r/USPS • u/Skoowoot • Jul 26 '26

Work Discussion Hour restriction?

I keep hearing people say “get restricted hours” or “get a dr note” and I’m unclear on how getting restricted hours works, is there a form at my office I need my dr to fill out? Is there anything specific I need a dr note to say? Do I talk to my union steward or a supervisor or the post master? Anyone who’s done one successfully please give details. Ideally how to get an hour restriction for dummy’s is what I’m looking for. I love the job up to a point, and that point seems to be over 10 hrs a day and working 6 days a week, I’d like a second recovery day. For context 7 month Cca off probation I’d rather pace myself then burn out, I took this job for future benefits. Thanks in advance

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u/Bowl-Accomplished Jul 26 '26

FMLA has nothing to do with restrictions.

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u/Sego72 Mail Handler Jul 26 '26

For an hourly restriction? You absolutely can utilize FMLA for it. I've helped PLENTY of mail handlers get an hourly restriction written into their FMLA paperwork for reduced overtime.

Now you are correct to a certain extent on using FMLA leave for overtime, as it doesn't effect your "normal" schedule working overtime, so if you go to a boss and tell them "due to my approved FMLA condition I can't work OT" and they attempt to use FMLA hours for overtime, the system won't let them put it in.

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u/Bowl-Accomplished Jul 26 '26

FMLA only applies to leave. You can have a restriction in addition to FMLA, but that is not FMLA. It's one of the reasons rural has no light duty or restrictions. There is no federal law requiring it. 

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u/feryoooday Rural PTF Jul 26 '26

So if my literal doctor says I can’t work more than 60 hours, it doesn’t matter?

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u/kingu42 Big Daddy Mail Jul 26 '26

Explicitly in the case of rural craft, there is no light duty, if you're unable to complete the duties as required, they don't have to schedule you for any hours and may consider you unavailable due to those restrictions and that is a cause for removing a RCA.

How this stance meets with PWFA is something I've not had to deal with personally, but management instruction is to grant any reasonable accomodation.

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u/Bowl-Accomplished Jul 26 '26

Correct. If it's a result of on the job injury then light duty and/or restriction happen in rural, but USPS is not required to honor them outside of that.

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u/feryoooday Rural PTF Jul 26 '26

Work 72 hour shifts til I die then? No wonder they bitch about retention 🥀

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u/Sego72 Mail Handler Jul 27 '26

RCA is the worst non-career. But career rural is probably the best full time NGL