Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1237 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

I'm a month old CCA now and I live in Ohio. It's getting cold so I need a good pair of gloves to keep my hands dry/warm and still be able to finger the mail. What would you recommend? Also what do you recommend for the winter months?

Asked by Bradan about 11 years ago

Bradan, I feel your pain. It is a horrible feeling to be out in the elements, being cold and uncomfortable with hours to go in your deliveries. I haven't by any means mastered this problem. The uniform vendors that sell for the USPS offer fingerless gloves (the upper 1/3 or 1/2 of your fingers are exposed) but they aren't terribly useful. Some gloves offered have raised dots that can help you finger the mail. I use them sometimes. Try and keep the rest of your body as warm as possible with layering including thermal underwear. Definitely wear a hat, two if necessary. Even if your fingertips are exposed, you may want to invest in a box of single-use handwarmers (sometimes called hot hands) which are little packets that you shake to activate and then can put inside your gloves or in your pants pockets or glove pockets which you will keep you warm. My girlfriend just bought a box of 40 hand warmers for $12.99 at Costco.

869 Votes

Mailman Dave

I am a cca 4 month now, called in on my day off which i often am and am fine with that but was sent on a nightmare route that i was un familiar with and was unable to complete, am i doomed?

Asked by Rich about 12 years ago

I don't think you should be doomed if you were unable to complete such a large route. Usually the management would request that you call the post office if you require any extra time or assistance in completing a route that you are unfamiliar with. I would hope there would be no discipline in the situation that you just described.

869 Votes

Do you know people who work at the post office yet have a dream of doing their own business? Do some people work at the post office and work on their dream at night until they get a breakthrough in the area of the dreams?

Asked by JTDN over 12 years ago

I am sure This happens a lot. While it is a very secure job to have, it's not what everyone wants as a career. Some of my co-workers have left for jobs with other govt agencies, to become police officers. I don't know of anyone who started a business once they got a breakthrough. But we are a huge company so it has likely happened. Not too many people resign after being on the job more than 5 years.

869 Votes

I have recently been promoted to a career carrier position after working as a CCA for 10 months. I reserved a vacation for the weekend and now have been mandated to work. They are threatening to write me up for taking my days off. Is this legal?

Asked by Bryan over 11 years ago

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.

869 Votes

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I am rca.no benifits.sick or vacay time on my paystub is big fat zeros next to retirement. I have been a sub for 8 years. My boss says i am req to do sundays. If i say i do church can he still force me 2? I cant re the last sat i had off this job sux

Asked by energy over 11 years ago

I am not familiar with the RCA (Rural Carrier Associate) position and the requirements of when you have to work. I do know that it is similar to the CCA position for city letter carriers which don't get any benefits as far as I know, except a uniform allowance. The CCAs in the office where I work sometimes have to work Sundays to deliver Amazon parcels. I would recommend contacting the NRLCA (National Rural Letter Carriers Association) at Phone: 703-684-5545. Their website is www.nrlca.org and they are the union which represents Rural Letter Carriers nationwide. I copied the following from a USPS brochure on RCA hiring: Rural Carrier Associate Facts Variable Work Hours As an RCA, you will replace a regular rural carrier on his or her scheduled day off (primarily Saturday), on vacation, or on other leave. Work hours will vary depending on the office and route to which you are assigned. You must be willing to work weekends and some holidays and be available for on-call employment. You may be assigned to other carriers’ routes, increasing the number of hours you work.

869 Votes

My mail man left a package I ordered in one of those package lockers that need the key to open. The key the mail carrier left does not work AT ALL. I left a note asking to leave my package in another box and it was ingnored. How do I get my package?

Asked by Vanessa almost 12 years ago

I am sorry that you are having this issue with the parcel locker key not working and your request being ignored re: using another parcel locker. I am not sure what the best solution is. Is the note you left very visible? If that doesn't work, maybe leave a post-it note on the parcel locker near the keyhole explaining the problem. Another option is to try to call the local post office and speak with a delivery supervisor or the national USPS Customer Support Center at:
1-800-ASK-USPS® (1-800-275-8777)

Thank you for your question and I hope you get your situation resolved shortly.

869 Votes

Hey Dave! Just wanted to share because I've seen your page. I'm currently in central ny about to undergo my first day of carrier academy. I will be a Cca in a small city in upstate New York. I was wondering if you know as a Cca i would get lots hrs?

Asked by Ny cca about 11 years ago

Congratulations on getting hired as a CCA! I don't know how many hours you will get in your particular office as each office is unique. Usually, a CCA fills in for a regular carrier when they are out sick or on vacation to deliver their route. They are also given "pieces" or "splits" on routes when a regular carrier may not finish their route within 8 hours and they don't want to work overtime or when management doesn't authorize overtime for the regular city letter carrier. CCAs may also work on Sundays to deliver Amazon.com parcels. They don't do this in every office so I don't know if yours is included in that service. In the office I work at, the CCAs all get plenty of hours due to a bit of short staffing. I am not sure of the minimum hrs/shift or minimum hours/week that a CCA is guaranteed. If you go to www.nalc.org, or more specifically http://www.nalc.org/workplace-issues/city-delivery/cca-contractual-issues, they have details about being a CCA. It may be a bit technical, but it's a good reference. Good luck, be on time for work, and work safely. Try not to get involved with any office drama.

869 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I'm a month old CCA now and I live in Ohio. It's getting cold so I need a good pair of gloves to keep my hands dry/warm and still be able to finger the mail. What would you recommend? Also what do you recommend for the winter months?

Mailman Dave

I am a cca 4 month now, called in on my day off which i often am and am fine with that but was sent on a nightmare route that i was un familiar with and was unable to complete, am i doomed?

Do you know people who work at the post office yet have a dream of doing their own business? Do some people work at the post office and work on their dream at night until they get a breakthrough in the area of the dreams?

I have recently been promoted to a career carrier position after working as a CCA for 10 months. I reserved a vacation for the weekend and now have been mandated to work. They are threatening to write me up for taking my days off. Is this legal?

Also on Jobstr...

I am rca.no benifits.sick or vacay time on my paystub is big fat zeros next to retirement. I have been a sub for 8 years. My boss says i am req to do sundays. If i say i do church can he still force me 2? I cant re the last sat i had off this job sux

My mail man left a package I ordered in one of those package lockers that need the key to open. The key the mail carrier left does not work AT ALL. I left a note asking to leave my package in another box and it was ingnored. How do I get my package?

Hey Dave! Just wanted to share because I've seen your page. I'm currently in central ny about to undergo my first day of carrier academy. I will be a Cca in a small city in upstate New York. I was wondering if you know as a Cca i would get lots hrs?

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

I'm a month old CCA now and I live in Ohio. It's getting cold so I need a good pair of gloves to keep my hands dry/warm and still be able to finger the mail. What would you recommend? Also what do you recommend for the winter months?

Mailman DaveI am a cca 4 month now, called in on my day off which i often am and am fine with that but was sent on a nightmare route that i was un familiar with and was unable to complete, am i doomed?

Do you know people who work at the post office yet have a dream of doing their own business? Do some people work at the post office and work on their dream at night until they get a breakthrough in the area of the dreams?

I have recently been promoted to a career carrier position after working as a CCA for 10 months. I reserved a vacation for the weekend and now have been mandated to work. They are threatening to write me up for taking my days off. Is this legal?

Also on Jobstr...

I am rca.no benifits.sick or vacay time on my paystub is big fat zeros next to retirement. I have been a sub for 8 years. My boss says i am req to do sundays. If i say i do church can he still force me 2? I cant re the last sat i had off this job sux

My mail man left a package I ordered in one of those package lockers that need the key to open. The key the mail carrier left does not work AT ALL. I left a note asking to leave my package in another box and it was ingnored. How do I get my package?

Hey Dave! Just wanted to share because I've seen your page. I'm currently in central ny about to undergo my first day of carrier academy. I will be a Cca in a small city in upstate New York. I was wondering if you know as a Cca i would get lots hrs?

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Mailman Dave

I am a cca 4 month now, called in on my day off which i often am and am fine with that but was sent on a nightmare route that i was un familiar with and was unable to complete, am i doomed?