"We were told there was/is/had been(?) a hiring freeze???"
As stated elsewhere, there is not now, nor ever has been, a hiring freeze for the rural craft.
"I'm one of the subs so I'm not as up to the ins and outs as the regulars."
Find a contract (on this site, to the left, links) and get "up to the ins and outs" as no-one else will do it for you.
"As a sub I have had to work as many as 5 different routes in a week and splitting 1-2 routes on Sat as well as having my hands working mail (helping subs unfamiliar with routes) on up to four routes in one day because we are so short."
I would hope you are getting paid for all this work! When asigned to a route for a day, you get the evaluation of that route that day. When you split another route, it should be done AFTER you complete the asigned route, DON'T be taking some of it along when you leave for the asigned route! Come back after the asigned route is completed and then go back out (costs them more and therefore gives them incentive to hire more help). Make sure you get paid actual time on a split route as well as EMA for EVERY mile you drive on that route, Miles from the PO back to the PO. If you split 2 routes in one day, the same thing applies! Take ONE route at a time!! This is also the only way the true and actual time to service a split route can be recorded.
When "helping subs unfamiliar with a route", I certainly hope you are doing this when on a "green card" and not just donating your time! Again, make them pay, to provide incentive to hire more help.
