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 too familiar with the outgoing mail gray business boxes. Was it inside a business that was on your run? It's not against any laws to mail a letter from an outgoing business gray box. As long as there is sufficient postage on the letter I don't see why you can't mail that from anywhere. It should be no problem at all. I just wouldn't know the schedule as to when the mail was picked up. If the letter carrier had already taken the mail for the day from the business gray box, it will likely get picked up the following delivery day.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Is%20it%20against%20the%20law%20to%20mail%20a%20letter%20from%20a%20business%20outgoing%20box%3F%20I%20went%20on%20a%20run%20thinking%20that%20I%20would%20find%20a%20Blue%20box%20and%20all%20I%20found%20was%20an%20outgoing%20business%20gray%20box.%20I%20put%20it%20in%20there%20not%20thinking%20anything%20of%20it%2C%20now%20I%27m%20worried.&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16451)
Yes, I've heard of nothing to the contrary and I know that many of the younger letter carriers have tattoos and piercings.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Are%20mail%20carriers%20allowed%20to%20have%20tattoos%20and%2For%20piercings%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15455)
It's odd for someone to say "it's on the truck" when the tracking seems very non-specific and sounds like it hasn't been updated. 8 days is too long for a certified letter to reach you unless the item was missorted en route and was either misdelivered or is sitting at a PO and nothing is being done with it. I don't know what to tell you to do except to wait a few more days. After that, you could contact the sender and say you never received the letter though they would have the same information as the online tracking.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=A%20certified%20letter%20was%20sent%20out%20to%20me%20on%20Jan%2013%20and%20it%27s%20the%2021st.%20Still%20have%20not%20received%20it%20and%20when%20I%20try%20to%20track%20it%20all%20it%20says%20it%27s%20in%20transit.%20Desnt%20say%20where%20it%20is.%20I%20called%20local%20post%20office%20and%20all%20they%20say%20is%20its%20on%20the%20truck.%20%20What%20do%20I%20d&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16328)
I can't say for sure what should have happened with the check that was mailed to the wrong address. It is bad that the check was cashed by an unintended party. A letter carrier doesn't always know who lives at each address and there are many days where a replacement carrier or CCA (City Carrier Assistant) is delivering the mail. If I'm not sure that piece of mail should go the address on the envelope, I will likely deliver it anyway with a "?" written next to the name. Hopefully the resident at the address would put the envelope back in the mail if it doesn't belong to them and write "doesn't live here" on the outside.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20had%20my%20bank%20mail%20a%20check%20to%20someone%20but%20it%20was%20sent%20to%20an%20incorrect%20address.%20%20The%20check%20was%20cashed%2Fstolen.%20%20%20Would%20the%20carrier%20leave%20it%20at%20an%20address%20even%20though%20the%20name%20was%20not%20someone%20who%20lived%20there%3F%20Should%20it%20have%20been%20returned%20to%20the%20sender%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15357)
Investment Banker
How much can bankers earn in a year?
McDonald's Manager
Were you proud or embarrassed to tell people you worked at McDonald's?
Claims Adjuster
Do you ever feel bad for the people whose claims you deny?
Definitely. It's never been an issue as far as I know to take a bathroom break as needed even if it means leaving the street you are delivering mail on to go use a lavatory at a public business. That's what I usually do. I'll leave my route and go to a gas station or the public library that are near my route as needed. It doesn't have to be an emergency.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=Can%20you%20leave%20a%20street%20you%20are%20delivering%20mail%20on%20to%20use%20the%20restroom%20in%20a%20emergency%20and%20then%20return%20to%20that%20street%20and%20continue%20where%20you%20left%20off....%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/16174)
I don't know the policy on this as I've never thought to put someone's mail on hold without their authorization. I suppose this could come about if their mailbox was full and the carrier couldn't deliver any more mail to that address. In that case maybe a letter carrier would hold any future mail at the PO for a certain amount of time and then possibly return that mail to the sender with the endorsements "mailbox full". A letter carrier can also hold the mail at the PO if your mailbox is inaccessible due to snow. They will usually deliver all of the accumulated mail within a couple of days of the mailbox becoming accessible. We had that situation occur at our PO this past winter when snow prevented some of the driving (mounted) route carriers from being able to drive up to a mailbox without getting out of their LLV.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=when%20can%20a%20mail%20carrier%20place%20your%20mail%20on%20hold%20without%20giving%20you%20notice&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/14769)
I must first start with my disclaimer that we are poorly trained in what the regulations or SOP are when it comes to certain situations that come up. I can't say what is legal or not regarding your question. I do think it is inappropriate for the postal worker to ask you anything about returning mail.
You don't need to explain to any USPS employee why you are returning the mail. It is none of our business. As long as it is an unopened, first-class letter, you should be able to just write "refused" on it and have it returned. Personally I would just discard any unwanted mail. I've received debt collection letters in the past and have just ignored them and not returned them. There are certain classes of mail where we won't return to the sender because the sender has paid a pre-sorted standard rate (which is lower than the first-class rate). In that case, we just recycle any unwanted mail.
Share Answer: &caption=Jobstr.com&description=I%20return%20harrassing%20mail%20and%20postal%20worker%20sends%20it%20back%20to%20me%20asking.%20%20Is%20this%20legal%3F%20%20My%20mail%20is%20mine%20and%20can%20return%20any%20mail%20i%20believe%20is%20hsrrasment%20from%20some%20esp%20if%20i%20hae%20already%20dealt%20withnthat%20company.%20%20Do%20o%20have%20to%20explain%20this%3F&redirect_uri=http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman-city-letter-carrier-/question/15255)
-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
