Contract

December Penalty Overtime Exclusion Period For 2025

Patt Contract ,

The Postal Service has notified NALC of the December period during which penalty overtime regulations are not applicable. As referenced in Article 8, Sections 4 and 5 of the USPS-NALC National Agreement, this period consists of four consecutive service weeks.

This year, the December period begins Pay Period 26-2025, Week 1 (Nov. 29, 2025) and ends Pay Period 01-2026, Week 2 (Dec. 26, 2025).

Keep in mind, the penalty overtime exclusion period does not affect the new provision bargained for and included in the 2023-2026 National Agreement outlined in Article 8, Section 4.G. This provision, which in accordance with M-02009 began on July 1, 2025, requires letter carriers to be paid at the rate of two and a half (2½) times their base hourly straight time rate for any hours worked beyond 12 hours in a service day or 60 hours in a service week. This requirement to compensate letter carriers at that rate of pay is unchanged during the December period. All hours worked in excess of 12 hours in a service day or 60 hours in a service week will still be paid at 2½ times the normal rate of pay.

NALC Confirms Backpay Date

Patt Contract , ,

NALC has successfully secured the backpay for all carriers for the time between when the 2019-2023 contract ended, and the 2023-2026 contract was set this past April. The back pay for full-time carriers & PTFs will include:

1. First COLA—$978 at Step P:8/26/23 to 4/18/25
2. First General Increase—1.3 percent:  11/18/23 to 4/18/25
3. Second COLA—$353 at Step P:3/9/24 to 4/18/25
4. Third COLA—$978 at Step P:9/7/24 to 4/18/25
5. Second General Increase—1.4 percent:11/16/24 to 4/18/25
6. Fourth COLA—$416 at Step P:  3/8/25 to 4/18/25

And, for CCA’s, the backpay will include:

1. First General Increase—2.3 percent:11/18/23 to 4/18/25
2. Second General Increase—2.4 percent:11/16/24 to 4/18/25

The backpay will be included in the August 29 paycheck.

For the full article about the backpay, head on over to the NALC National Website.

Fifth Contractual COLA Set At $790

Patt Contract ,

The fifth regular cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for career letter carriers under the 2023-2026 National Agreement was $790 annually following the release of the July consumer price index (CPI). This increase was added to every step in Table 1 and Step P in Table 2, and then applied proportionately to Steps B through O in Table 2. The increase has been applied to the pay chart below, which is awaiting confirmation from the Postal Service. The increase will take effect Sept. 6.