MailmanDave
17 Years Experience
Long Island, NY
Male, 43
I am a City Letter Carrier for the US Postal Service in NY. I've been a city letter carrier for over 17 years and it is the best job I've ever had. I mostly work 5 days per week (sometimes includes a Saturday) and often have the opportunity for overtime, which is usually voluntary. The route I deliver has about 350 homes and I walk to each of their doors to deliver the mail. Please keep in mind that I don't have authority to speak for the USPS, so all opinions are solely mine, not my employer.
That sounds absolutely wrong what is done. The only time that a worker can open a package that i know of is if it is Media Mail. That class of mail is subject to inspection if a worker wants to verify that the contents qualify for the Media Mail rate. Does the worker say why he opens then packages? I haven't heard of your situation before.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=The%20man%20at%20the%20Orange%2C%20MA%20post%20office%20says%20he%27s%20been%20opening%20up%20my%20packages.%20I%20noticed%20no%20customers%20go%20there%20anymore.%20Another%20woman%20told%20me%20he%20also%20did%20it%20to%20her.%20Can%20he%20keep%20doing%20this%20to%20customers%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/8658)
You can give a mailman any package that has the postage paid on it either via a computer printed label (such as Click 'N Ship) or a label where the recipient will pay the return postage. In the latter case, the label will clearly say "No Postage Necessary If Mailed Within The United States". Every letter carrier should accept the package no questions asked. The exception to this would be a city letter carrier who may not have a USPS vehicle which they are operating from and are unable to bring the package back to the Post Office. In that case I believe you can go to www.usps.com to schedule a package pickup. Thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=can%20i%20take%20my%20to%20the%20mailman%20to%20ship%20off%20or%20take%20bato%20that%20specific%20location&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12602)
Andy, I am glad to write this blog of my experiences and advice as a letter carrier for the USPS. To answer your questions:1) I'd wear a suit if you have one, or ar least a shirt and tie with nice pants and shoes. Try to be clean cut, ambitious, professional and polite. I don't know how much appearance counts in a USPS interview, but it can't hurt to take the above advice. Be on time and respectful of the interviewer.
2) Becoming a regular from a CCA is usually just a matter of waiting until there is a vacancy in your office or station that remains unassigned to a regular carrier. Then it may take a month or two to become a regular carrier. The time that it takes for a CCA to become a regular carrier depends on the staffing and turnover where you are assigned to work. I can only speak for my PO, but I've seen it take as little as one year and as much as 8 years (that is when we had PTFs (part time flexibles, a precursor to CCAs) to become a regular employee.
3) When you become a regular employee, the hours get much more stable and predictable. You generally work 5 8-hour days per week with set hours. As a CCA, you pretty much work when they want you and for as long as needed per day. There aren't many rights for a CCA with regards to hours except if they are "holding down" a regular assignment for a rte that is temporarily vacant due to illness or vacation. As a regular employee, you can refuse OT if there is enough staffing to cover all of the assignments in a day. The management can mandate carriers to work OT if they are short handed and those who want to work OT already will be working some amt of OT. The rules for this are a little complex so I won't go into it here.
Thanks for your questions and good luck Andy.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Thanks%20for%20your%20helpful%20blog.%20Few%20questions%21%0AI%20have%20a%20interview%20in%20a%20week%20as%20cca1.%0A1%29%20What%20should%20I%20wear%20for%20interview%3F%0A2%29%20How%20soon%20can%20you%20become%20a%20regular%20employee%3F%0A3%29%20Do%20you%20get%20better%20hours%20when%20you%20become%20a%20regular%20employee%3F%20Can%20you%20refuse%20O%2FT%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15000)
In my experience it isn't too common for anyone to get terminated for anything. I mean people are given a letter of removal but the union often will appeal that and the carrier is reinstated. If it isn't the first time something happened that was the carrier's fault it may be more difficult to appeal successfully. If you are a CCA it is probably easier to fire you if you get in an at-fault accident. I don't recall any letter carriers at my office ever being terminated for an at-fault MVA. I can't speak for any of the other thousands of offices nationwide. Drive carefully, defensively and don't be distracted.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=In%20your%20experience%2C%20when%20a%20CCA%20or%20a%20Letter%20Carrier%20gets%20into%20an%20accident%20while%20on%20the%20job%20and%20it%20is%20his%20or%20her%20fault%2C%20would%20they%20still%20be%20kept%20on%20the%20job%20or%20terminated%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14801)
Lifeguard
Are most public pools just gross lakes of bodily fluids?
Antiques Dealer
How easy is it to forge a rare piece, and are fakes a big problem in the antiquing world?
Nurse Practitioner
As gender roles continue to evolve, are you seeing a rise in the % of male nurses?
Nobody should be putting your mail on hold for 10 days without your permission unless there was some obstruction to your mailbox which would prevent delivery. I believe that via USPS.com somebody could technically put a hold mail request pretending to be you, but that wouldnt be legal and haven't heard of that occurring. I hope you can find out why this happened.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20live%20in%20md%20and%20in%20my%20mailbox%20was%20a%20card%20saying%20my%20mail%20was%20on%20hold%20for%2010%20days%2C%2Ci%20didn%27t%20put%20on%20hold..can%20anyone%20else%20do%20this..such%20as%20agency%20on%20anyone&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/9174)
The letter carrier should not be putting himself in that risky situation. Is it possible for you to relocate your mailbox outside the contained area where your dog is? I don't believer a letter carrier wants to bring out your mail each day not knowing whether or not he will have safe access to your mailbox. Again, I am not sure why he would enter the fenced in area when told not to. With regards to getting nipped in the leg, I am not sure what happens next. I wouldn't worry about it if you aren't contacted by the post office regarding your dog.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Ok.%20Thanks%20for%20the%20info.%20The%20fence%20gate%20is%20placarded%20BEWARE%20OF%20DOG.%20The%20young%20carrier%20enters%20anyway%20with%20my%20dog%20barking%20aggressively%20%26%20wife%20tells%20him%20to%20not%20enter.%20He%20enters%20anyway%20and%20gets%20nipped%20in%20leg.%20What%20now%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12525)
I don't know I what you can do to save your job. Does the NALC represent CCAs? I am not sure. If you dismounted yoUR mail truck without turning off the engine, that is often grounds for dismissal. It does seem a bit harsh but I know the USPS is very strict on safety sometimes!
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20a%20CCA%288months%29%26%20have%20been%20sent%20a%20letter%20of%20removal%20from%20driving%20unsafely%28dismounted%20improperly%29.%20This%20was%20my%201st%20offense%20since%20being%20hired.%20Yes%20I%20was%20wrong%20%26%20appologized%20for%20my%20mistake.%20Is%20there%20anyway%20for%20me%20to%20get%20my%20job%20back%20or%20tranfered%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/8978)
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
Browse Jobs
Host a Q&A
Search
Submit Your Question
Host a Q&A
Last 7
