August 2025 Consultative

Submitted by Jimmy Warden
NAPS Secretary/Treasurer

NAPS President Ivan D. Butts, Executive Vice President Chuck Mulidore, Secretary/Treasurer Jimmy Warden and Executive Board Chair Chuck Lum attended the Aug. 28 Zoom consultative meeting. Representing the Postal Service were Bruce Nicholson, James Timmons and Paulita Wimbush, Labor Relations Policies and Programs.

Agenda Item #1

NAPS Headquarters recently was notified of a change to the evaluation forms for EAS probationary employees. Does this form apply only to external hires into EAS positions? What is the next-higher-level review process, if any, to determine if an EAS probationary employee is recommended to be terminated?

If there is no next-higher-level review process, NAPS would like to engage with the USPS to develop a process so probationary EAS employees are given every opportunity to succeed.

In most circumstances, this form applies to external hires. However, it also could apply to a transfer from another agency or reinstatement requiring completion of a new probationary period.

For Headquarters employees, if a manager is looking to terminate an EAS employee on probation, HR reviews with the manager to determine whether the probationary form was properly completed and the intent to terminate is appropriate

Agenda Item #2

NAPS asked what hiring plans the USPS has for fall mailing and peak seasons and whether the plans would have any impact on current SWCs or plant staffing ratios.

Hiring for peak season is being evaluated.

Agenda Item #3

NAPS has been made aware not all districts have sent out a listing of leadership titles, emails and phone numbers. Also, many Headquarters functions have not submitted this to the field. NAPS asked USPS Headquarters to require this contact information be sent out or readily available to all EAS employees, as necessary.

Field Human Resources and Field Labor Relations contacts can be accessed through MyHR/About Human Resources/ My Local Human Resources. Other contacts are readily available on Blue and Outlook.

Agenda Item #

NAPS asked if USPS Headquarters has any short- or long-term plans to provide a voluntary early retirement (VER) for EAS employees.

The Postal Service first must make a request to OPM for approval to offer a VER. The agency has not requested a VER for non-bargaining employees

Agenda Item #5

NAPS asked what the process is during the current plant realignment, reclassification and reduction-in-force process for EAS employees on extended workers’ compensation. These employees have concerns regarding being selected for a position that meets current work restrictions and that, potentially, selecting officials would not select a person due to their current restrictions.

What process has the USPS developed to ensure an EAS employee with Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs-approved work restrictions and/or is receiving workers’ compensation benefits can successfully obtain a position during this period of plant realignment, reclassification and RIF?

During a RIF, Organization Design makes sure all employees, including those performing a limited-duty assignment or on extended leave for workers’ compensation purposes, are in receipt of all RIF communication and supporting documents.

When Organization Design is made aware of employees on extended leave, including for workers’ compensation purposes, they work with field HR to ensure the employee is informed of the RIF and their RIF status or of any reclassification of their Form 50 position. Organization Design also ensures employees who are on extended leave due to a compensable injury are able to apply to available vacancies and/or request noncompetitive lateral/downgrade reassignments if they are affected by a RIF.

Employees on a leave of absence due to a compensable on-the-job injury are not denied RIF-assignment rights because they are physically disqualified for the RIF assignment if that physical disqualification is the result of the compensable injury. Selection of employees, including individuals seeking accommodations, are made consistent with postal policy.

Agenda Item #6

NAPS noted that the Process Control Assistant (PCA) job is not changing, but the job and title are being removed from Network Distribution Centers (NDCs) that have primary sorters that still need PCAs to run the machines. The only NDCs that still have primary sorters are Seattle and Pittsburgh; all other NDCs have only secondary sorters. The RIF for the PCA position should not have included Seattle and Pittsburgh until their primary sorters are removed.

NAPS pointed out these positions have other duties and responsibilities assigned that still need to be performed. There has been no designation as to who will be assuming these additional duties or how they would increase the levels of the gaining EAS positions.

Our July 5, 2023, correspondence to NAPS proposed modifications to the ranking model for mail processing facilities and to non-bargaining staffing criteria. A briefing was requested by NAPS in September 2023 and held on Sept.19, 2023. NAPS followed with recommendations to that proposal.

A notice of decision was sent to NAPS on Oct. 17, 2023. Further, a notice was sent to NAPS on March 27, 2024, stating that employees in certain jobs that were proposed, then decided to be eliminated—including the PCA position—would be placed in a nonauthorized status (NAU). Employees in this position would not be immediately impacted and would be repositioned into authorized vacancies as they became available.

If an employee has not been repositioned when the facility transitions to a Regional Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC) or Local Processing Center (LPC) and the staffing criteria is applied, the employee may be affected by a RIF at that time.

Additionally, some of the specialized support work (i.e., sort programs) that used to be performed by PCAs was transferred to the Processing Support Specialist (PSS) position. PCAs should be placed in available jobs as they become available, but still could be detailed (while the knowledge transfer is occurring) until placed. The new staffing criteria resulted in additional PSS positions across the network.

Agenda Item #7

NAPS brought back to the table this issue from the May 2025 consultative:

“NAPS asked that the USPS review and change the policy that prevents an observer from sitting in and assisting NAPS representatives during an ELM 650 mediation. This hampers the ability to assist NAPS members in the preparation and administration of the mediation.”

“Employees are entitled to a representative in administrative proceedings. The representatives are not entitled to their own representative or assistant.”

During discussion of this issue in May, NAPS explained this was intended to provide training for observers to develop their ability to represent EAS employees in these types of proceedings—not to act as an assistant to the representative. The USPS responded this would be taken back to the stakeholder for further response. As of this meeting, no response has been provided to NAPS.

The Postal Service is not opposed to allowing an “observer,” but there must be parameters and guidelines prior to approval. The Postal Service will engage NAPS once those guidelines are developed.

Agenda Item #8

NAPS asked how many next-generation delivery vehicles (NGDVs) currently are coming off the assembly line each month, as well as for a breakdown by type (battery-powered versus gas-powered). Also, how many Ford E-Transits remain in holding lots awaiting deployment?

The current number of NGDVs coming off the line is fluctuating as Oshkosh is ramping up its production to meet contracted quantity. The past three months have averaged 293 NGDVs produced a month; August’s total is expected to exceed that number.

Battery-electric NGDVs currently make up around 20% of the monthly quantities. The Postal Service currently has 6,500 E-Transits in holding lots.

Agenda Item #9

NAPS noted that Sorting and Delivery Centers (S&DCs) have been online in various parts of the country for quite some time. NAPS asked for these facilities’ EAS staffing matrix—specifically, what is the plan to provide managers in these facilities? NAPS previously has suggested a joint workgroup to develop these staffing models with the USPS in accordance with Title 39, Section 1004(b).

There have been no changes to the EAS staffing matrices. The staffing matrix for the S&DCs is the same as all other facilities—following the PO-150, WSC and SWC policies. As the S&DCs have been established, the Post Office installation EAS staffing has been reevaluated based on the consolidated carrier workload. Under the existing MCS model, if the S&DC is located in the main office, it will not meet the criteria to earn an MCS.

The current Station Manager Workload Credit (WSC) model states a station must meet the requirements below to be eligible for a manager, Customer Service, position.

In a station:

• Must have deliveries.
• Units without retail are graded one level below that of a unit with retail.

In the main office:

• If there are three or more EAS-19-or greater offices outside of the main office and the main office has a carrier operation.

Currently, the MCS staffing on-rolls is not impacted by a RIF at the time the S&DC was established. The jobs are marked as non-authorized and employees are repositioned from the spoke station to the S&DC to provide support.

In regard to establishing a work group, if NAPS has any proposals, send them as soon as possible for review and consideration.