topic Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia? in Community Chat

USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

newagain888888 — Sat, 11 May 2019 20:16:03 GMT

In our rural area the assigned postal carrier changes regularly. Just when one finally becomes familiar with the route, that one is transferred and a newbie arrives. Lately, we’ve had a carrier that is especially challenged. I have honestly wondered if she might have a learning disability, which is why I have been hesitant to complain. She is so ill-equipped to match a number to a particular home, she often leaves mail in a wrong mailbox trusting it will get to the correct person eventually. If two of four address numbers on a package match a specific home address, that has been close enough to leave it.

Last week she rang my doorbell with a tall stack of various sized packages. I knew instantly that they were not mine. Sure enough, neither the number nor even the street name in this instance, was correct. My address had been clearly marked on my street mailbox and also on a large sign by my front door, yet she carried all of the boxes up the front steps anyway and stacked them on my porch. I intercepted her before she could dash off. The young woman appeared unfazed when told the boxes were not mine. Like that kind of thing wasn’t unusual.

So this week I was expecting a QVC order to arrive in time for Mother’s Day. It’s been awhile since I’ve placed an order, so I was anxious to receive it. USPS tracking shows it was delivered three days ago. Perhaps it was delivered; but not to me. I know because I am home full-time and make a point of retrieving my mail quickly. No packages.

Amazon has a new feature. With my most recent Amazon order, I noticed that there is an actual photo of the package on my doorstep and a time stamp showing when it was delivered. Perhaps something like that might have helped identify the specific doorstep where our new carrier left my pkg. I filed a missing package claim, but nothing has turned up.

At one time a job applicant for a USPS carrier position had to pass a challenging timed exam testing their ability to organize and retain names and addresses. Is that no longer the case?

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

Annabellethecat66 — Sat, 11 May 2019 20:40:15 GMT

Back several months ago I hand delivered (after looking up name and address) of person who'd I'd received several packages from the post office or UPS (can't remember which one it was). They were the QVC white envelopes.

She lived a little way down the road from me. A lovely lady (a widow, like many of us). She'd bought several pieces of LOGO.

I never buy LOGO so when I opened up the bag I knew immediately it wasn't mine. Then when I saw SMALL...I knew even I hadn't made a mistake! Ha! I wear a size XL or 1X!

In the process, I met a lovely QVC shopper. It was fun visiting with her.

It doesn't happen very often (wrong packages) every now and then and I get an unbelievable amount of QVC errrrr....junk (stuff). Ha!

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

Foxxee — Sun, 12 May 2019 03:18:52 GMT

@newagain888888

You shouldn't have to tolerate this. You pay to have your packages delivered to your house, not someone else's. It's not your responsibility to deliver your neighbors' packages that are wrongly delivered to you.

All mail carriers make mistakes, but what you describe can't go on.

It isn't my inclination to think someone has a disability when I expect employers to make sure candidates can do the job. Not that this is always the case.

For a job such as this involving numbers, letters, and words, this is not a position for someone with dyslexia. If she has it, she's better suited and would be happier doing something else. I know someone who has it and he wouldn't apply for that job.

I'm a firm believer that those with disabilities who can work should be assigned to jobs they can do fairly well so they can feel good about themselves.

It could be just carelessness and not paying attention to detail. She might improve with some correction. Then again, she might not.

I'd call the local USPS office and tell the Post Master or manager what's going on.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

CelticCrafter — Sat, 11 May 2019 22:08:57 GMT

The only time I will take misdelivered mail to someone is if it happens to be one neighbor on one side of us.

Anyone else, it goes back into our mailbox for him to take away the next day and do whatever it is they do with mail collected from private mailboxes.

If I wanted to be a delivery person I would have a paying job as one. I'm not doing their job for them.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

BirkiLady — Sat, 11 May 2019 22:15:41 GMT

That's a tenuous position for you. Yes, USPS continues a strigent test of all applicants prior to hiring. I cannot imagine how she passed their rigid academic testing and physical exams, but apparently she did.

Perhaps they needed to fill their handicapped percentages? It would seem she should be working in a different position better suited to her challenges. She may be very intelligent, but have deslexia or other problems with numbers.

I would visit with the Post Master in person to explain the problems you have encountered. Be kind and gentle. It sounds like she's trying to do her job in a friendly and courteous manner. Imagine she's frustrated, but doesn't know how to ask for help (or a transfer as a new employee).

The brain is such a complicated thing. I admire her for facing the challenges of working every day. You may be getting her help is she hasn't already been diagnosed with a problem. I hope she is able to continue working for USPS and receive her excellent benefits as she moves forward.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

IamMrsG — Sat, 11 May 2019 22:44:24 GMT

The dichotomy between the two posts preceding this one is striking.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

GSPgirl — Sat, 11 May 2019 22:53:43 GMT

We’ve had the same issue. This past month I’ve had to rely on people to deliver my packages that have been mistakenly delivered to their houses. The other day I received a QVC package that had been sent to me 2 months earlier by my mailman. Wonder where that was?

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

SXMGirl — Sun, 12 May 2019 01:33:06 GMT

I have had such poor mail delivery that I finally contacted the office of my congressman, and they took care of the issue. Our neighborhood heard every excuse from our local postmaster; but, even with complaints, nothing was done. I dislike having to go to such extreme measures just to get my mail delivered.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

happycat — Sun, 12 May 2019 08:00:33 GMT

We got a new mail carrier a few months ago. About a month after she had been delivering mail, I got a package. She came up to the house, knocked on the door, asked me what our house number was. Our number is on the mail box at the end of our long driveway. It just seems odd that she didn't know what it was. We have neighbors that bring up our mis delivered mail pretty often.

My parents have mail delivered to them on a regular basis that belongs one or two streets over. I don't know how these things happen.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

lovesrecess — Wed, 15 May 2019 00:00:55 GMT

As I read your post, I immediately thought of the tough test that postal workers used to be required to pass..
judging from the terrible mail service we get now, they must have done away with the test. Our post office is the area training facility, so we seem to get a rookie every few weeks....getting our mail delivered is a real adventure now. If your carrier seems to having this much trouble getting mail where it belongs, she needs some help. I would let the post master know,

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

dex — Wed, 15 May 2019 12:50:51 GMT

Our mail delivery is decent but I have noticed it gets later and later..we get our mail close to 5 some days.We used to get it around 11 am years ago.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Wed, 15 May 2019 13:13:43 GMT

We have a box at the post office as do a couple other members of DH's family. There is 1 number difference between us and one of them. It's a tiny post office (the lobby is smaller than my LR) and they don't look a first names, ever. We get mail for Bob, Jane, and/or anyone of their 3 kids. They see Smith and figure we will get it to the right branch of the family.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

colliemom4 — Wed, 15 May 2019 14:09:19 GMT

I have problems getting the wrong mail and with neighbors on other streets getting mine. I also receive many damaged online orders. I have reported this multiple times but nothing has ever been resolved.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

chrystaltree — Wed, 15 May 2019 14:17:49 GMT

If she's as bad as you claim she is, why haven't you complained? It's not possible dyslexia, that doesn't make any sense at all, even if it were true, that doesn't absolve her from doing her job properly. Maybe she drinks. Maybe she's just a lazy, lousy mail carrier. Call the local Post Office and complain, give them examples. I have to assume that others on her route have already complained but you cannot assume that. If they receive enough complaints, they will be forced to do something.

Re: USPS Carrier With Dyslexia?

Suziepeach — Wed, 15 May 2019 15:09:21 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
If she's as bad as you claim she is, why haven't you complained? It's not possible dyslexia, that doesn't make any sense at all, even if it were true, that doesn't absolve her from doing her job properly. Maybe she drinks. Maybe she's just a lazy, lousy mail carrier. Call the local Post Office and complain, give them examples. I have to assume that others on her route have already complained but you cannot assume that. If they receive enough complaints, they will be forced to do something.

A few years ago we had the most wonderful carrier- for some unknown reason they replaced him with another carrier, a lady.. OMG she was a lousy carrier to say the least & yes many complaints from all the neighbors. Needless to say, she was gone and replaced with another wonderful carrier.

Yes, if they have enough complaints, they will be forced to do something.