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.
I am not sure where the check would have wound up. If the letter carrier had been notified of the change of address and been paying attention to the envelope you had sent her then the check should have been forwarded on to her new address. It's also possible that the item is undeliverable due to a lack of a change of address and could be returned to the sender though this seems not to have happened in your case. Some people may advise you to put a stop payment on the check through your bank which may cost you $25. Others may just say don't worry too much about it gettting cashed by an unintended recipient. I would probably choose the latter approach but that certatinly still has some risk involved if there is no stop payment order on the check.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20sent%20a%20%24100%20check%20to%20someone%20in%20NY%20at%20a%20wrong%20address%2C%20then%20found%20out%20she%20had%20moved.%20I%20am%20wondering%20if%20I%20should%20be%20worried%20about%20someone%20else%20eventually%20cashing%20that%20check.%20It%20has%20been%202%20months.%20And%20where%20has%20undelivered%20mail%20usually%20landed%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10600)
It is very kind of the customers to give you tips and or boxed presents for the holiday season. I believe we aren't supposed to accept any gift valued at more than $20 at any one time and it's supposed to be non-cash. I would venture to say that most employees don't follow this rule and it is rare that you'd get in trouble for accepting it. For those that give you gifts, I'd recommend replying with a thank you note or card that you can deliver with the mail the next time you are at their office or residence. I do realize you are a CCA and may be doing different assignments daily unless you have a hold down. Another recommendation is to not discuss any amounts or gifts you receive with your fellow co-workers. It's better to just be modest and quiet about it IMO. I hope this helped you. Please also remember that we are paid to do our job and nobody should expect a tip for doing their job at the USPS. It is unethical to expect any gratuity, but I, like most, will gladly accept it when offered.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27ve%20been%20a%20CCA%20for%20almost%20three%20months%20now%20and%20since%20we%27re%20so%20close%20to%20Chritmas%20I%27ve%20had%20several%20customers%20slip%20me%20tips%20during%20a%20postage%20due%20or%20even%20leave%20entire%20boxed%20presents%20addressed%20to%20me%20as%20gifts.%20How%20do%20you%20handle%20these%20situations%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14169)
Generally, if an outgoing item has been picked up and is in the mailstream to be delivered it is close to impossible for it to be retrieved. If you happen to see the letter carrier and he/she still has the item (meanining they haven't yet sent it out for dispatch), you could ask them to retrieve it but I don't know if they are obligated or even if allowed to give it back to you.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20would%20like%20to%20know%20if%20I%20put%20my%20mail%20in%20the%20mailbox%20to%20be%20picked%20up%20and%20I%20mistakenly%20put%20the%20wrong%20mail%20in.%20Once%20the%20carrier%20pick%20it%20up%2C%20is%20it%20too%20late%20for%20me%20to%20retrieve%20my%20mail%20before%20it%20is%20sent.%20Thanks&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/10129)
I don't know the procedure re: road tests and being able to retake them if you fail the first time. I'd recommend getting in contact with the National Rural Letter Carrier's Association at www.nrlca.org and see if they have any advice. Good luck to you.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=do%20you%20get%20another%20chance%20to%20take%20the%20road%20test%20for%20%20rca%20if%20you%20fail%20the%20first%20time&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11414)
Employment Lawyer
Can I be sued for asking a co-worker on a date?
Pharmaceutical Researcher
Is there or isn't there a cure for AIDS?
Claims Adjuster
Do you ever feel bad for the people whose claims you deny?
I have an route that is entirely walking and the DPS is not allowed to be cased in the office. We take it out to the street and hold it in our hands and "finger" through it as we approach a house and then merge it together with the flats that have been cased and then sometimes a "3rd bundle" which is usually an advertisment that each delivery address receives. It is important though to be careful of the terrain on which you are walking while merging the DPS and flats together, especially when crossing lawns or going up and down steps. The first time I see the DPS letters is just before I get to a house to deliver it. They have been sequenced by a machine to save me the time of having to sort it earlier in the day. For the most part, they are accurately sorted with an error rate which I would say is less than 2% (just a guess). Good luck with your position change and I hope it will lead you to a full time regular city carrier position.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20am%20an%20RCA%20about%20to%20change%20to%20a%20CCA.%20%20When%20casing%20your%20mail%2C%20do%20most%20city%20carriers%20case%20their%20DPS%20for%20the%20walking%20portions%20of%20their%20route%3F%20%20If%20not%2C%20what%20is%20the%20best%20way%20to%20merge%20the%20DPS%20with%20flats%20while%20walking%20the%20route%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12047)
Bryan, congratulations on being promoted to a "regular" carrier. It is much better than being a CCA, but 10 months sounds like a pretty short amount of time to be promoted. That is a good thing. With regards to your vacation I don't know the legalities of them mandating you to work when you have reserved a vacation. If you put in a request for annual leave and it was given back to you within a certain amt. of time (marked denied I mean), then I believe it is approved and generally can't be revoked. If you chose at as a full vacation block (usually in 1-week segments), that also is non-revocable by management as far as I know. I would recommend asking your shop steward for advice in this situation as I don't know in the NALC/USPS National Agreement where this is discussed, or possibly in the ELM (Employee/Labor Manual). One other suggestion is to ask on a FB message board that I belong to which you may find helpful. The group is called USPS Postal Maniacs. I've seen other USPS employees post questions and problems there and receive some advice. I will warn you that much of the talk on there is negative towards management, but there are many good people on there who can often steer you in the right direction. Good luck and thanks for writing.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20have%20recently%20been%20promoted%20to%20a%20career%20carrier%20position%20after%20working%20as%20a%20CCA%20for%2010%20months.%20I%20reserved%20a%20vacation%20for%20the%20weekend%20and%20now%20have%20been%20mandated%20to%20work.%20They%20are%20threatening%20to%20write%20me%20up%20for%20taking%20my%20days%20off.%20Is%20this%20legal%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/12624)
That is certainly possible. We do make errors. I don't know how to proceed from here, except if you think you know where it went to you could contact the USPS to see if they could contact the "wrong" recipient to get the package back though I don't know how likely that is. Good luck
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=i%20think%20the%20usps%20gave%20my%20package%20to%20the%20r%5Cwrong%20address&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/11449)
-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
