Pennsylvania Postmaster Relief Found Guilty Of Misappropriating $2,600 In USPS Funds
PITTSBURGH, Pa – After a non-jury trial tried before Senior United States District Judge Maurice B. Cohill, Terri Oddo was found guilty of one count of misappropriation of postal funds, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Oddo, 43, of East Brady, Pennsylvania, was tried in Pittsburgh.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Hull, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that Oddo was a postal employee at the East Brady, Pa., Post Office who embezzled $2,650.77 in postal service funds.
Judge Cohill scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of one year in prison, a fine of $100,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Oddo remains free on bond.
The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Terri Oddo.
source: USDOJ: US Attorney’s Office – Western District of Pennsylvania.
Postmasters Continue Discussions with USPS on VER and Incentives for Retirement Eligible Employees
Filed under: NAPUS, postal, postal news, Postmasters, usps, ver, vera
On December 6, 2011, NAPUS President Bob Rapoza and League President Mark Strong met with Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe and agreed to re-open Postmaster pay talks. This agreement was reached in the midst of the selection of a fact-finding panel from a list of panelist received from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. If no agreement is reached by the January 27, 2012 deadline, the fact-finding process will resume.
Presidents of both Postmaster organizations continue to meet with postal leaders to request the establishment of a RIF-avoidance process that offers VER’s and incentives (including adding years of service) for retirement eligible employees. Every effort is being made to get this issue resolved by the end of this year. Additional information will be posted on the NAPUS website as soon as it becomes available.
For more on these two developing stories, please check President Rapoza’s Update.
NAPUS and League Presidents are scheduled to meet with legal counsel next week to continue discussions on how to proceed on renewing a complaint with the Postal Regulatory Commission concerning the Postal Service’s Final Rule, which became effective on December 1, 2011. The rule created changes to the PO-101, ASM, POM and ELM, which allows for the conversion of post offices to stations or branches. The rule also allows a post office to be staffed by someone other than a Postmaster and for Postmaster to serve in more than one post office. See details and chronology of events concerning the Final Rule decision by linking to the December 2, 2011 Breaking News story on the NAPUS website.
On December 10, 2011 Postal Headquarters issued a letter to all Area Vice Presidents, directing them to temporarily suspend all current or planned actions to convert post offices to stations or branches, until further notice. The directive also instructed field managers to stop any permanent staffing changes in post offices until instructions are distributed by Headquarters.
Charlie Moser
December 9, 2011
source: NAPUS- Discussions Continue with Postal Headquarters on Voluntary Early Retirements (VERs) and Incentives for Retirement Eligible Employees
PRC Issues Order Denying Postmasters Complaint Over Management Of Post Offices
Filed under: NAPUS, post offices, postal, postal news, Postmasters, PRC, usps
The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) issued a decision to deny a complaint by NAPUS and the League of Postmasters to renew an expedited complaint or a request a stay to prevent the Postal Service’s Final Rule from going into effect on December 1, 2011. The PRC did grant the Postmaster associations the right to re-file a complaint.
The Postal Regulatory Commission Issues Order Denying Motion for Renewal and Alternative Request for a Stay of the Effective Date.
Effective December 1, 2011, this change will allow the Postal Service to convert a Post Office into, or replace it with, another type of USPS-operated retail facility (including changing it to a station or branch) without following the discontinuance process. The change would also make it possible to change the staffing of a Post Office such that it is staffed only part-time by a Postmaster, or not staffed by a Postmaster at all, but rather by another type of USPS employee, and it would not be a discontinuance action.
The other “final rule” change would also allow a Post Office to be operated or managed by a Postmaster or by another type of postal employee at the direction of a Postmaster, including when the Postmaster is not physically present.
Leaders of both Postmaster organizations will confer with legal counsel next week to consider their options. Additional information on this very important issue will be provided as it becomes available.
read full story from NAPUS
Postmasters To Manage More Than One Post Office In Changes To USPS Manuals
Filed under: post offices, postal, postal news, Postmasters, usps
USPS revises manuals and handbooks: Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM), Handbook PO-101, Administrative Support Manual (ASM) and Postal Operations Manual (POM)
ELM Revision: Management of Post Offices by Postmasters
Effective December 1, 2011, Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM), Part 113, Definitions, is revised to clarify that a postmaster may be responsible for the management of more than one Post Office™ facility, and that the postmaster may assign duties to subordinate personnel, including when the postmaster is not physically present. Read more
NAPUS: A Tale of Two Postal Bills
Filed under: NAPUS, politics, postal, postal news, Postmasters, usps
From The National Association of Postmasters of the United States – eNAPUS Legislative and Political Bulletin
Two vastly different postal bills are pending before the House and Senate. The bills, H.R. 2309 and S. 1789, contain numerous divisive provisions; some are common to both. Consequently, they do not seem to be on the fast track. However, their paths to the floor follow different roadmaps and provide guideposts on how NAPUS and others may seek to shape the outcome
Even with the procedural disparities, both bills share a common and major deficiency; neither bill provides the USPS with a fair and equitable calculation of its pension liability – a $55 billion omission. Rather, H.R. 2309 and S. 1789 continue to impose a punitive pension liability on the USPS that seeks to offset the federal government’s failure to account for its own pension liability. This failure is bipartisan and the blame is shared with the White House
This past week, a new national survey found that Americans continue to strongly oppose USPS efforts to close post offices, and substantiates NAPUS arguments before the Postal Regulatory Commission relating to post office use. Also, on Friday, President signed into law legislation (HR 2112), which defers the $5.5 million retiree health prepayment until December 16. Read more
NAPUS To Request Fact Finding on USPS 2011-2015 Pay Package Offer
Filed under: NAPUS, postal, postal news, Postmasters, usps
NAPUS Executive Board Unanimously Approves President Rapoza’s Request to Ask the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to Convene a Factfinding Panel on Postmaster Pay Package
In a special telecom tonight, The NAPUS Executive Board unanimously approved President Bob Rapoza’s request to ask the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to convene a factfinding panel to review the Postal Service’s final decision on the 2011-15 Postmaster Pay Package.
Rapoza told the Board “In view of the Postal Service’s final decision on the Postmaster Pay Package for 2011-2015, I am requesting that the NAPUS Executive Board consider my request to pursue fact finding through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS.)”
For more on this historic and unprecedented action, please go to President Rapoza’s Update link on the NAPUS website.
Charlie Moser
November 16, 2011
source: NAPUS
Senate Committee Grants NAPUS Requests
Filed under: post office closings, postal, postal news, Postmasters, usps
(11/9/11) Today, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee passed bipartisan postal relief legislation (S. 1789) by a record vote of 9-1. (Counting proxies, the vote was 12-5.) The committee markup was attended by President Robert Rapoza and Government Relations Director Bob Levi.
The Committee overwhelming adopted key NAPUS-promoted amendments. As reported in last week’s NAPUS web posting, President Rapoza requested a moratorium on post office discontinuances; asked for management association participation in the design of a new postal health plan; and raised concern about mandatory Medicare coverage for all Medicare-eligible postal retirees.
Over the past few weeks, NAPUS has been working with Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Committee Ranking GOP Susan Collins (R-ME) to craft an amendment that would establish statutory postal retail service standards, to ensure that all Americans have access to retail postal services. Failure to comply with the standards could result in a complaint being filed against the USPS with the Postal Regulatory Commission. The NAPUS-advanced amendment can be viewed here. Under the Moran Amendment, the USPS must take into account proximity to customers, demography (age and population density), and transportation and climate challenges in remote areas in setting standards. Moreover, the amendment requires a moratorium on post office closures, pending the implementation of the retail standards (i.e., 6 months from the date of enactment). Also, the standards would apply to communities that suffered the loss of their post office, during the time period one year prior to enactment (e.g., post office subject to the Retail Access Optimization Initiative). The amendment carried the bipartisan sponsorship of Senators Moran, Tester, Collins, Begich (D-AK), McCaskill (D-MO) and Landrieu (D-LA); it was approved by 12-4 vote. The only Senators voting no were Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Rand Paul (R-KY).
Another provision that NAPUS sought was the ability to participate in the design of the a postal health plan that would be collective-bargained with the four major postal labor unions. Although Postmasters could not bound to the decisions reached by the unions over a postal health plan, NAPUS requested a substantive role in the deliberations. (It is important to note that adoption of a new health plan requires the unanimous support of the unions.) An amendment to S. 1789 included a provision that creates a constructive role for management and supervisory organizations in designing the plan, and reserved the right of any Postmaster to choose whether or not to remain in FEHBP, should a new postal plan be established. NAPUS worked closely with Chairman Lieberman and Ranking GOP Collins on this provision.
Finally, NAPUS was concerned about requiring all Medicare-eligible postal employees to be restricted to only a Medigap policy, denying them the choice to decline Medicare coverage and be covered solely by FEHBP, or enabling them to coordinate their FEHBP benefits with Medicare. (Postal employees who retired after 1983 are eligible for Medicare Part A and Part B.) Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) proposed an amendment that eliminated the Medicare mandate provision; it was approved by a 11-6 vote.
The underlying bill includes a postal retirement incentive, which, in part, is funded by the $7 billion FERS overpayment. The incentive provides a cash incentive of up to $25,000, or one-year CSRS credit or two-years FERS credit. Unfortunately, S. 1789 does not address the CSRS $55 billion overpayment issue.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Chairman Lieberman announced that he received assurance from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) that the legislation would get floor time as soon as possible.
Senate Committee Grants NAPUS Requests
USPS Issues Final Decision on Postmaster Pay Package
Filed under: pay, pay info, postal, postal news, Postmasters, usps
for Fiscal Years 2011-2015. Postmaster Salary Range Increase of 6.5% from January 2013 through January 2016.
“Severe Financial Difficulties” Cited, as PFP Salary Rating Applications are Suspended for FY 2011 and FY 2012.
After 4 months of pay talks between representatives from both Postmaster organizations and the Postal Service, today the Postal Service issued a final decision concerning changes in pay policies, schedules, and fringe benefit programs for Postmasters.
Below is a jointly released statement from NAPUS President Bob Rapoza and League President Mark Strong, both leaders expressed disappointment that many of the proposals they presented were not included in the pay package.
“During the past four months, NAPUS and the League have been engaged in pay talks with the Postal Service. During this time we presented our case and put forth our best arguments to no avail due to the current financial condition of the postal service Today we received the final pay package delivered to our offices..”
“At the beginning of Pay Talks the postal service had projected a loss of $8.5 billion and now, 120 days later, the projected loss is $10 billion. This financial crisis we are in is through no fault of the more than 26,000 Postmasters who work extremely hard to manage the postal services most critical operations and provide universal service to the American public. While realizing that the financial condition of the Postal Service dictated the tone of the pay talks process, we believe that some of our recommendations could have been included in the package without adding significant costs to the program.”
“The Pay Package includes a 6.5% increase in the minimum and maximum salary ranges of the EAS pay schedule from January 2013 through January 2016. However, PFP Program ratings will be suspended and not be applied to salaries for FY 2011 and FY 2012. A determination as to whether PFP ratings will be applied to salaried for 2013 through 2015 will be based on the economic condition of the Postal Service during those years.”
“The Performance Evaluation System (PES) is discontinued and a joint work group will be established by the Postmaster associations and the Postal Service, to determine how to incorporate the compensation portion of the discontinued PES into the NPA component of the PFP Program.”
“It is not just Postmasters that will have to manage without a pay raise in 2011 and 2012. The entire federal work force is in the same boat and there are a lot of people around the country who’ve lost their jobs, and others who seen a decline in wages.”
For more information on changes to leave and health benefits contributions, please click Pay Package 2011-2015 to see the entire EAS Pay Package for Postmasters (FY 2011-2015.)
Charlie Moser
November 9, 2011
California Postmaster Arrested for stealing more than $23,000 from Rural Post Office
SACRAMENTO, CA (AP) – Federal prosecutors say they have arrested a postmaster for stealing more than $23,000 from a rural post office in Northern California.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Sacramento said 38-year-old Kristina Michelle Morris was arrested Thursday for felony embezzlement, theft of cash and theft of money orders. She was released on $10,000 bail and has not entered a plea.
Morris is suspected of stealing from the post office in Bieber, a Lassen County town about 100 miles east of Redding. Prosecutors say the thefts occurred between October 2010 and May.
She faces a maximum prison sentence of 25 years and a $750,000 fine. Her public defender, Dennis Waks of Sacramento, says it’s too early in the legal proceedings to make a statement.
Postmasters Request Meeting With USPS to Discuss RIF Avoidance Strategies
On Monday, League President Mark Strong and NAPUS President Bob Rapoza sent a joint letter to USPS Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Megan Brennan, requesting a meeting to discuss the impact that the Retail Access Optimization Initiative (RAOI) may have on Postmasters whose offices are on the study list. Specifically, the leaders of the two Postmaster organizations are asking to meet with members of the Postal Service senior management team to discuss minimizing or avoiding the impact that RIF may have on Postmasters whose offices may be discontinued.
RIF Avoidance and minimization strategy actions listed in the ELM 354.23 include voluntary early retirements, voluntary early retirement incentives, voluntary reassignments and other actions that can be considered for impacted employees. The two presidents reminded Ms Brennan that Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said that he would work with the Postmaster organizations as he had worked with other RIF impacted employees. For more information on this and other important news from President Rapoza, click here http://www.napus.org/president-rapozas-updates/.
We have received several inquiries from Exempt status Postmasters who lost employees as a result of Delivery Unit Optimization (DUO) and are re-classified to non-exempt if they manage less than two full-time equivalent employees, but the Form 50 isn’t processed to change them to the correct status for several months. Listed below is the USPS Headquarters response to the FLSA status question and their response on when salary protection begins for Postmasters who are downgraded as a result of DUO.
When staffing conditions in a Post Office do not meet criteria for FLSA-exempt status, the Postmaster’s FLSA status becomes non-exempt. If the FLSA status of the job changes, this should be brought to the attention of the appropriate management authorities promptly so that FLSA status may be adjusted timely, within one or two pay periods of the Postmaster no longer meeting the criteria of an exempt status. We recommend that Postmasters coordinate closely with their supervisors to ensure that work beyond 40 in a pay week is authorized expressly. This will help prevent potential problems. Postmasters should document overtime hours they work since DUO implementation. They should also document the dates such hours are worked, and they should furnish this material to local management for review and determination if there are concerns about pay.
Salary protection for DUO impacted Postmasters begins on the Form 50 effective date of the downgrade.
Next week, members of the two Postmaster organization pay talks teams will resume discussions with Postal Service representatives. The meetings will include discussions on pay, benefits, leave and changes to the ELM that may impact Postmasters. The Postmaster organizations and the Postal Service agreed to extend the October 5, 2011 deadline.
Charlie Moser
October 5, 2011
source: NAPUS