Category: COVID-19

Effective May 12, 2023, the Postal Service has discontinued all Covid-19 specific protocols, including all memoranda of understanding, policies, and work practice restrictions and requirements. However, we must all understand that COVID-19 and other communicable diseases still pose a threat. Many members in their line of work are susceptible to these illnesses, which may become severe or life-threatening. The APWU urges sick employees to stay at home to prevent the spread of any communicable disease, and […]

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The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) expired on January 27. The APWU has opposed the expiration of those provisions of the act that protected federal workers who contracted COVID-19 (COVID). We are providing the following as information to members on the new procedures for COVID-related workers’ compensation (OWCP) claims through the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). The ARPA included presumptions for federal workers who were exposed to COVID in the course of their employment. […]

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On July 27, 2022, the APWU and USPS agreed to once again extend the COVID-19 Test Kit Fulfillment Pilot MOU in 23 sites throughout the country. The MOU continues work performed in PSAs and Annexes identified in the original MOU dated January 12, 2022. These duties include kitting (i.e., packing) and labeling of COVID-19 test kit packages by Clerk Craft employees, career and PSEs, working in these facilities. This is the third extension of the […]

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APWU-USPS MOU: Re. COVID-19 Test Kit Fulfillment Pilot The Biden Administration has announced a program to mail at-home COVID test kits to every household that requests them. These kits could be mailed to as many as 160 million addresses. APWU members will be critical to the success of the program.  “The APWU is excited and fully supports this plan,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “It is in the interests of the health and wellbeing of […]

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In September, President Biden issued a directive to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring all employers with 100+ employees to ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19.  Today, OSHA released the highly anticipated ETS. This ETS does apply to the Postal Service.   In 1998, when the Postal Employees Safety Enhancement Act was passed, the Postal Service became subject to Public Law Number […]

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On September 9, 2021, the White House released two Executive Orders on vaccinations for COVID-19. The Executive Orders on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees and on Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors do not expressly apply to Postal Service Employees.   In addition, in President Joe Biden remarks, he stated, “…tonight, I’m announcing that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees, that together […]

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FACE COVERING MANDATE

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As the Delta Variant of the COVID-19 virus is raging through the country the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, encourages you to follow recommendations that slow the spread of COVID-19. These include: Wearing a Face Covering when indoors no matter the level of spread in your community Practicing Social Distancing Washing your hands on a regular basis And you are encouraged to get one of the approved vaccines On Friday, August 13, 2021, OSHA release […]

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President Dimondstein signed extensions on the COVID MOUs today (August 3), through September 30, 2021. The liberal leave policy has also been extended (see letter below). Liberal Changes of Schedules and Leave Extension (08/03/2021) MOU Extensions (08/03/21) MOU Travel Policy Rescission Updated (08/03/21)

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As part of the APWU’s continuing effort to promote the safety and well-being of APWU members and other postal employees, on July 26, President Dimondstein and Director of Industrial Relations Vance Zimmerman wrote to the field regarding the ongoing pandemic. Their letter noted APWU’s opposition to management’s unilateral change to the USPS face covering policy, the union’s concern about the rising Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, and steps the union is encouraging all members to take to […]

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Various media outlets have reported that the White House is considering mandatory COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment for federal employees. Maintaining the health and safety of our members is of paramount importance. While the APWU leadership continues to encourage postal workers to voluntarily get vaccinated, it is not the role of the federal government to mandate vaccinations for the employees we represent. Issues related to vaccinations and testing for COVID-19 in the workplace […]

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Joyce B. Robinson (This article first appeared in the July/August 2021 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) Editor’s Note: The text in this article is taken from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Website. For additional information on funeral assistance, visit FEMA’s Q&A page at fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance/faq. To help ease the financial stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Federal […]

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APWU members and our allies won an important victory in our fight to save the Post Office as the US Treasury Department last week released $8.648 billion to the USPS for COVID-19-related postal operating expenses and losses. The money came from a $10 billion emergency COVID-19 financial relief fund passed in 2020 – a fund that would not have passed without our dedicated campaigning. In April of 2020, despite overwhelming bipartisan support for COVID-19 related […]

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At the direction of President Mark Dimondstein and in conjunction with the Industrial Relations Department, the APWU will be holding an information session for state and local presidents, their approved designees, and national officers on COVID-19 and OWCP. Postal Employees who contract COVID-19 at work can file claims for workers’ compensation under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). At this workshop, participants will receive basic information about the recent bulletins issued by Department of Labor’s […]

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On January 20, following the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States, the APWU got to work pushing for the new administration to prioritize postal workers in its national COVID-19 vaccination policy. In a letter to the administration, President Dimondstein advocated for postal workers to be recognized as frontline workers in the national vaccine rollout. With virtually no national plan in place, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout has proceeded very slowly […]

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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on all members of the APWU. Our families, our work, and essentially all aspects of our lives have been impacted. COVID-19 is a serious, life-threatening disease. One out of every 1,000 people in the United States died from COVID-19 during 2020. COVID-19 has infected more than 20 million people in the United States. This disease continues to pose a grave threat. Vaccinating is the most effective way […]

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Mandatory Stand-Up Talk Jan. 20, 2021 Like you, we are eager to learn when Postal Service employees will have access to COVID-19 vaccines. The goal is for everyone to be able to get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible. Currently, the supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States is limited, but we are starting to hear that more vaccines should become available soon. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others […]

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On December 27, 2020, after months of political gridlock, the President signed into law another sweeping COVID relief bill, which included vital funding for the Postal Service. This bill will convert the $10 billion additional borrowing authority loan in the March 2020 CARES Act into direct emergency relief to the USPS without requiring repayment. Additionally, while the CARES Act allowed the Secretary of the Treasury to set the conditions of the $10 billion loan, the […]

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Over recent weeks, the United States has experienced a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases across the country. According to the Washington Post, since Saturday, October 10, more than 20 states have recorded record highs in their seven-day average of reported case counts. Nationally, the country’s seven-day average of new cases rose above 50,000, for the first time since August. “Postal Employees are testing positive every day and being quarantined on a regular basis,” said Industrial Relations […]

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(This article first appeared in the September/October 2020 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) COVID-19 has impacted APWU’s local and state elections, which were scheduled to take place throughout the months of the pandemic. As a result, local and state officers have been unable to schedule in-person membership meetings and participate in state conventions. During this crisis, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued several advisories, one of which is specifically applicable to union elections. The DOL […]

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Over the recent weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has raged across the country.  Overall cases across the US have increased.  The percentage of positives tests are increasing, and it was recently announced the overall COVID-19 caused death rate has increased. In many areas, COVID-19 cases are spiking to all-time highs—higher than even the worst of the early days of the pandemic.  Unfortunately, Postal Employees have not been exempted from the infections and death caused by the […]

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Vance Zimmerman (This article first appeared in the May/June 2020 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) The past few months have been challenging for this country, especially for those of us considered essential front-line workers. Postal workers were called upon once again in a time of crisis to help keep communication and commerce flowing. You stepped up, you worked hard, and you showed how dedicated you are to every person in this country and […]

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President Dimondstein appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered to talk about the Postal Service funding crisis. The nationally syndicated public radio show is broadcast to an audience of around 15 million listeners.

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