With COVID surging across the District, the state, and the country, we have decided to create a separate page dedicated to COVID information.  This page will include

• Information about filing an OWCP claim when you are out of work with COVID

• Ste-by-step instructions for filing a claim using the web-based e-Comp system

• Links to various documents, tutorials, Memorandums and other COVID sites

Check Out the COVID-19 page now   

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 91-596; which in turn made the Postal Service and its employees subject to all Safety Standards—whether temporary or permanent—implemented and enforced by OSHA.  

At this time the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, (APWU) is reviewing the ETS to determine how to proceed as the ETS is applied by the Postal Service. After our review and determination of the next steps to take, more information will be released. 

The APWU encourages all postal employees to practice the things that have been shown to slow the spread of COVID-19. These include social distancing, wearing face coverings, frequent hand washing, and staying home from work when sick. The APWU also encourages all postal employees who are able to get vaccinated do so with one of the vaccines currently authorized for use today.   

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 91-596; which in turn made the Postal Service and its employees subject to all Safety Standards—whether temporary or permanent—implemented and enforced by OSHA.  

At this time the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, (APWU) is reviewing the ETS to determine how to proceed as the ETS is applied by the Postal Service. After our review and determination of the next steps to take, more information will be released. 

The APWU encourages all postal employees to practice the things that have been shown to slow the spread of COVID-19. These include social distancing, wearing face coverings, frequent hand washing, and staying home from work when sick. The APWU also encourages all postal employees who are able to get vaccinated do so with one of the vaccines currently authorized for use today.   

In accordance with the 2018-2021 Contract, career APWU employees represented by the APWU will receive a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), effective August 28, 2021. It will appear in paychecks dated September 17, 2021.

The COLA for full-time employees will be an increase of: $1,935 per year ($74.40 per pay period / $0.93 per hour).  The hourly rates for part-time employees will be adjusted accordingly.

The APWU is the only postal union with full COLA where all career employees receive the same amount. Other unions have accepted stepped COLAs (or “Diet” COLA) where the amount each employee receives is based upon their years of service.  COLAs are in addition to general wage increases. Postal Support Employees (PSEs) do not receive cost-of-living increases, but have several general wage increases under the 2018 contract.