USPS Responds to APWU Inquiry Regarding Absences of 3 Days or Less

September 19, 2007 by
Filed under: APWU, postal, usps 

The following is the USPS response to an inquiry from APWU regarding medical documentation for absences of three days or less:

This is in response to your August 27 letter regarding medical documentation or other acceptable evidence for absences of 3 days or less which was received in this office on August 28. In your correspondence, you allege that the RMD/eRMS application improperly mandates management to require employees to provide medical documentation or other acceptable evidence for periods of absence of 3 days or less.

Please be assured that the eRMS application does not change Postal Service policy concerning medical documentation for absences when employees call in sick. As far as the Postal Service is concerned, there is no dispute or disagreement regarding the conditions under which an employee may be required to submit medical documentation or other acceptable evidence for periods of absence of 3 days or less.

USPS Response (PDF)

APWU 8-27-07 letter - It has been called to my attention that through the application of the RMD/eRMS, local management is improperly requiring employees to submit medical documentation or other acceptable evidence for future absences of 3 days or less, It is my understanding that based on a supervisor’s review of an employee’s attendance record, supervisors are making a determination that medical documentation is deem desirable (requiring an employee to submit medical documentation of other acceptable evidence) for absences of 3 days or less, for the protection of the interest of the Postal Service. As you know, it is improper for management to deem documentation desirable for 3 days or less based on a review of an employee attendance record.

Moreover, in the absence of an employee being on restricted sick leave, supervisors may not require medical documentation or other acceptable evidence because of abuse or excessive use of sick leave for 3 days or less.

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Comments

11 Comments on USPS Responds to APWU Inquiry Regarding Absences of 3 Days or Less

  1. scott on Wed, 19th Sep 2007 2:36 pm

    2. Sick days are a benefit that is given to us correct? Who goes to the doctor for having a 24 hour bug? Are they going to pay for my $20.00 co-pay office visit? Here are your sick days, but you cant use them!!

  2. mike on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 2:14 am

    3. Scott,

    Sure they will pay you for your $20 copay, the full bill, milage, and your time. Keep a record of it and give it to your steward. We are gieving it as I type this. Our facility has no one on restricted S/L yet the Super sez I want it because I can. I will file a grievance because I can too.

  3. Anonymous on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 7:25 pm

    4. How about when an employee is denied annual leave. The supervisor then flags the employee in eRMS just in case the employee decides to call in sick to get the time off, for the protection and interest of the Postal Service.

  4. postal worker on Thu, 17th Jul 2008 12:59 am

    5. What is the contract between the A.P.W.U & the P.O. says regarding the medical documentation when you call in sick? I thought it was three days or more, then you have to provide medical documentation from your Doctor.

  5. tony morris on Sat, 17th Jan 2009 8:36 am

    6. read section 500 of the elm…apwu is barking up the wrong tree…

  6. tony morris on Sat, 17th Jan 2009 8:36 am

    7. read section 500 of the elm…apwu is barking up the wrong tree…

  7. tony morris on Sat, 17th Jan 2009 8:36 am

    8. read section 500 of the elm…apwu is barking up the wrong tree…

  8. tony morris on Sat, 17th Jan 2009 8:36 am

    9. read section 500 of the elm…apwu is barking up the wrong tree…

  9. buddynip@aol,com on Sat, 17th Jan 2009 1:33 pm

    10. Fist your money and then your clothes

  10. The Super on Wed, 21st Jan 2009 1:38 pm

    11. Good call, “tony morris”. You can grieve anything you want, but you won’t win. You can be required to provide documentation for just about any reason, including denied annual leave. And no, you won’t get reimbursed for your visit – sorry!

    Try reading the ELM very closely…

  11. union prez on Tue, 3rd Feb 2009 7:46 pm

    12. once again the stuper is wrong. i have 3 cases that i have filed and won all 3. Mismanagement paid the carriers co-pay,mileage and time and a half for his time at the doctors office. stupidvisors need to read the joint statment on violence and BEHAVIOR in the workplace. especially the part about bullying and intimidation.( will not be tolerated from anyone)