§ 35.2 NA2022

§ 35.2 Committees

The Employer and the Union agree to work jointly in the development of the expanded EAP and in improvements in the existing EAP. The Union will continue to be a participating member of the National EAP Committee, already in existence. The Committee will have responsibility for jointly:

1. assessing the effectiveness of EAPs operating inside and outside the USPS; and
2. developing on an ongoing basis the general guidelines with respect to the level of service and the mechanisms by which the services will be provided.

The Committee is not responsible for day-to-day administration of the program. The Committee shall convene at such times and places as it deems appropriate. No action or recommendations may be taken by the Committee except by consensus of its members. In the event that the members of the Committee are unable to agree within a reasonable time on an appropriate course of action with respect to any aspect of its responsibility, the Vice President, Labor Relations, and the National Union Presidents of those EAP-member unions shall meet to resolve such issues.

The Committee will submit to the Vice President, Labor Relations, and the Presidents of the EAP-member unions, a comprehensive report on the general guidelines for changes, if any, in the level of EAP services and the mechanism by which the services will be provided. The Committee is authorized to obtain expert advice and assistance to aid its pursuit of its objectives. The apportionment of any fees and expenses for any such experts shall be by the consensus of the Committee.

The Employer and the Union agree that they will cooperate fully at all levels towards achieving the objectives of the EAP. The parties further agree that NPMHU is entitled to a member on the National EAP Committee, and two voting members and two alternates on each of the District Advisory Committees. Both voting and alternate members will attend the District meetings.

(The preceding Article, Article 35, shall apply to Mail Handler Assistant employees.)