Job Probation

One of the roughest things employers do in Maryland when they initially hire you is have a period where you're on probation. During this probation, they can fire you for any reason at all. In theory, if they didn't like the color of your hair one day, they could fire you for it and wouldn't even have to tell you why they fired you. With the Post Office, I heard they were different. Their probation was supposedly 90 WORK days vice 90 regular days. This made sense since a substitute carrier might only work for them one day a week. They wouldn't get to observe them very much in that case during a normal probation period. Yesterday, I found out I was wrong on that. It turns out the Post Office does the probation period like anyone else. For me, it was good news as it means I'm in the clear with them. I've been working for the Post Office for over 5 months. I also found out that they have a rule where I can't become a regular i.e. full time carrier until I've worked for them 1 year. Realistically, a substitute carrier can expect to wait a lot longer than that. Also, a sub has to wait until they are number 1 on the list for the next route that opens up. All the other substitute carriers that hired on before you will be ahead of you on that list. Right now, I'm the last one on the list as I'm the last sub they hired and who has stuck with it (there were six of us initially).

Concerning being a substitute carrier, I've found out that there are some plusses and minuses to it. Minuses, a sub gets no benefits and no guarantee of hours barring that they will work one day a week. A sub is also considered a temporary hire though in their case, they can work temporarily for the Post Office for 7 YEARS. A sub also doesn't get paid unless they work. Next week, the Post Office will be closed Tuesday in honor of former President Gerald Ford's passing. Full time carriers will get paid but subs won't. We only get paid for the hours we work. A sub also doesn't accrue any vacation time. Plusses, unlike regular carriers, a substitute carrier can get as much overtime as the Post Office will give them. Regular carriers can only get overtime if they're willing work six days a week instead of taking their weekly day off. Substitute carriers also get to work a number of routes which keeps the job from getting boring. A regular carrier can only work their assigned route. Lastly, substitute carriers get paid for all the hours they work as long as they go over 40 hours a week (see note). Regular carriers get paid a flat salary. If they have to work extra long hours in order to complete they route, they have to suck it up. They don't get paid more for working any extra hours. Note: if a sub is assigned to work a route that is assessed at 9 hours and they take 12 to do it, the sub will have to suck it up for the extra 3 hours unless they work 40 or more hours for that week. The Post Office pays the sub the number of hours of what the route is assessed however, if the sub works 40 or more hours then, they will pay them the total number of hours worked. This is where it can pay off for the sub to work a number of routes as in my case where I sub on three routes every week. Subbing on a number of routes makes it more likely you'll get paid for the actual number of hours you work vice the number of hours the routes were assessed. If the sub is going to be short a few hours of the 40 hour point, they might want to see if they can do express mail deliveries for their Post Office. This could help them hit the all important 40.