Attached you will find the Pre-Arbitration Settlement in the above-referenced case. The issue in this grievance concerns whether the Postal Service must provide rural carrier craft employees non-driving duties or paid administrative leave when their driving privileges have been suspended following a review of the on-duty record after a vehicle accident.
The parties agree that Article 29 and Handbook EL-804, Safe Driver Program, must be followed when management is considering suspension of driving privileges. Article 29 addresses the administrative action of suspension or revocation of driving privileges due to the on-duty record; while Handbook EL-804 requires the assessment of the individual circumstances surrounding each accident to determine whether a temporary suspension of driving privileges is warranted.
The parties also agree there are no provisions for the automatic suspension of an employee’s driving privileges based on the sole fact that the employee was involved in a motor vehicle accident.
The parties recognize that in the instant grievance the provisions of Article 29 and Handbook EL- 804 may not have been appropriately followed when initiating the suspensions of driving privileges. Therefore, the parties agree to remand the case to the parties at Step 3 to determine whether driving privileges were properly suspended and what action, if any, is necessary.
Click here to view the Pre-Arbitration Settlement letter.