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RURAL CARRIER NEWS

2025 Rural Carrier Year in Review

A look back at the rural carrier universe in 2025

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Implementation Update on the USPS Processing Network

The Postal Service presented its 10-year plan, Delivering for America, back in March 2021. The Office of Inspector General has done numerous audits of the plan, and it’s been reviewed by the Postal Regulatory Commission in two Advisory Opinions (N2021-1 and N2024-1), a Public Inquiry (PI2023-4), and other proceedings as well. In September 2025, the PRC asked the Postal...

Celebrating Our Postal Workers This Peak Season

Peak season is the busiest time of year for postal workers across the country. From November through December, and even into the New Year, processing returns, postal workers are working tirelessly to ensure packages, letters, and holiday greetings reach their destinations on time. This year, APWU wanted to do something...

NEW VIDEO: NRLCA Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: December 8, 2025

On December 8, 2025, NRLCA National Officers had the distinct honor of participating in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. This meaningful ceremony allowed us to honor not only the veterans within our NRLCA family, but also all the brave men and...

Rural Carrier EMA to Decrease 0.5 Cents Per Mile Effective January 10, 2026

On December 18, 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the November 2025 Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Based on the release, the Equipment Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for rural carriers will decrease 0.5¢ to 97.0¢ per mile. This EMA rate will be effective...

USPS bets it all on critical ‘last-mile’ plan as boss warns agency will be ‘out of cash’ by early 2027

THE United States Postal Service is leaning on its critical plan relating to its “last-mile” delivery services in order to help pull the federal agency out of financial troubles. The Post Office is hoping that expanding this delivery network for major retailers and shippers will boost revenue – a move...

Postal employees to get letter with overtime tax deduction information

The Postal Service will send a letter in mid-January with information about a new temporary federal tax deduction for certain portions of federal overtime payments made to eligible employees. The letter will include the employee’s qualified overtime amount for 2025. Employees are encouraged to ensure their mailing address is up to...

NEW VIDEO: NRLCA December Holiday Message

We want to say thank you to every rural carrier for the long hours, hard work, and dedication you show during the holidays. While this season brings joy to our communities, it also brings heavy workloads, challenging conditions, and added stress—and rural carriers rise to meet it every day. You...

USPS worker dies at troubled Palmetto mail facility

PALMETTO, Ga. — A United States Postal Service worker died at the Palmetto mail facility, USPS confirmed with 11Alive on Monday. It’s unclear how the employee died, but USPS said that the person was a mail handler assistant at the Palmetto Processing & Distribution Center. “The Postal Service is deeply saddened...

NEW: 2026 Rural Carrier Benefit Plan (RCBP) Premiums and Coverage Details

Did you know the Rural Carrier Benefit Plan (RCBP) is the only plan dedicated to rural letter carriers, annuitants, and their families? Membership is restricted to members of the NRLCA. The RCBP has been providing superior service to rural letter carriers nationwide for more than 60 years. With RCBP, you could save on your...

Updated Salary Charts Reflecting Past Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) and General Wage Increase (GWI)

Below find links to Rural Carrier salary charts reflecting $957 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) effective September 7, 2024 1.3% general wage increase effective (GWI) November 16, 2024 $416 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) effective March 8, 2025

Allen Park postal worker was stuck in machine for hours before firefighters found body

ALLEN PARK, Mich. – An Allen Park postal worker was stuck in a machine for hours before firefighters found his body, they said. The discovery was made Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at a United States Postal Service facility in Allen Park. Officials said the man’s wife called police to tell them that he...

USPS releases updated EMA charts for rural carriers using a POV

Based on the August 2025 CPI-W release, the Equipment Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for rural carriers will increase 0.5¢ to 97.5¢ per mile. This EMA rate will be effective October 4, 2025 (Pay Period 2025-22) ALSO SEE  

2025 – 2026 – New Guarantee Year provisions important to rural carriers

There are certain rural carrier provisions that happen around the new Guarantee year and the end of the year.   Pay close attention to anything highlighted, or you may end up being surprised. Guarantee Year The new Guarantee year starts on October 4th, 2025 Carriers are paid overtime for all hours actually worked...

2025 Pay Dates and Leave Year

The following chart lists the 2025 pay periods. For the convenience of timekeepers, each biweekly pay period appears as two separate weeks, with the beginning and ending dates indicated for each week. The leave year always begins the first day of the first full pay period in the calendar year....

Almost 190 years ago, a fire destroyed vital postal records

Photo: Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin’s ledger showing income and expenses for the General Post Office as well as local Post Offices from 1776 to 1778. On Dec. 15, 1836, a quick-moving fire destroyed a large government-owned building in Washington, DC. The ruinous conflagration is often referred to as the Patent Office Fire,...

Winter weather and flooding impacting mail delivery

USPS service alerts have information for consumers, small businesses and business mailers about postal facility service disruptions caused by weather-related and other natural disasters, special events, or other changes impacting service. Winter weather impacting delivery Winter weather in the Northern Plains, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and Northeastern U.S. (Montana, North Dakota,...

Step 4 – Start times and additional trips

There are three issues in dispute in this grievance: 1) starting times for rural carriers, 2) rural carriers being required to leave for the street at a pre determined time and 3) rural carriers making an additional trip to deliver parcels because parcel distribution was not complete before leaving...
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2024-2027 National Contract
Handbook PO-603
Employee and Labor Relations Manual

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EMA Charts (10/2025)
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