Many employees accept unwarranted discipline, simply because they are unaware of their rights. Sometimes out of fear of losing their job, or being harassed by their supervisor, employees let things go and hope for the best. But things often get worse \u2013 and before they realize what\u2019s happening, they\u2019re in trouble.<\/p>\n
Therefore, it\u2019s imperative that you know your rights.<\/p>\n
File a Grievance<\/strong> When your supervisor issues discipline, it must be in writing, with your right to file a grievance outlined. Never wait until the last minute to contact your union steward to file a grievance \u2013 contact your representative immediately. If your supervisor refuses to permit you to see your steward, find a way to see the steward after work hours.<\/p>\n In order for your union steward to successfully represent you, he\/she must know all the facts. Never hide information or documents. If a violation has occurred, a Step 1 grievance will be filed on your behalf.<\/p>\n If the grievance is not resolved at the Step 1 meeting, your union steward is authorized to appeal the grievance to Steps 2 and 3.<\/p>\n If the grievance is not resolved, a National Business Agent is authorized to appeal the case to arbitration. If the case is arbitrated, an arbitrator issues an award that is binding on both sides.<\/p>\n Note that several locals are involved in pilot disciplinary pro\u00adgrams, where grievance procedures may be slightly different.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t Ignore Harassment<\/strong> If you are being sexually harassed, inform harassers that you find their com\u00adments offensive and request that they cease. If the harassment continues, notify your union steward and request that a grievance be filed. Sexual harassment violates:<\/p>\n Dealing with the OIG, Inspectors<\/strong> If questioned by an OIG agent or postal inspector, even if you believe you are not guilty of any wrongdoing, you should:<\/p>\n Consult with a union steward or attorney first.<\/em><\/p>\n Remember, the OIG agent or postal inspector will not inform you of your right to have a union representative present. You must request one.<\/em>\u00a0Beware of the good guy\/bad guy routine. One OIG agent or inspector may act as the \u201cbad guy\u201d while the other acts as the \u201cgood guy\u201d and tries to con you into believing he\/she is helping you.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t buy what he\/she is selling. Refuse to answer questions unless a steward or an attorney is present. What you say will definitely be used against you.<\/p>\n Knowing your rights will make work\u00ading for the Postal Service less stressful. If you are interested in learning more about your rights, contact your local union officers or stewards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many employees accept unwarranted discipline, simply because they are unaware of their rights. Sometimes out of fear of losing their job, or being harassed by their supervisor, employees let things go and hope for the best. But things often get worse \u2013 and before they realize what\u2019s happening, they\u2019re in trouble. Therefore, it\u2019s imperative that you know your rights. File a Grievance Grievances should be filed within 14 days of an incident \u2013 whether it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-contracts-handbooks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=960"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/960\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2261,"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/960\/revisions\/2261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apwu73.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nGrievances should be filed within 14 days of an incident \u2013 whether it is a warning letter, suspension or removal \u2013 or when a violation of the contract occurs.<\/p>\n
\nIf you feel your rights are being violated \u2013 even if there has been no disciplinary action \u2013 consult your steward immediately, because harassment often leads to disciplinary action.<\/p>\n\n
\nSome employees are petrified just by the thought of talking to an agent of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) or postal inspector.<\/p>\n\n
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