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 have no idea why mailmen and Supv would lie about delivery status but I believe you when you say they do. Any time I have a package to deliver, I accurately record the status of the package, whether it be attempted or delivered, etc. I dont know what supervisor KEYED package means. It is unfortunate that this happens and causes you legal issues. A worker should be disciplined if they knowingly falsify the status of a package they are entrusted with.
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I don't think the insurance covers express 1-day if it is delivered late and not damaged. You would be eligible for a refund of the 1-day Express Mailing cost if the item is not delivered on-time as guaranteed on at the time of purchase.
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I have heard the same thing you have regarding high turnover rate among CCAs. My recommendation is don't pay any attention to anyone who is very down on the job or says "what a mistake you've made coming here". When being trained pay attention to your on the job trainer and ask questions if you have any. When delivering mail, try to be conscientious about delivering it to the proper address as opposed to doing it quickly. Be polite and respectful to your co-workers and postal customers. Have a good attitude and if anyone in management says you aren't working quickly enough say "I'm doing the best I can". Also, when driving a postal vehicle, be very careful, always turn off the engine when leaving your seat, and lock the truck if it will be out of your sight.
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I can't imagine that not making it through probation as a CCA means that their future in the private sector is ruined. How would a future employer even know that you were a probationary CCA for the USPS unless told by the applicant? I understand how it can be somewhat of a conflicting situation to want to do the job properly (i.e. deliver the mail accurately and safely) and be under a time pressure from management to get a route (or part of a route) done in a certain amount of time. For some, it isn't easy to do both without resorting to some type of illegal tactic. This job isn't for everybody as it does take a fair amount of organization, literacy, and knowledge of an area to do correctly. I hope you do make through probation and thank you for your question.
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That is a tricky situation. On the one hand, we like to think that most buildings would allow us to use their facilities. On the other hand, we should be respectful of the courtesy being offered and nOT dirty up the place. The only suggestion I could think of is to approach the mailman and ask him to be a bit cleaner when he uses the bathroom. Another option would be to put up a sign saying "please help us keep this bathroom clean by nOT smudging the mirror and don't litter" In a country club, I don't think a sign like that would go over too well,
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Congratulations on being hired as a CCA. First I will answer your questions and then I may give you some advice.
1) I don't know how long it will take to become a career employee in Queens. I've heard that the mobility and promotions are quicker in urban environments due to turnover and the number of positions, but I have no way of verifying that. The suburban office where I work has 6 CCAs and I think they have all been here for less than 1 year.
2) The uniform allowance isn't too much, but it should cover your basics. After a couple of years, I have had more than enough to wear and use the uniform allowance mostly on footwear (expensive..$100/pair) and warm weather clothing.
3) Technically, you should always be wearing all USPS regulation clothing/uniform once you have passed probation and are given a uniform allowance. Whether or not you actually have to do this will likely depend on your supervisor or postmaster. They seem fairly lax in my office in enforcing the uniform regulations which I think is wrong. I wear regulation clothing head to toe including footwear. The proper footwear is very important because it has to be approved to be slip-resistant. This job may require a lot of walking and you don't want a slip, trip or fall to injure yourself. Having the proper footwear and paying attention to where you are walking is very important.
My advice to you would be as professional as possible in performing your assigned job. Don't get involved in any office politics. Join the NALC. Bring any questions to your shop steward that you may have re: rights as a CCA. Work safely. As a CCA, you may be assigned to different stations on different days, have very few days off, and have an ever-changing work schedule. It's possible you will have a huge amt of hours per week or not many. If a manager/supervisor gives you vague or unreasonable instructions, it's important to speak up to get clarification and/or tell them you won't be able to finish an assignment in the allotted time. Do not let yourself be bullied by management. They may try to intimidate you, but as long as you show up for work on time, work safely and professionally, things should work out fine. If you like the work and think that making a "career" employee would be good, don't give up on your CCA position no matter how stressful it could be at times. Being a career employee allows you to work a much more consistent schedule and receive paid sick leave, subsidized health insurance, and many other benefits.
Good luck!
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See below.
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