Family Members Serving in the Armed Forces!

If you are a member of the Minneapolis Area Local and have a family member serving overseas with our armed forces we want to know about it! Please phone 612-623-0677 with all the details regarding contact and any special needs or requests and we would be honored to provide this information to our extended APWU Union Family through our periodic Flash Bulletins.

Our most recent notice comes from Pete Evertz (Tour 1 Box Section Minneapolis P&DC) whose son Brent is serving with the US Marines. As this news comes to us Brent is stationed in Falluja, Iraq and we are certain he would appreciate any word of support he and his fellow Marines may receive! Nothing brings more hope and sense of wellbeing to our troops serving away from home than letters from home! They have much more of a positive and inspirational impact than many may imagine! Our thanks go out to Pete for sending us this information and especially to Brent and all our armed service members who endure great sacrifice on behalf of all of us! PFC Evertz, Brent A. Evertz

2 / 7, H&S Co, Jump PLT
UIC H&S 41545
FPO, AP. 96426 - 1545

August 16 Executive Board Meeting – Board Members Please Note!

As a reminder to Executive Board Members. The August 2005 Minneapolis Area Local Executive Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday August 16th at 5:00 PM instead of August 9th.

Injured at Work?

It has come to our attention that Minneapolis Management may not be keeping the proper forms on hand in order to assist you with your obligations when injured on duty.

If you are injured at work the US Department of Labor places certain responsibilities upon you when you seek treatment. Specifically in the case of an on the job injury the US Department of Labor instructs you as a Federal Employee of your responsibility under the Federal Employee Compensation Act (FECA):

“To obtain medical treatment for your on the job injury, ask your supervisor to authorize or arrange for authorization of medical treatment. Obtain authorization (Form CA-16) BEFORE you go for medical treatment. Except for emergency care your agency may not issue the authorization retroactively for past treatment.”

Additionally, the USPS Employee Labor Relations Manual states:

545.2 Authorizing Examination and/or Treatment with Form CA-16

545.21 Traumatic Injury

When an employee sustains a work-related traumatic injury that requires medical examination, medical treatment, or both, the control office or control point must authorize such examination and/or treatment by issuing a Form CA-16. Form CA-16 is used for all traumatic injuries requiring medical attention. The control office or control point must advise the employee of the right to an initial choice of physician (see 543.3). The control office or control point must promptly authorize medical treatment by issuing the employee a properly executed Form CA-16 within 4 hours of the claimed injury. If the control office or control point gives verbal authorization for care, Form CA-16 should be issued within 48 hours. The control office or control point is not required to issue a Form CA-16 more than one week after the occurrence of the claimed injury. (End 545.21)

We strongly advise, if injured on duty make sure you ask your supervisor for the CA-16 as you are instructed to do. If this is not made available to you, ask for a steward ASAP! Along with compromising your ability to comply with DOL regulations, management may also be causing you to be erroneously billed by the treating physician and/or facility. This information bears true for many other basic forms that the supervisor is required to make available for you in order to comply with the FECA! The Union will be aggressively pursuing this through the proper forum but we need your help! Contact your Steward if your supervisor attempts to shirk their responsibility!

Last Call for Faust Terwedo Tournament!