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.
Sunny, I understand how great it would be for your husband to have 4 days in a row off from the USPS to celebrate your wedding anniversary. I don't know the size of the PO that he works in and if he is on the OT Desired List. Those two factors may not matter if the office is so short handed with staff that they need your husband to work Fri and/or Sat. I don't believe that the fact you have hotels booked would have any bearing as to if he gets off or not. I know where I work if you were to take the entire week prior to Memorial Day as a vacation week pick using AL (32 hours in this case), you couldn't be mandated to work. There is a certain "pecking order" as to if your husband is mandated to work or not. I don't know all the rules and any attempt to explain it here would likely contain errors. These rules may be in the National Agreement between the NALC and the USPS. I hope it works out for you two regarding the anniversary weekend.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=My%20husband%20has%20the%20long%20weekend%20in%20May%20-%20%20during%20memorial%20weekend.%20%20It%20is%20our%20anniversary.%20We%20would%20like%20to%20have%20friday%2C%20Saturday%2C%20sunday%20and%20Monday%20%28which%20rarely%20comes%20around%29.%20%20Can%20the%20postal%20mandate%20him%20to%20work%20if%20we%20already%20have%20hotels%20booked%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14896)
I don't know what is technically the protocol for a carrier reminding themselves that a house is on hold. You make a good point. Most of our carriers have hold notes or cards they sequence in with the mail nearby so when they arrive at the house on hold, they would know to skip it. The note or card is then brought back to the PO for use the next day. I just memorize it from when I prepare the mail in the PO in the AM, but I would usually have no more than 10-15 houses at once who are on hold and their mail usually is left behind at the PO so there would be nothing to deliver even if I forgot the house was on hold.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Our%20carriers%20%28town%20of%207k%29%20leave%20%22HOLD%22%20notes%20in%20our%20home%20box%20when%20we%20request%20our%20mail%20held.%20Anyone%20can%20figure%20out%20which%20houses%20are%20easy%20targets%20for%20theft%20with%20that%20info.%20Is%20that%20protocol%3FThey%20say%20they%20can%27t%20remember%20not%20to%20leave%20it%20otherwise.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14133)
I am not sure I can exactly answer your question properly. If the mail has already been sent, I don't know of any way to change the apt. number to the correct one. You can contact the sender so if they mail you anything in the future that they should address it with your correct apt. number. Since it seems like the mail has already been sent, you could leave a note on the mailbox of the apt. to where the mail was sent or you could could contact the post office to tell them there may be a piece of mail incorrectly addressed to another apt. # and that it should go to the mailbox that belongs to you. I don't know if either scenario will help as it probably depends on the willingness of your "neighbor" or the personnel at the USPS to assist you. I hope you get the mail you are waiting for.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%27m%20waiting%20for%20mail%20%2C%20but%20the%20mail%20I%27m%20waiting%20for%20has%20a%20different%20apartment%20number%20.%20How%20can%20I%20change%20it%20so%20that%20my%20mail%20gets%20put%20in%20the%20right%20mail%20box&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15374)
I am not sure. If the letter carrier is using a postal delivery vehicle like a 2-ton truck or LLV (long-life vehicle), they will usually deliver a parcel before or after they deliver the mail and smaller parcels on that street or area. If they are a foot carrier with a walk-out route that means they don't drive a delivery vehicle and another postal employee, usually a Parcel Post carrier, would deliver the large parcel separately. Thanks for your question.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Will%20a%20mail%20man%20come%20back%20afyer%20his%20route%20if%20there%20is%20a%20package%20to%20large%20for%20him%20to%20carry&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14897)
Emergency Room Manager
What is the most bizarre thing you've seen in your ER?
Hollywood Executive Assistant
Are Hollywood execs as nightmarish as depicted on TV?
Rap Promoter / Manager
Do venues you rent express concern about a higher risk of violence because it's a rap concert?
They might. If you are on a rural delivery route, I believe it is part of the carrier's job to mail items for the customers (at the customer's expense, of course) and deliver them stamps if they request them and pay for it. If you live on a city delivery route, it's probably up to the individual carrier if they will fulfill your request or not. I believe you can purchase stamps online and they'll be sent to you or there is an option for stamps by mail. In the latter option, you fill out a form and enclose a check and the USPS will deliver your stamps in a couple of days. I don't see any of those options used too often where I deliver mail but I can't speak for other post offices. Try this URL:
https://store.usps.com/store/
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=If%20I%20put%20a%20note%20and%20money%20for%20a%20book%20of%20stamps%20for%20mailman%20Is%20he%20allowed%20to%20bring%20me&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15211)
Vbjmin, you ask a question that I'd love to know the perfect answer to as I've been struggling with this issue from the beginning of my postal career. Cold hands are really hard to tolerate especially when you will be out delivering hours and they must be nimble enough to finger the mail. I wear a glove (thick or thin) on the hand where I hold the mail and cradle the flats since I don't need that hand to finger the mail. The hand that I use to finger the mail and deliver the mail I try to wear a thinner and sometimes fingerless glove or one with small gripping dots on them This has worked okay over the years. Another item which can be useful is "hot hands" which are small single-use packets that form a chemical reaction and heat up for several hours. You can put those in your pocket or even inside your glove. I have rarely used these but my girlfriend, not a letter carrier, loves them. I have purchased many pairs of gloves over the years. It's just a matter of finding the ones that keep you warm enough but allows you to still feel the mail. Thanks for writing and winter is my least favorite season to deliver mail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=How%20do%20you%20keep%20your%20hands%20warm%20in%20cold%20weather%20while%20holding%20or%20gripping%2C%20fingering%20and%20delivering%20a%20mail%20bundle%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/13960)
Jason, I'm no expert on the rules and regulations with reference to our union contract (NALC/USPS National Agreement), but I can give you my take on it and anecdotal experience. I feel that if the supervisor hasn't scheduled you before you left work on your previous work day to work your day off you have zero obligation to answer the phone or to come to work. I would probably recommend not even responding if you feel that there will be a conflict if you refuse to go to work. It makes perfect sense that you already had other plans, you are away for the day, had a MD's appt, etc, and you can't come to work. Just to be sure, you never have to tell mgmt what you were doing on your day off. My anecdotal experience is that nothing can be done with regards to discipline for not answering the phone or going to work on your NS day if you haven't been previously scheduled or mandated. I've never heard of an attempt to discipline someone for this.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=What%20happens%20to%20a%20regular%20carrier%20on%20the%20ODL%20if%20his%20supervisor%20calls%20him%20in%20on%20his%20day%20off%2C%20but%20the%20carrier%20doesnt%20answer%20his%20phone.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14533)
-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
