How much does a rural carrier associate make?
What is Rural Carrier Associate? How much do rural carrier associates make USPS? The salary for a Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) is $17.40 an hour. A RCA cases, delivers, and collects mail along a prescribed rural route using either a vehicle provided by the Postal Service or the employee’s own vehicle, for which he/she will be compensated.
What is the job description of a rural carrier associate?
Job Description for a Rural Carrier Associate
- Skill Requirements. Organizational abilities are needed for a rural carrier associate to deliver mail to all the customers on her route in a timely manner.
- Job Duties. Delivering mail on time to the correct customers is the main job of a rural carrier associate. ...
- Work Conditions. ...
- Educational Requirements. ...
- Salary and Advancement Opportunities. ...
What does a rural carrier associate do?
What does a Rural Carrier Associate do? A rural carrier associate sorts and delivers mail and packages for the United States Postal Service to non-urban areas. They collect outgoing mail from rural customers, both residential and commercial, and acquire signatures for mail that requires it.
How many hours does a rural carrier associate work?
Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) currently are considered part time employees and receive no benefits. New regulations are mandating RCAs to work Saturday and Sundays along w covering Monday thru Friday. RCAs in many locations are working 7 days a weeks without any benefits. RCAs are working 40+ hours a week with only an option to buy into insurance.
What benefits do RCA employees get?
RCA's do not receive health benefits, but they elect to pay for their own health benefits after one year of employment. RCA's are eligible for annual and sick leave. RCA's are eligible to “bid” on regular rural carrier positions in their office when an opening is available.
Do rural carriers get retirement benefits?
Today, most postal employees are eligible to participate in one of two federal retirement benefit programs: The Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), which provides benefits for most workers hired before 1984. The Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS), which covers all workers hired after 1984.
Is rural carrier associate a good job?
Rural Carrier Associates at US Postal Service give their company a 3.9 out of 5.0, while the average rating for US Postal Service is 3.7, making them 5% happier than every other employee at US Postal Service and 5% happier than every other Rural Carrier Associate on CareerBliss - the happiest Rural Carrier Associates ...
Do rural carrier associates get raises?
The contract is retroactive to May 2018 and will expire in May 2021. The rural letter carriers will receive a 1.3% pay raise retroactively and three additional increases over the life of the agreement. They will also receive cost-of-living adjustments on top of those wage increases.
How much annual leave does a rural carrier get?
208 hours, or 26 days per 26–period leave year or 8 hours for each full biweekly pay period.
Can you retire from USPS after 20 years?
Postal Inspectors are the only postal employees subject to mandatory retirement because of age. They are subject to mandatory retirement on the last day of the month in which they become 57 years of age or complete 20 years of law enforcement service if then over that age.
Is being an RCA worth it?
Being an RCA is very stressful,you're basically a fill in for the regular carriers. You could be a RCA from 4-8 years depending on your office. Once you become regular its probably not so bad but my experience as a sub wasn't the best. The job itself is easy,sorting mail and delivering is not hard at all.
Is it better to be a CCA or RCA?
As a CCA you don't have any permanent assignment any day of the week, but you do have the right to opt on routes that are posted for vacation or for other long term absences of regular carriers. One distinct advantage of being an RCA over a CCA, for some, is that you won't be doing any walking whatsoever.
What's the difference between a rural carrier and a rural carrier associate?
Rural Carrier is a fulltime career position that comes with the famous complete Postal benefits package. Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) is a non-career long-term relief job that can work directly in to a career position.
Will rural carriers get a raise in 2021?
The salary schedules below reflect a retroactive $1,935 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) effective August 28, 2021, a retroactive 1.3% General Wage Increase (GWI) effective November 20, 2021, and a $1,311 COLA effective February 26, 2022.
Are rural mail carriers federal employees?
Learn About the Salary, Required Skills, & More They are federal employees who must meet strict standards in order to be hired. USPS mail carriers deliver mail to homes and businesses in cities, towns, and rural areas.
Are USPS RCA on call?
As an RCA you are absolutely on call (except sunday). If you are not available, you are better off not answering.
What is the work environment for a rural carrier associate?
Rural carrier associates spend part of their time in the post office alongside other carriers, sorting, organizing and loading the mail they will d...
What are the benefits of being a rural carrier associate?
Rural carrier associates generally work alone doing similar tasks every day, so people who enjoy solitude, consistency and time outdoors will likel...
Are there opportunities for advancement as a rural carrier associate?
Some rural carrier associates start on a part-time, on-call basis, covering routes for carriers who are on vacation or sick leave. Over time, they...
What is RCA CCA?
Career employees are the individuals that "own" a route. The RCA/CCA is a relief carrier for the Career employee. Depending on which office you work for, you may need to be familiar with upwards of 50 routes. A lot to memorize or be familiar with. If your office has 3 routes in which there career employee are missing/call out sick and you have 2 RCA/CCAs, other regulars/career carriers are not asked to help carry the deficient. The RCA/CCA are expected to carry their route plus the deficient route up to 12 hours per day/6 days a week as we are cheaper and there are union rules to follow. Ultimately you can make a ton of money, but you have no life and get run into the ground by you "superiors".
How does RCA work?
As an RCA, you are hired as a substitute mail carrier meaning you do not have a full time schedule. You will be working the days off for a regular mail carrier or in most cases multiple mail carriers. If you are willing to learn multiple mail routes then you will obviously get more work. Only problem with this is the more routes you know the more you will be called on short notice to help out. If you have an open schedule and want to make some money the opportunity is there but if you have a life outside of work it can be difficult. Also, the RCA has the highest turnover rate in the whole postal service because you are expected to be there for everyone else but when there comes a time for you to need a day off it’s like an impossible task that management can’t handle. It’s also a super over whelming job at first and this scares a lot of people off. The health insurance benefits are pretty good and available immediately at hire. If you can stick with it for about a month or two you will eventually get the hang of it. Also, first 10 weeks are paid actual time and after that you are paid the route evaluated time. This is figured by the amount of mail and packages delivered along with the time required to do so everyday then averaged out. For example, if the route is evaluated at 7 hours you are paid 7 hours no matter how long it takes you. Holidays can be a 12 hour day and you’re paid for 7. But in the summer you could work a 5 hour day and still paid 7. They are also trying to cut route times and the packages just keep coming so keep that in mind. You don’t accrue vacation, -
How many hours a week does RCA work?
As RCA your hours fluctuate and you're basically on call. You could still get up to 40hrs a week but that all depends on management
What is a post office associate?
When you begin with the post office, you begin as a Rural Carrier Associate or City Carrier Associate. Ultimately these are glorified titles as your job is a temp. They start you out as a "Non Career Employee" which is their way of working you to the ground and not give you any benefits.
How many days a week do you have to work for RCA?
As a Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) you are guaranteed one day of work per week and you will be scheduled to work anywhere from one to six days per week ... including some holidays.#N#Even if you consistently work over 40 hours per week, you are still considered to be part time and get zero benefits, with the exception of health insurance. No PTO (vacay), no sick pay, no bereavement pay, nothing. The only way to advance (become a "regular" full time carrier) with bennies is if a "regular" dies, quits, or retires and then it goes by seniority. You might become "regular" in two years or twenty years. Yes, you read that right.#N#The pay is good but you have no life if you're in a busy post office. Most of them are understaffed so it's likely you'll be working a lot of hours. Oh. And, you have to use your own vehicle (big enough to hold a lot of packages) if you do a country route that does not have a postal vehicle assigned to it ... which is most rural routes.#N#It's hard work ... in every kind of weather ... and the general public has a misinformed idea that postal employees are lazy and incompetent, which could not be further from the truth, and some people are really rude to you in this job. Most are nice or simply ignore you but all it takes is one to ruin an already difficult day.#N#I would not recommend this job to people with young kids unless you have a built-in babysitter and it won't bother you to be physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted from work when you are able to spend time with them.
Is USPS a good job?
this job is great if you dont enjoy seeing your family and friends. the USPS is at an all time low. the only benefit is that the pay is decent and the job security.
Is RCA a hard job?
RCA is a hard position to work sometimes. They company is short staffed so you are working 6 days of 12s every week. Pay is great! Really great but it’s exhausting. I recommend having a car suitable for delivering mail and have actual full flexibility.
What is rural carrier?
A rural carrier associate sorts and delivers mail and packages for the United States Postal Service to non-urban areas. They collect outgoing mail from rural customers, both residential and commercial, and acquire signatures for mail that requires it. Though these professionals may be given a van or truck to use, they may also drive their own vehicle to deliver mail.
Do rural carrier associates work alone?
Rural carrier associates generally work alone doing similar tasks every day, so people who enjoy solitude, consistency and time outdoors will likely enjoy and succeed at this job. These professionals also have access to health insurance and paid time off, and they can contribute to a retirement plan.
What is RCA driving?
RCAs are professional drivers. You must have a safe driving record, a valid state operator’s license, and at least 2 years of unsupervised driving experience and you must pass an initial road test to be eligible to work as an RCA. Additional driver training is required and will be provided after you are hired.
Do RCAs have to use their own vehicles?
Generally, RCAs are required to use their own vehicles for mail delivery, and they receive an equipment allowance in addition to regular pay. The vehicle needs to be insured, dependable, and in good working condition. Vehicles with bucket seats or standard transmission are not recommended. Some offices may provide a Postal Service vehicle.
Does the postal service provide accommodations?
The Postal Service™ makes reasonable accommodation for known disabilities of qualified job applicants when such assistance is requested. Such accommodations typically are provided on a case-by-case basis. Exam scheduling materials contain information on how to request an accommodation.
We lost a dedicated RCA today
Today I mourn a long time friend & colleague. She died while delivering mail. She was in a LLV and was rear ended by someone at excessive speed. This happened only hours ago so information is fresh and my be inaccurate. I do know though that she did not survive.
I asked my manager what I should do about this, she told me to miss deliver it..
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