CHICAGO (CBS) — A veteran mail carrier is fed up and speaking out – exposing the behind-the-scenes issues affecting mail delivery.
He shared his frustrations with CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov, and hopes some of them will finally get fixed.
“It’s ridiculous how they let this go on,” the postal worker said.
And, he said, it is for reasons most customers don’t even realize.
“Eighteen routes – five people come to work,” he said.
The carrier, who wants to remain anonymous, believes the severe USPS staffing shortage is partially due to the emergency federal employee leave enacted this year – which gives postal workers up to 600 hours of paid leave for COVID-related reasons. That’s right, 600 hours – roughly four months of paid time off if employees qualify.
“There’s rumors that people that’s using that COVID leave don’t need it,” the carrier said.
And that’s not all. The carrier said his supervisor told him package delivery is now a priority over first-class mail.