A settlement (M-01954) has been reached between NALC and USPS.
COVID-19 Related MOUs Extended Until Late September
By joint agreement (M-01924), several COVID related memorandums of understanding have been further extended through September 25, 2020.