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.
If the Package only has stamps, I believe 13 oz. is the maximum weight for pickup. If you use an electronic shipping label (eBay, Amazon) then the maximum is 70lbs. Also, people sometimes return merchandise with a pre-paid return shipping label. That, too, has no limit. the reason for this rule has to do with aviation security aNd being able to track down a sender should a package contain illegal or dangerous contents, including explosives.
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I'll answer your second question first Nat. The carriers I work with (as well as I myself) use GPS on their smartphones to find streets and neighborhoods they may not be familiar with. I've been working in the same area for many years but sometimes get sent to streets I haven't been to in awhile. I break out the maps App on the iPhone to get me there. Management used to give out route maps to assist carriers but I don't know if they still do since GPS is easily available to most. Please be careful using it when driving. I try to picture the directions ahead of time so I'm not fumbling with the phone while driving. With regards to how long it takes to make career employee from CCA, it really depends on the attrition/retirement rate in your office/area. CCAs are usually made into career employees when a somebody retires or leaves the office or area where you work which would create a vacant position. It could range from a few months to several years to be converted from a CCA to career employee. In my opinion it is generally worth the wait. Your wages don't go up significantly when you become a career employee but you are entitled to health and retirement benefits and paid annual leave. If you access the NALC website and search for pay chart you can see what the wage progression is. You have to make sure you look at the section for CCA or Career letter carriers hired after 2013 I think as the pay scale is different than those hired before then. Good luck and work safely. The NALC is the labor union that represents city letter carriers employed by the USPS. I recommend joining that organization.
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I would think its a nice courtesy that you extend to the letter carrier as we sometimes have limited options as to where we go to the bathroom. There is certainly no rule that says you have to let them use it, but its a nice courtesy. I am not sure how you would approach him to ask them not to use it. That may be a bit awkward. Does his/her use inconvenience your employees? Is the letter carrier respectful of the bathroom and doesn't mess it up? I've never had anyone decline me the use of a restroom, but if they did, I would hopefully just find another business/office to go to.
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It isn't against protocol for a carrier to get out of their truck to deliver the mail If the mailbox is blocked by another vehicle. It is a decision that the carrier can make. I think if it was an occasional event, the carrier may get out to deliver the mail, but if a box was blocked daily, he may leave a note saying that delivery won't be made until the situation is rectified. I think most carriers would rather deliver the mail than have to bring it back to the PO for delivery the next day.
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Employment Lawyer
Can I be sued for asking a co-worker on a date?
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Server / Bartender
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Congratulations on getting to the next steps in the application process. Is the memory portion where they give you 5 addresses or names in each of 5 boxes and you have to answer which address or range of addresses goes in a particular box? That is how it was when I took the exam many years ago. i honestly can't remember how I was able to do that. There is some trick or good method to remembering the next box assignments but I don't know what it is. Maybe if you do a web search for tips on how to do the memory section of the 473E. I didn't seem to have any results with actual tips, but there are study guides that are sold to help you. I actually see that the memory section is different from the exam I took years ago. im sorry that I can't be more specific in assisting you.
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I don't know what city you are in so I can't tell you what time mail will be delivered to Howard St. Even if I did know the city you are referring to, I may not know the time that the mail gets delivered.
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I am not sure how you can prove the mail carrier is taking your mail unless some specific items aren't appearing. If they are disappearing you may call the PO and mention it to a delivery supervisor or postmaster though I'm not sure what can be done. It is quite a serious offense to actually be taking somebody's mail so I hope this isn't actually happening.
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