In the event you find it necessary to file a grievance seeking to upgrade a duty assignment because of bulk mail acceptance duties, you will need the following documentation to support your case:

1. A statement from the incumbent demonstrating how they have met the criteria found in Section 233.3 of the ELM (Employee and Labor Relations Manual).
2. Bulk Mailing Statement Forms 3602 to support the statement.
   a. If you are asserting that the incumbent meets the criteria in Section 233.3a, you will need only one Form 3602 for each of the five days of the grievant’s work week.
   b. If you are asserting that the incumbent meets the criteria in Section 233.3b, you will need copies of all Forms 3602 that were processed for the week.
3. Trust Account Receipts and Withdrawals Forms 3083 to support the statement.

It is vital that employees who accept bulk mailings on a daily basis complete all the paperwork on the day the mail is received and that they prepare a Form 3083 each day.

If management delays completion of the paperwork, this fact should be noted in the grievance. This notation will support a contention that management’s action — or inaction – is preventing the union from demonstrating that the employee met the criteria of Section 233 of the ELM.

There are many other variables that may be of importance in filing a successful grievance. If you have any questions about how to document such a case, contact your national business agent.

Higher-Level Pay

In small offices where it is not feasible to clock in and out on a higher-level status each time a bulk mailing is accepted, the union should meet with local management and estimate how much time is spent on average per day performing bulk mail acceptance duties. These higher-level hours should be input manually in the TACS System or on a higher-level pay card each workday or no later than the end of the workweek.

If the hours vary significantly from the estimate, the higher-level hours should be adjusted accordingly. If local management refuses to cooperate and employees are not compensated appropriately for higher-level work, an after-the-fact pay adjustment will be necessary.

Please remember that even if your office does not qualify for a full-time Level 6 position based on Section 233 of the ELM, clerks performing the bulk mail work are entitled to Level 6 pay for hours they spend performing the work.