2023-2026 National Agreement - Activist - Changes to Article 8 and Modifications to Articles 10, 11 and 15

Sep 16, 2026

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Newsletter for branch leaders covering critical updates in the 2023-2026 National Agreement affecting letter carrier work rules and leave administration. Focuses on changes to overtime limits in Article 8, including maximum daily and weekly hours, lunch exclusion, and circumstances under which full-time carriers may end their tour without discipline. Also summarizes modifications to Articles 10, 11, and 15, including improved or newly created memorandums of understanding on bereavement leave and advanced annual leave for eligible part-time flexible employees and city carrier assistants.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Changes to Article 8

Maximum hours allowed under overtime rules

Modifications to Articles 10, 11 and 15

City carriers: annual and sick leave crediting and usage

MOU Re: Bereavement Leave

Advanced annual leave for PTFs and eligible CCAs

Other changes covered in this issue

Article 12 changes explained

Letter carrier complements

The New Employee Experience, Retention and Mentoring Program

MOUs on joint route evaluation and adjustments

Preparing for impasse in local negotiations

The 22 LMOU items

Changes to Article 8 (continued)

SPECIAL NATIONAL AGREEMENT ISSUE 2023-2026 National Agreement Brian L. Renfroe, President NALC A NEWSLETTER FOR BRANCH LEADERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS Activist Changes to Article 8 With the implementation of the 2023-2026 National Agreement, there have been several significant changes to the overtime rules found in Article 8. This article will discuss these changes and in places where the contract has been modified, the new language isin bold. The first change relates to the maximum number of hours full-time letter carriers can be required to work daily and weekly. The maximum number of hours letter carriers can be required to work in a day is limited to the provisions of Section 432.32 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM), which states the following: Maximum Hours Allowed Except as designated in labor agreements for bargaining unit employees or in emergency situations as determined by the postmaster general (or designee), employees may not be required to work more than 12 hours in 1 service day. In addition, the total hours of daily service, including scheduled workhours, overtime, and mealtime, may not be extended over a period longer than 12 consecutive hours. Postmasters and exempt employees are excluded from these provisions. According to the language of this section, letter carriers are limited to no more than 12 hours on the clock minus a 30-minute lunch break, unless otherwise designated in labor agreements. This means they can work no more than 11.5 hours in a day. The only exception to this Continued on page 2 Modifications to Articles 10, 11 and 15 The 2023-2026 National Agreement contains modifications to Articles 10, 11 and 15, as well as the addition of new memorandums of understanding (MOUs) related to these articles. This article will discuss these specific articles and in places where the contract has been modified the new language is in bold. Article 10 of the National Agreement sets the rules for city carriers related to the crediting and usage of annual and sick leave. While there were no changes to the language of Article 10, several MOUshave been improved or newly created that benefit city carriers. These MOUs are found beginning on page 179 of the 2023- 2026 National Agreement. TheMOU Re: Bereavement Leave provides city letter carriers up to three workdays of leave to make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member orto attend the funeral of a family member. The existing MOU has been amended to add grandchildren to the list of defined family members. TheMOU now reads: Re: Bereavement Leave City letter carriers may use a total of up to three workdays of annual leave, sick leave or leave without pay, to make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member or attend the funeral of a family member. Authorization of leave beyond three workdays is subject to the conditions and requirements of Article 10 of the National Agreement, Subsection 510 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual and the applicable local memorandum of understanding provisions. Definition of Family Member.“Family member” is defined as a: (a) Son or daughter—a biological or adopted child, stepchild, daughter-in-law orson-in-law; (b) Spouse; (c) Parent; or (d) Sibling—brother, sister, brother-in-law or sister-in-law; or (e) Grandparent; or (f) Grandchild Two newly created MOUs provide advanced annual leave to part-time flexibles (PTFs) and eligible city carrier assistants (CCAs) . The MOU Re: PTF Advanced Annual Leave provides: The parties agree that forty (40) hours of annual leave will be advanced to parttime flexible (PTF) employees, prorated to the end of the leave year for their first Continued on page 4 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Article 12 changes explained ..........6 Letter carrier complements............8 The New Employee Experience, Retention and Mentoring Program .................................. 10 MO

FAQs

What are the maximum daily work limits under the updated Article 8 overtime provisions?

Under the referenced overtime rule, employees may not be required to work more than 12 hours in a service day, and daily service total cannot exceed 12 consecutive hours including scheduled work, overtime, and mealtime. This translates to carriers being limited to 11.5 hours on the clock minus the 30-minute lunch break unless labor agreements designate otherwise.

What new option does the contract provide for full-time employees when they reach daily or weekly hour limits?

The new contract language allows full-time letter carriers to terminate their tour when they reach their daily and weekly work-hour limits without being subjected to discipline, as reflected in newly created Article 8, Section 2.D.

How does the MOU Re: Bereavement Leave change the definition of covered family members?

The existing MOU is amended to add grandchildren to the list of defined family members, and it allows up to three workdays of annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay to make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member or to attend a funeral.

Sep 16, 2026

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