Workplace issues

Materials Reference System (MRS)

Use the box above to find an M-numbered document.

The Materials Reference System or MRS is a collection of contract administration materials assembled by the NALC Headquarters’ Contract Administration Unit. It has been designed to assist all NALC representatives who enforce and administer the National Agreement. The MRS should be used as a supplement to the Joint Contract Administration Manual (JCAM) which is authoritative and controlling in the case of any ambiguities or contradictions.

The MRS contains summaries and, in some cases, the full text of many important national-level materials, including settlements of Step 4 Settlement, grievances, national-level Pre-arbitration settlements, Memorandums, USPS policy statements, NALC publications and more. The MRS also contains cross-references to significant national-level arbitration awards.

The MRS has been updated and has a new look and format. This will allow the NALC to continuously update the publication, and provides an easier search experience.

Click here for the Materials Reference System (MRS) Index and Summaries

Key MRS documents

Here are summaries of MRS materials numbered M-01878 and higher. Click a link to view the PDF document online, or right-click and choose “Save target as…” or “Save link as…” to download.

• M-01989 – Sept. 23, 2022 – NALC and the Postal Service agree that Holiday Carrier Assistants may be hired prior to the start of the four-week December period solely for the purpose of training.
• M-01988 – Nov. 22, 2022 – Several memorandums agreed upon by NALC and USPS pursuant to the May 24, 2022, Memorandum of Understanding Re: City Delivery Staffing Adjustment – Hiring Part-Time Flexible City Letter Carriers (M-01986), providing a total of 224 installations in which the Postal Service will convert all city carrier assistants to part-time flexible (PTF) career status as well as hire new PTF city letter carriers in these installations in order to reach and maintain an identified number of PTF city letter carriers on the rolls for each installation. The Postal Service is required to convert all city carrier assistants in the identified installations to part-time flexible career status as soon as practicable, but no later than the first day of the second full pay period following the date of the respective agreement.
• M-01987 – July 13, 2022 - Time limit waiver for all grievances due to the National Convention. The 31-day moratorium on the time limits for the processing of all grievances at the local, regional, and national levels begins July 30 and concludes Monday, Aug. 29.  
• M-01986 – May 24, 2022 – the agreement requires conversion of all CCAs to PTF career status and moves the 22 installations included in the agreement to an all-career workforce. All CCAs currently on the rolls in the listed offices will be converted to part-time flexible career status no later than 60 days from the date of the agreement (May 24, 2022).  After these conversions have taken place, the Postal Service will hire new city letter carriers as PTFs until the number of PTFs listed for each installation has been reached and maintained.
• M-01985 – May 24, 2022 – the parties agree to a one-time conversion of CCAs and PTFs working in offices identified in the agreement. The agreement includes conversion of part-time flexible (PTF) letter carriers to full-time regular (FTR) career status and conversion of CCAs to FTR career status in select 200 workyear installations as well as the conversion of CCAs to PTF career status.  The attachment to the MOU identifies the number and classification for conversion in each installation included in the agreement. All conversions must take place no later than 90 days from the signing of this agreement on May 24, 2022. 
• M-01984 – May 10, 2022 – Memorandum of understanding Re: Alternate Evaluation and Adjustment Processes to allow local parties to jointly submit a locally developed alternate route evaluation and adjustment process to the NALC National President and the Postal Service Vice President, Labor Relations. A submitted proposal must include a cover letter signed by the NALC Branch President and the Postal Service Installation Head and must provide a detailed explanation of the process. If the proposal is jointly agreed to by the national parties, the local parties will be notified regarding implementation. This agreement expires December 31, 2023. 
• M-01983 – May 10, 2022 – This supplemental document provides the mutual understanding of the parties on issues related to the memorandum of understanding, Re: Technology Integrated Alternate Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process 2022-2023 (M-01982). It is intended for use by the parties at all levels in properly applying the terms of the Technology Integrated Alternate Route Evaluate and Adjustment Process.
• M-01982 – May 10, 2022 – Memorandum of understanding Re: Technology Integrated Alternate Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process 2022 – 2023 regarding the agreement by the national parties to implement a process to evaluate and adjust city delivery routes with information made available using Digital Street Review (DSR) technology as the primary means. 
• M-01981 – May 6, 2022 – Memorandum of understanding regarding the expiration of Temporary Time Limit Extension on Step B Arbitration Appeals (M-01977), which extended the time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, and appeals to arbitration, for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement expires May 6, 2022. Absent agreement otherwise at the Formal A or regional/area levels, May 7, 2022, will serve as day 1 of the existing contractual time limits for such appeals to Step B and arbitration that remain timely on the May 6, 2022.
• M-01980 – April 20, 2022 – Settlement of national-level case 6X 19N-6X-C 22098723 concerning the proper method of calculating overtime, penalty overtime, Sunday premiums, cost of living adjustments (COLAs), and general wage increases for Part-time Flexible (PTF) employees in Step AA. After reviewing the matter, the parties mutually agree the PTF Step AA hourly basic rate is equal to Step A of the Full-time/Part-time Regular employees’ hourly basic rate in Table Two. Additionally, the overtime, penalty overtime and Sunday premium rates for PTF Step AA employees will be calculated to equal those increases for Full-time/Part-time Regulars in Table Two Step A. PTFs who were, or are currently in, Step AA will have their pay adjusted retroactively for all time spent in Step AA. Affected employees will be notified in writing that their pay will be adjusted consistent with this grievance resolution.
• M-01979 – March 24, 2022 - Memorandum of understanding regarding the agreement of the national parties to allow regular work force career employees covered by the USPS-NALC National Agreement to carry over 520 hours of accumulated annual leave from leave year 2022 to leave year 2023.  Provisions in the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) regarding payment of accumulated leave are not changed as a result of this MOU, which expires December 31, 2023.
• M-01978 – March 24, 2022 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two-week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement. This MOU will expire May 6, 2022.
• M-01977 – March 24, 2022 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed that absent agreement otherwise at the Formal A level or regional/area level, time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure and appeals to arbitration will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement. This additional time period will be effective on April 9, 2022, upon the expiration date of the current time limit extension agreement and will continue until May 6, 2022.
• M-01976 – March 24, 2022 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01913, M-01915, M-01916 and M-01965) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through May 6, 2022.
• M-01975 – February 9, 2022 – Memorandum of Understanding in which NALC and USPS agree to establish a pilot program that includes alternate parcel delivery to evaluate the operational feasibility and composition of full-time parcel delivery assignments and/or full-time combination assignments that include parcel delivery. The pilot sites will be jointly selected and will include parcel delivery outside of normal delivery windows, the use of parcel post assignments, and any other concept mutually agreed to by the national parties. The agreement expires on April 30, 2022.
• M-01974 – February 3, 2022 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two-week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement. This MOU will expire April 8, 2022.
• M-01973 – February 3, 2022 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed that absent agreement otherwise at the Formal A level or regional/area level, time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure and appeals to arbitration will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement. This additional time period will be effective on January 1, 2022, upon the expiration date of the current time limit extension agreement and will continue until April 8, 2022.
• M-01972 – February 3, 2022 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01913, M-01915, M-01916 and M-01965) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through April 8, 2022.
• M-01971 – December 20, 2021 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two-week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement. This MOU will expire February 11, 2022.
• M-01970 – December 20, 2021 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed that absent agreement otherwise at the Formal A level or regional/area level, time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure and appeals to arbitration will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement. This additional time period will be effective on January 1, 2022, upon the expiration date of the current time limit extension agreement and will continue until February 11, 2022.
• M-01969 – December 21, 2021 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01913, M-01915, M-01916 and M-01965) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through February 11, 2022.
• M-01968 – November 1, 2021 – Memorandum of Understanding in which NALC and USPS agree to temporarily detail city letter carriers to installations other than their own on a voluntary basis. The parties recognize that staffing issues may be temporarily addressed by the voluntary detail of city letter carriers to different installations while long-term solutions are being developed or implemented.
• M-01967 – October 18, 2021 – On July 26, 2021, a federal district court in Washington, DC held that (1) the legal doctrine of “sovereign immunity” does not shield USPS from punitive remedies in arbitration awards, and (2) arbitrators do not exceed their authority under the National Agreement by issuing punitive remedies against USPS. See USPS v. NALC, Case No. 19-3685 (TSC) (D.D.C.)
• M-01966 – September 30, 2021 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01911, M-01913, M-01915, and M-01916) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through December 31, 2021.
• M-01965 – September 30, 2021 – NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) reinstating M-01911 Re: Temporary Additional Paid Leave for CCAs and it will be administered as if it had been in effect without interruption since the original effective date of March 18, 2020. With the signing of M-01976, this MOU was extended through May 6, 2022.
• M-01964 – September 30, 2021 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed that, absent agreement otherwise at the Formal A level or regional/area level, time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, and appeals to arbitration, will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement. This additional time period will be effective on September 30, 2021, the expiration date of the current time limit extension agreement and will continue until December 31, 2021.
• M-01963 – September 30, 2021 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement. This MOU will expire December 31, 2021.
• M-01962 – September 21, 2021 – Memorandum of understanding in which NALC and USPS agree to guidelines regarding the temporary implementation and use of the 2 into 1 casing process to reclaim floor space to accommodate peak season delivery volumes. The 2 into 1 casing process is a system in which two city delivery routes with different start times will share carrier casing equipment to prepare mail for delivery. The parties agree the 2 into 1 casing process will only be implemented in sites jointly selected by the national parties, will begin no earlier than October 30, 2021, and will conclude no later than January 22, 2022.
• M-01961 – August 23, 2021 – Memorandum of Understanding in which NALC and USPS agree to pilot a jointly developed mentoring program (“New Employee Mentoring Program”) for newly hired city letter carriers in 38 USPS installations throughout the country. The purpose of this pilot program is to provide newly hired city letter carriers the opportunity to have mentoring relationships with experienced city carriers through which feedback, coaching, and positive reinforcement can be shared. An addendum to this MOU, as well as to M-01949, was signed on June 30, 2022.  That addendum has been added to this document.
• M-01960 – August 3, 2021 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed that, absent agreement otherwise at the Formal A level or regional/area level, time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, and appeals to arbitration, will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement. This additional time period will be effective on August 6, 2021, the expiration date of the current time limit extension agreement and will continue until September 30, 2021.
• M-01959 – August 3, 2021 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement. This MOU will expire September 30, 2021.
• M-01958 – August 2, 2021 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01913, M-01915, M-01916, and M-01941) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through September 30, 2021.
• M-01957 – July 22, 2021 – Settlement of national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 20356310 concerning the Postal Service's unilateral implementation of the delivery initiative called Post Office Sortation Equipment Reconciliation (SER). The SER delivery initiative began July 31, 2020 and has concluded. The parties agree all changes to city letter carrier cases or configurations, including those resulting from the SER initiative, must comply with the appropriate provisions of the collective bargaining agreement and relevant handbook and manual provisions unless otherwise agreed upon by the national parties. Any grievance held pending the outcome of this national case will be processed in accordance with this understanding.
• M-01956 – July 22, 2021 – Settlement of national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 19000209 concerning the assignment of in-growth deliveries on Highway Contract Routes (HCR) in protected offices. After reviewing this matter, the parties mutually agree to close this interpretive case without prejudice to the position of either party in this or any other matter.
• M-01955 – July 22, 2021 – Settlement of national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 19234222 concerning whether the collective bargaining agreement was violated when the implementation of Arbitrator Goldberg's award in Case No. Q15C-4Q-C 17397250 was delayed while the decision was challenged in federal court. The parties agree that no national interpretive issue is presented in this case. United States District Court Case No. 1: 18-cv-02553 (CJN) was dismissed by a Stipulation of Dismissal between the Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) on April 23, 2021. In light of the stipulation, the Postal Service will implement the Goldberg award and revise the PS Form 3971, Request for or Notification of Absence and Section 514.4 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM).
• M-01954 – July 22, 2021 – Settlement of national-level case Q01N-4Q-C 07098868 concerning the assignment of deliveries to Contract Delivery Service (CDS) prior to the effective date of the 2006 collective bargaining agreement. The parties agree to close this interpretive case without prejudice. Any grievance held pending the outcome of case Q01N-4Q-C 07098868 will be processed in accordance with Article 15 of the National Agreement.
• M-01953 – June 3, 2021 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed that, absent agreement otherwise at the Formal A level or regional/area level, time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, and appeals to arbitration, will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement. This additional time period will be effective on June 4, 2021, the expiration date of the current time limit extension agreement and will continue until August 6, 2021.
• M-01952 – June 3, 2021 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement. This MOU will expire August 6, 2021.
• M-01951 – June 2, 2021 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01913, M-01915, M-01916, and M-01941) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through August 6, 2021.
• M-01950 – May 19, 2021 - Pursuant to the Memorandum of Agreement Re: Arbitration Scheduling Procedures and Guidelines, the parties have developed this document to memorialize the parties agreed upon responsibilities and protocols regarding arbitration scheduling and communication with arbitrators.
• M-01949 – April 15, 2021 - Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding Re: City Delivery and Workplace Improvement Task Force, the parties agree to conduct a pilot program related to the onboarding and retention of new employees. The purpose of this pilot is to increase new hire retention, enhance the employee experience, and improve customer service. The pilot program will involve various new and modified practices for all City Carrier Assistants (CCAs) and Part-time Flexible city letter carriers (PTFs) in the selected offices. The pilot will begin in May and last approximately one year unless the timeframe is modified by the parties. An addendum to this MOU, as well as to M-01961, was signed on June 30, 2022.  That addendum has been added to this document.
• M-01948 – March 24, 2021 – Agreement that the Postal Service will conduct employee screening and COVID-19 testing pilots at the Morgan Processing & Distribution Center (P&DC) in New York, and the Michigan Metroplex P&DC. The purpose of the pilot testing is to promote employee health and safety during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pilot will include both temperature screening and COVID-19 testing, and will run from April 26, 2021, through May 26, 2021, unless otherwise mutually agreed to by the parties.
• M-01947 – March 29, 2021 – Agreement which recognizes that opportunities for career employees to apply, and be considered, for reassignment from one installation to another may be limited due to the increase in the number of part-time flexible city letter carriers who are converted from non-career to career status in accordance with the terms of the MOU Re: City Carrier Assistants – Conversion to Career Status. The agreement modifies certain terms of the MOU Re: Full-time Regular Opportunities – City Letter Carrier Craft in order to continue providing such opportunities for career employees to reassign.
• M-01946 – March 29, 2021 – Agreement which recognizes that an anomaly exists with the timelines for city carrier assistant conversions to career status pursuant to the MOU RE: City Carrier Assistants – Conversion to Career Status. To protect principles of seniority, the parties agree to a conversion date of May 8, 2021, for CCAs with 24 months of relative standing on March 8, 2021 and those that reach 24 months of relative standing after March 8, 2021, but on or before April 9, 2021.
• M-01945 – March 25, 2021 – Settlement to national-level grievance Q16N-4Q-C 19378670 concerning whether the testing of video technology in city delivery vehicles violates the National Agreement.
• M-01944 – March 19, 2021 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement.  This MOU will expire June 4, 2021.
• M-01943 – March 23, 2021 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed that, absent agreement otherwise at the Formal A level or regional/area level, time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, and appeals to arbitration, will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement.  This additional time period will be effective on March 26, 2021, the expiration date of the current time limit extension agreement and will continue until June 4, 2021.
• M-01942 - March 19, 2021 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, four previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01913, M-01915, and M-01916) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through June 4, 2021. 
• M-01941 - March 19, 2021 – Memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the agreement of the national parties to suspend MOU Re: Temporary Additional Paid Leave for CCAs.  Agreement to do so is based on the recognition that under the American Rescue Plan Act, CCAs may be granted up to 600 hours of paid Emergency Federal Employee Leave (EFEL) for COVID-19 related reasons. This MOU will expire on June 4, 2021. With the signing of M-01958, this MOU was extended through September 30, 2021.
• M-01940 – March 19, 2021 - Memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the agreement of the national parties to allow regular work force career employees covered by the USPS-NALC National Agreement to carry over 520 hours of accumulated annual leave from leave year 2021 to leave year 2022.  Provisions in the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) regarding payment of accumulated leave are not changed as a result of this MOU, which expires December 31, 2022.
• M-01939 – March 4, 2021 – Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding, Re: Arbitration Task Force, the parties agree to a national procedure for arbitration scheduling designed to eliminate or reduce lost hearing dates and arbitration backlogs. This memorandum contains the parties’ goals and joint protocols for arbitration scheduling.
• M-01938 – March 8, 2021 - The parties agree to convert city carrier assistants to part-time flexible career status in the San Bruno, CA Post Office. Additionally, the parties agree that the San Bruno Post Office will be added to the list of installations covered by the June 27, 2019 Memorandum of Understanding Re: Employing Part-Time Flexible Employees - San Francisco/Bay Valley Districts (M-01904), and all relevant terms of that agreement will apply to the San Bruno Post Office.
• M-01937 – January 22, 2021 – Settlement to national-level grievance Q11N-4Q-14270600 concerning whether the holiday schedule pecking order is applicable to the assignment of personnel to complete parcel delivery on holidays in installations that have Sunday parcel delivery.
• M-01936 – January 21, 2021 – Memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the implementation of settlement (M-01923) for the national-level grievance over the unilateral testing of Consolidated Casing (Q16N-4Q-C 19225372). The parties agree to extend the deadline referenced in Item 2 of M-01923 until March 1, 2021. The agreement clarifies that routes in each of the remaining 29 test sites will be returned to the original structure and configuration in place prior to the beginning of the test, including territory assigned to each route and lines of travel. However, the agreement allows the installation head and branch president, or their designees, to agree to changes or adjustments to the original structure or configuration of the routes with certain restrictions. It has also been agreed that a moratorium is placed on route inspections in all case consolidation test sites through March 1, 2021.
• M-01935 – December 18, 2020 – Due to the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the challenges posed by the 2020 peak season, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed that USPS may continue to employ holiday carrier assistants as operationally necessary through January 1, 2021.  In certain locations affected by the January 2021, Georgia runoff election, USPS may continue to employ holiday carrier assistants until January 22, 2021. This MOU will expire January 22, 2021.
• M-01934 – December 22, 2020 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement.  This MOU will expire March 26, 2021.
• M-01933 – December 22, 2020 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a time limit extension for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, as well as to arbitration, beyond those time periods specified in the National Agreement. The additional time period will be effective December 31, 2020, and will continue until March 26, 2021.
• M-01932 – December 14, 2020 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01911, M-01913, M-01915, and M-01916) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through March 26, 2021. 
• M-01931 – September 17, 2020 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement.  This MOU will expire December 31, 2020.
• M-01930 – September 17, 2020 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a time limit extension for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, as well as to arbitration, beyond those time periods specified in the National Agreement. The additional time period will be effective September 25, 2020, and will continue until December 31, 2020.
• M-01929 – September 15, 2020 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01911, M-01913, M-01915, and M-01916) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through December 31, 2020.
• M-01928 – September 3, 2020 – Memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the agreement of the national parties to allow regular work force career employees covered by the USPS-NALC National Agreement to carry over 520 hours of accumulated annual leave from leave year 2020 to leave year 2021.  Provisions in the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) regarding payment of accumulated leave are not changed as a result of this MOU, which expires December 31, 2021.
• M-01927 – August 31, 2020 – Settlement of national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 20345187 concerning the Postal Service’s implementation of a test of the delivery initiative entitled Expedited Street/Afternoon Sortation (ESAS). The parties agree that the ESAS pilot test is concluded and terminated as of August 19, 2020. Additionally, any future modifications or alternate applications to the Expedited Preferential Mail (EPM) Delivery Program, as outlined in Section 144 of Handbook M-39, Management of Delivery Services and Sections 223, 450, and 924 of Handbook M-41, City Delivery Carriers Duties and Responsibilities, will be subject to discussion through the City Delivery Task Force. Any grievance pending as of the date of this agreement at any step of the Dispute Resolution Process asserting the ESAS delivery initiative violated the collective bargaining agreement will be closed.
• M-01926 – July 13, 2020 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement. This MOU will expire September 25, 2020.
• M-01925 – July 13, 2020 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a time limit extension for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, as well as to arbitration, beyond those time periods specified in the National Agreement. The additional time period will be effective July 15, 2020, and will continue until September 25, 2020. The parties at the local level are encouraged to discuss the potential need for any time limit extension for appeals to Informal Step A and Formal Step A, depending on their specific situation.
• M-01924 – July 8, 2020 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01911, M-01913, M-01915, and M-01916) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through September 25, 2020.
• M-01923 – June 3, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have settled national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 19225372 concerning the Postal Service’s unilateral testing of Consolidated Casing.  As a result, half of the 62 test sites will be returned to their original route structure by July 31, 2020.  The remaining 31 test sites will continue through November 27, 2020.  The task force established by the memorandum of understanding, Re: City Delivery Task Force will begin analyzing data from the test sites by July 20, 2020, to determine its application to future testing. Absent joint agreement by the parties to either continue the test or to jointly conduct alternative testing in these sites, the test sites will be returned to their original route structure by January 22, 2021. Additionally, it is agreed there will be no further expansion of this Case Consolidation Test. 
• M-01922 – May 19, 2020 – As a result of the continued effects of the COVID-pandemic, five previous Memorandums of Understanding (M-01910, M-01911, M-01913, M-01915, and M-01916) agreed upon by NALC and USPS have been extended through July 17, 2020.
• M-01921 – May 19, 2020 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement.  This MOU will expire July 15, 2020.
• M-01920 – May 19, 2020 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a time limit extension for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure, as well as to arbitration, beyond those time periods specified in the National Agreement. The additional time period will be effective May 20, 2020, and will continue until July 15, 2020. The parties at the local level are encouraged to discuss the potential need for any time limit extension for appeals to Informal Step A and Formal Step A, depending on their specific situation.
• M-01919 – April 20, 2020 – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parties agree that beginning on February 29, 2020, COVID-19 related absences will not be considered when reviewing the attendance record of employees requesting reassignment under the Transfers MOU.
• M-01918 – April 17, 2020 – Due to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing levels, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed the local parties may mutually elect to develop a sign-up process for full-time employees who did not, for whatever reason, sign the overtime lists during the two week period for doing so as outlined in Article 8.5.A of the National Agreement.  Any process agreed upon under the terms of this agreement does not terminate any local procedures agreed upon pursuant to the terms of several previous and current Memoranda of Understanding Re: Signing Overtime Lists. Additionally, any process agreed upon under the terms of this agreement will automatically be terminated upon the expiration of this MOU.
• M-01917 – April 15, 2020 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to an additional 30-day temporary time limit extension on Step B and arbitration appeals beyond the period agreed upon in M-01912. The parties agree that time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure and appeals to arbitration will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement. This agreement is effective April 20, 2020. The parties will revisit this issue immediately prior to May 20, 2020, to determine if an extension is appropriate.
• M-01916 – March 30, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which allows the Postal Service to employ Temporary Carrier Assistants (TCA’s) during the period between March 30, 2020, and May 27, 2020, as operationally necessary to replace city letter carriers absent due to COVID-19. The MOU includes restrictions about when TCA’s can be utilized in regard to current CCA’s and ODL employees. The Postal Service will provide NALC with reports on the number of temporary carrier assistants hired. With the signing of M-01976, this MOU was extended through May 6, 2022.
• M-01915 – March 30, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) implementing temporary workplace changes to promote social distancing amongst city letter carriers. The MOU commits the parties to limiting individuals to working in their employing facilities to the extent possible. The MOU also directs the local parties to immediately discuss potential scheduling and office setup changes such as staggered start times, scheduling letter carriers to begin tours in groups of 10 or less, the manner in which stand-up talks are given, break locations and times, etc. With the signing of M-01976, this MOU was extended through May 6, 2022.
• M-01914 – March 23, 2020 – Letter from Postal Service Vice President, Labor Relations Doug Tulino to the management in the field regarding recent agreements, leave policy and approval of requests for changes of schedule due to childcare needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• M-01913 – March 23, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) instituting the use of Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) Section 432.53, City Letter Carriers (7:01 Rule). A city letter carrier who actually works more than 7 hours but less than 8 hours of a regular scheduled day will, upon his/her request, be officially excused from the completion of the 8-hour tour and still credited with 8 hours of work time for pay purposes. Any hours not worked between the seventh and eighth hour of a regular scheduled day pursuant to ELM 432.53 are included in an employee's regular rate of pay pursuant to ELM 443.212.g. With the signing of M-01976, this MOU was extended through May 6, 2022.
• M-01912 – March 20, 2020 – Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a temporary time limit extension on Step B and arbitration appeals. The parties agree that time limits for appealing grievances to Step B of the grievance-arbitration procedure and appeals to arbitration will be extended for a period of 30 days beyond those specified in the National Agreement. This time limit extension only applies to grievances that would have been timely filed or appealed on or after the signature date of this agreement. The agreement expires on April 19, 2020, however the parties will revisit this issue immediately prior to that date to determine if an extension is appropriate.
• M-01911 – March 18, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding providing temporary additional paid leave for City Carrier Assistants (CCAs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For 60 days beginning March 18, 2020, CCAs will be permitted to use up to 80 hours of paid leave for use in certain circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leave used for the purposes described in detail in the MOU will be coded as TACS Code 086, Other Paid Leave. This MOU was reinstated with M-01965 and shall be administered as if it had been in effect without interruption since the original effective date of March 18, 2020. With the signing of M-01976, this MOU was extended through May 6, 2022.
• M-01910 – March 18, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) allowing a temporary expansion of sick leave for dependent care due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For 60 days beginning March 18, 2020, employees may use sick leave for dependent care in the event they must care for a child as a result of daycare closures, school (Pre-K through Grade 12) closures, or the unavailability of a child’s primary caregiver as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The MOU does not change the 80-hour-limit for this category of leave that may be used in any leave year. With the signing of M-01976, this MOU was extended through May 6, 2022.
• M-01909 – March 18, 2020 - The parties agree to convert city carrier assistants to part-time flexible career status and hire additional part-time flexible letter carriers in Aspen, CO. CCAs converted to PTF status under this agreement will not serve a probationary period provided the employee completed the 90 workday or 120 calendar day evaluation period as a CCA.
• M-01908 – February 19, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have mutually agreed to postpone interpretive grievance Q16N-4Q-C 19234222 regarding the delay in implementing Arbitrator Goldberg’s Award in Case No. Q15C-4Q-C 17697250 which was issued August 6, 2018.
• M-01907 - February 10, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have mutually agreed to close national interpretive grievance Q11N-4Q-C 13212958 concerning the conversion of CCAs to career status under the 2011-2016 National Agreement. Any grievance(s) held for this case has been resolved.
• M-01906 - January 22, 2020 – NALC and the Postal Service have settled national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 19225551 concerning the Postal Service hiring CCA employees above the contractual caps. This settlement provides that all city carrier assistants in all size offices with 30 months of relative standing on February 15, 2020, will be converted to career status within 60 days from the signing of the agreement on January 22, 2018.  Select USPS districts are required to make additional conversions to career status as identified in the settlement.
• M-01904 - June 27, 2019 - The parties agree to convert city carrier assistants to part-time flexible career status and hire additional part-time flexible letter carriers in the identified installations in the San Francisco and Bay Valley Districts. The MOA also calls for the creation of additional full-time positions when certain circumstances are met in the installations covered by the agreement.
• M-01903 - April 3, 2019 - Re: Buras, LA 70041 – USPS, NALC and NRLCA recognize that the devastation from Hurricane Katrina in the area serviced by the Buras, LA, post office resulted in a significant reduction in delivery points and the reassignment of the city letter carrier to another installation. The parties agree that the remaining city delivery points in Buras, which currently number approximately 314 deliveries (and any former city delivery points that return), will be serviced temporarily by the rural letter carrier craft. This temporary agreement expires April 3, 2020, at which time the parties will review conditions in Buras and determine if renewal of the agreement is warranted.
• M-01902 - January 31, 2019 - The parties agree to convert city carrier assistants to part-time flexible career status and hire additional part-time flexible letter carriers in Aspen, CO.
• M-01901 – January 5, 2019 – USPS releases updated Wounded Warriors Leave guidelines.  Effective January 2019, eligible military veterans will now receive up to 104 hours of Wounded Warriors Leave each leave year going forward.  This document is the updated Management Instruction regarding Wounded Warriors Leave.
• M-01900 – November 21, 2018 – NALC and the Postal Service have mutually agreed to close national interpretive grievance Q16N-4Q-C 18034111 concerning the Work Year calculation for the 2016 National Agreement. Any grievance(s) held for this case will be closed.
• M-01899 – November 19, 2018 – NALC and the Postal Service agree that Holiday Carrier Assistants may be hired prior to the start of the four-week December period solely for the purpose of training. 
• M-01898 - October 22, 2018 - Local grievance number E16N-4E-C 18215723 was referred to the Interpretive Step. After reviewing this case, the parties agree that it does not contain an interpretive issue within the meaning of Article 15 of our collective bargaining agreement.
• M-01897 – October 22, 2018 – NALC and the Postal Service have closed national interpretive grievance Q01N-4Q-C 07136663 concerning the assignment of inter-station runs prior to the 2006 National Agreement. Any grievances held pending the outcome of this case should be processed in accordance with Article 15 of the National Agreement.
• M-01896 – July 27, 2018 – Due to errors with the original calculations, USPS has agreed to recalculate the TE step credit for eligible employees for applying the provisions of the MOU Re: Step Credit for Former Transitional Employees.
• M-01895 – July 27, 2018 – NALC and the Postal Service have settled national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 18204108 concerning the delay in retroactive pay adjustments for former city carrier assistants who were converted to career status during the retroactive payment period of the 2016-2019 collective bargaining agreement. The affected former CCAs will receive a lump sum payment determined by the length of time the employee worked as a CCA during the backpay period.
• M-01894 – July 27, 2018 – NALC and the Postal Service have settled national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 17638150 concerning the effective date of the City Carrier Assistant (CCA) holiday provisions of Article 11.8 of the 2016 collective bargaining agreement. Employees who remain on the rolls as either a CCA or career letter carrier who were on the rolls as a CCA on Christmas Day 2016, New Year’s Day 2017, Memorial Day 2017, and Independence Day 2017 will be paid for these holidays.
• M-01893 – July 27, 2018 – NALC and the Postal Service have settled national-level cases Q16N-4Q-C 17638188 and Q16N-4Q-C 18025517 concerning revisions to promotion pay rule for letter carriers contained in the Employee and Labor Relation Manual (ELM) Section 422.2 and the “Hold in Place” rule that was applied to Rate Schedule Code Q7 (Table 2) city letter carriers who were promoted prior to the revisions.
• M-01892 – July 27, 2018 – NALC and the Postal Service have settled national-level case Q16N-4Q-C 18034102 concerning the postal service hiring CCA above the contractual caps. This settlement provides that all city carrier assistants in all size offices with 30 months of relative standing on September 1, 2018 will be converted to career status within 60 days from the signing of the agreement on July 27, 2018.
• M-01891 – May 17, 2018 – Time limit waiver for all grievances due to the National Convention. Thirty-one day moratorium on the time limits for the processing of all grievances at the local, regional, and national levels due to the NALC’s 71th Biennial Convention.
• M-01890 – April 24, 2018 – Re: 2016-2019 National Agreement – The NALC and USPS agreed to several non-substantive changes to the Proposed 2016-2019 National Agreement that was used during the ratification process.
• M-01889 – March 14, 2018 – Re: Buras, LA 70041 – USPS, NALC and NRLCA recognize that the devastation from Hurricane Katrina in the area serviced by the Buras, LA, post office resulted in a significant reduction in delivery points and the reassignment of the city letter carrier to another installation. The parties agree that the remaining city delivery points in Buras, which currently number approximately 302 deliveries (and any former city delivery points that return), will be serviced temporarily by the rural letter carrier craft. This temporary agreement expires March 14, 2019, at which time the parties will review conditions in Buras and determine if renewal of the agreement is warranted.
• M-01888 – Sept. 7, 2017 – NALC and the Postal Service have settled national-level case Q11N-4Q-C 14289728 concerning the application of Article 17.2.B. Based on the clarified language contained in the 2016-2019 National Agreement, the parties agreed to close this case without prejudice to the position of either party. The parties also agreed to remand any grievance held for this case to Formal Step A of the grievance procedure for full discussion and possible resolution using the clarified language of Article 17.2.B in the 2016-2019 National Agreement and the accompanying Letter of Intent, which will be placed in next Joint Contract Administration Manual (JCAM).
• M-01887 – Sept. 7, 2017 – NALC and the Postal Service have settled national-level case Q11N-4Q-C 15005929 concerning the potential enrollment of city carrier assistants (CCAs) in NALC’s Consumer Driven Health Plan. Based on the new language in Section 3.F of Appendix B in the 2016-2019 National Agreement, the parties agreed to close this case without prejudice to the position of either party.
• M-01886 – August 28, 2017 – Re: Article 8.5.C.2 Overtime Assignments (Revised Language) – NALC and USPS agree that absent local agreement to apply the new provisions of Article 8.5.C.2.e and 8.5.C.2.f of the 2016-2019 National Agreement earlier than Oct. 1, 2017, these provisions will be effective Oct. 1, 2017.
• M-01885 – May 8, 2017 – The Postal Service has developed a document entitled “Guidelines for the Use of LDC 23 and LDC 24.” The guidelines reflect the re-establishment of Labor Distribution Code (LDC) 24, used to record workhours associated with delivery initiatives such as Sunday parcel and grocery delivery. LDC 23 continues to be used for recording workhours associated with normal parcel delivery on parcel, relay and combination routes. Of significant importance, however, the document clarifies that auxiliary assistance given to city delivery routes by these types of routes, even if the assistance given was to relieve the route by delivering parcels, is not part of LDC 23. That assistance is still part of the carrier’s street time and part of the carrier’s route and therefore must be attributed to LDC 22.
• M-01884 – May 25, 2017 – NALC and USPS agree that the addition of part-time flexible city letter carriers in specific installations may be authorized by mutual agreement of the national parties.
• M-01883 – Feb. 7, 2017 – Re: Buras, LA 70041 – USPS, NALC and NRLCA recognize that the devastation from Hurricane Katrina in the area serviced by the Buras, LA, post office resulted in a significant reduction in delivery points and the reassignment of the city letter carrier to another installation. The parties agree that the remaining city delivery points in Buras, which currently number approximately 274 deliveries (and any former city delivery points that return), will be serviced temporarily by the rural letter carrier craft. This temporary agreement expires Feb. 7, 2018, at which time the parties will review conditions in Buras and determine if renewal of the agreement is warranted.
• M-01881 – November 16, 2016 – This document is the amended Management Instruction regarding the new Wounded Warriors leave category.
• M-01879 – June 2, 2016 – NALC and USPS signed a joint letter that establishes carrier academies in all USPS districts, an alternate dispute resolution process for any issues regarding the city carrier academies, and that each USPS district will provide a list of prospective city letter carriers to the appropriate NALC national business agent(s) as early as administratively practicable.
• M-01878 – May 20, 2016 – The parties agree to continue to allow the installation head and branch president or their designees to mutually elect to develop a process that allows employees who transfer from another installation, or part-time flexibles and city carrier assistants (CCAs) converted to full-time status after the two-week period for signing the overtime desired lists, to place their names on either the overtime desired list or work assignment list.