Union Wins Debt Collection Act Case

In a recent national-level award, Arbitrator Linda Byars ruled that the ELM 460 provision allowing for collection of postal debts by the Postal Service in increments greater than 15% of an employee’s disposable pay or 20% of the employee’s biweekly gross pay per pay period (whichever is lower) violates the Memorandum of Understanding on debt collection and Article 28.4.B of the National Agreement.