Jason Thompson, a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier, claims he was suspended and threatened with termination after he complained on his Facebook page about harsh working conditions during a local snowstorm.
Last Monday, Mr. Thompson arrived at the post office in Fairfield, Ohio, about 25 miles (42 kilometers) north of Cincinnati, to find that the parking lot had not been adequately plowed and that his delivery truck was buried under “60 to 90 centimeters of snow.”
“Our mail carriers deliver in heat, snowstorms, storms, and emergencies. And today they returned to work, exposed, with nothing to do, and nowhere safe to work,” Thompson posted on Facebook.
“Mail carriers come from all over Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and surrounding areas, risking their lives just to come to work. But when they arrive, they are told there is no mail, no packages.”
“This is not our responsibility and it’s not our problem to solve. Why don’t we hire a professional company to clear all these properties instead of having the delivery people shovel themselves?”
Thompson said he was told to use sick leave or paid vacation time if he wanted to take time off work, even though he didn’t have anything to deliver. “This is no way to treat the most dedicated men and women of the United States Postal Service.”
Five hours after posting, Thompson said he was warned by his superiors at USPS of “potential repercussions” if he did not remove the post. “Right now I’m being threatened with losing my job if I don’t delete this post. Please help and hear us…please!”
About an hour after the initial warning, Thompson announced that he had been suspended without pay for his post. “I have been informed that I have been suspended without pay as an emergency measure. I hope this will lead to positive change for everyone,” he lamented.
local broadcast stationWXIXIn response, a USPS spokesperson said, “Employee safety is our top priority, especially during periods of extreme cold. In extreme cold conditions, our mail carriers follow established safety precautions.”
“The Postal Service continues to monitor weather conditions and has enhanced safety guidelines to ensure our employees can continue to deliver reliable service to our customers while delivering mail in the safest manner possible.”
Photos/videos: Facebook. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by an editorial team.
