New Policy

callofthewild · Aug 29, 2019

The PM at the Intermediate Post Office has got a new policy. If the Clerk throws you a piece of mail that ISN't for your mailroute you are to dispose of it. Third class goes off to recycle, 2nd and 1st class sent back. This means if a Clerk (and we have a new one) tosses you a piece of mail that doesn't go to your route; but goes to another Route YOU DO NOT HAND IT OFF, you put it in the UBBM tub or in the case of 1st and 2nd class mail goes back to sender. My RCA got confused and has been tossing 2nd class mail in the UBBM tub. It is a mess

Of course a lot of good mail is being tossed out. The recycle wire fills up in a month. I couldn't figure out how to protect myself from the Postal Inspectors that will surely arrive (probably not) from being accused of tossing out good mail, the Clerks have the final say; but what I do is put a slash mark on the printed postage mark, yes a little more work but everything I see and determine isn't deliverable I mark.

The_Postal_Void · Aug 29, 2019

All in-station mail given to you in error should be put in the throwback case. A clerk should collect that mail and distribute accordingly. If it takes them multiple times to get it right; that isn't your problem. Just make sure during a mail count you get raw letter credit for each letter you keep receiving in error.

Personally, after a couple times receiving the same piece in error, I will endorse it with my route number with a slash through it. I get mark up credit for that during mail count too. It's one of the things I bring up during pre-count conference.

I never hand off any mail. I'm paid to bring it to the throwback case.

Rt2mailman · Aug 29, 2019

File a grievance for being given a directive that causes you to do something contrary to postal regulations and morals. Anytime a carrier is given a direct order to do something illegal or un-safe those orders need not be followed. This order is illegal (no postal employee can throw away/recycle mail that is properly addressed) and your pm will settle with you in office to avoid any other manager seeing his blunder.

RDruckus · Aug 29, 2019

No, no, no!!!
If the items are correctly addressed, they are to be delivered to the correct address!!!

Does the idiot send back all the 3M mail from DPS?

Sure, you dispose of it so You get fired! Did the PM happen to put this in writing?

What does the union say? I'm sure the OIG would be very interested in this new policy, too.

btdtret · Aug 29, 2019

callof thewild et al -- "but what I do is put a slash mark on the printed postage mark, yes a little more work but everything I see and determine isn't deliverable I mark."

-- That is one way to cover your "assets" when dealing with the new policy of sending good mail back to sender becasue of a clerk error.

-- Better yet, ask for a copy of the new policy ( in case it actually came from District ), other wise probably something the PM made up.

-- Back in the day, I used a colored marker ( one for each work day ) and put a small dot on anything sent to the 3M Case. One time when we had a 4-week count, I got one piece back 12 times! One corner began to look like a rainbow!

Morty · Aug 29, 2019

My policy is to grieve every new policy lol.

Agree with above.

I'll add: i worked in a huge station. The PM had the maintenance guy make up door style file holders, like you see in hospitals. 1 was attached to each case. Any miss sort went there. Clerks picked it up.

stillfirstclass · Aug 29, 2019

callofthewild said:
The PM at the Intermediate Post Office has got a new policy. If the Clerk throws you a piece of mail that ISN't for your mailroute you are to dispose of it. Third class goes off to recycle, 2nd and 1st class sent back. This means if a Clerk (and we have a new one) tosses you a piece of mail that doesn't go to your route; but goes to another Route YOU DO NOT HAND IT OFF, you put it in the UBBM tub or in the case of 1st and 2nd class mail goes back to sender. My RCA got confused and has been tossing 2nd class mail in the UBBM tub. It is a mess

Of course a lot of good mail is being tossed out. The recycle wire fills up in a month. I couldn't figure out how to protect myself from the Postal Inspectors that will surely arrive (probably not) from being accused of tossing out good mail, the Clerks have the final say; but what I do is put a slash mark on the printed postage mark, yes a little more work but everything I see and determine isn't deliverable I mark.

seriously?? protect the mail.. i know an office where every one in the place was fired when the inspectors walked in.. how many workers will be thrown under the bus by this "person" trying to save her own ass??? where do we find these things?????

DB.Cooper · Aug 29, 2019

I'm guessing this new "policy" is not in writing anywhere... what do you suppose the reaction would be if someone asked for it in writing???

Bud Budderly · Aug 29, 2019

Yep ask for it in writing. If they're dumb enough to put it in writing print out and show them the following and ask if their directive still stands:

18 U.S. Code § 1703. Delay or destruction of mail or newspapers

"(a) Whoever, being a Postal Service officer or employee, unlawfully secretes, destroys, detains, delays, or opens any letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail entrusted to him or which shall come into his possession, and which was intended to be conveyed by mail, or carried or delivered by any carrier or other employee of the Postal Service, or forwarded through or delivered from any post office or station thereof established by authority of the Postmaster General or the Postal Service, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."

If they still insist you delay and/or destroy deliverable mail then you've done your due diligence and a call to the postal inspectors and your District Representative is probably in order. CYA!

Wilco183 · Aug 29, 2019

stillfirstclass said:
seriously?? protect the mail.. i know an office where every one in the place was fired when the inspectors walked in.. how many workers will be thrown under the bus by this "person" trying to save her own ass??? where do we find these things?????

muttleycrue · Aug 29, 2019

callofthewild said:
1st and 2nd class mail goes back to sender.

Are customers complaining yet about not getting some of their mail?

Deer Smearer · Aug 29, 2019

callofthewild said:
The PM at the Intermediate Post Office has got a new policy. If the Clerk throws you a piece of mail that ISN't for your mailroute you are to dispose of it. Third class goes off to recycle, 2nd and 1st class sent back. This means if a Clerk (and we have a new one) tosses you a piece of mail that doesn't go to your route; but goes to another Route YOU DO NOT HAND IT OFF, you put it in the UBBM tub or in the case of 1st and 2nd class mail goes back to sender. My RCA got confused and has been tossing 2nd class mail in the UBBM tub. It is a mess

Of course a lot of good mail is being tossed out. The recycle wire fills up in a month. I couldn't figure out how to protect myself from the Postal Inspectors that will surely arrive (probably not) from being accused of tossing out good mail, the Clerks have the final say; but what I do is put a slash mark on the printed postage mark, yes a little more work but everything I see and determine isn't deliverable I mark.

Print this out for the dumb ass.

"Former Winona Postmaster Sherri Jo Genkinger pled guilty in federal court last month to destroying three postcards entrusted to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The crime is a felony and carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison. Under a plea deal, prosecutors recommended she be sentenced to probation and community service"

Former postmaster destroyed mail

by CHRIS ROGERS

www.winonapost.com

MiddleOfNowhere · Aug 29, 2019

ask them to put it in writing, then say, oh ya, sign it so the postal inspectors get the right people. why would a letter get sent back because the clerk doesn't know the scheme?

Windindaface · Aug 29, 2019

Do not hand anything off. That is what the throw back is for.

Travelingmailman · Aug 29, 2019

I've been pitching nsn/nmr bulk mail, what if it is a PO box?
I also send first class back as nmr or nsn....what if it's a PO box?

Rcflyn · Aug 29, 2019

Travelingmailman said:
I've been pitching nsn/nmr bulk mail, what if it is a PO box?
I also send first class back as nmr or nsn....what if it's a PO box?

I do the same..... my office is a small 4 zip code office. How am I supposed to keep tract of who’s a P.O. Box ?
I try to remember what I can with the 2 zip codes I deal with, but do I really need to worry about the other 2??? (I do try though)

The_Postal_Void · Aug 29, 2019

Travelingmailman said:
I've been pitching nsn/nmr bulk mail, what if it is a PO box?
I also send first class back as nmr or nsn....what if it's a PO box?

Rural carriers do not keep track of when PO boxes are opened & closed or who is currently deliverable. That is a clerk function. If there isn't a point of delivery that the piece is street-addressed to then NMR is accurate. If a clerk would like to take your endorsed pieces and put them in a valid PO box then that is their choice.

All you need to do keep the edit book correctly identifying that street address as a PO box.
*edit*
By all rights, if everyone is doing what they are supposed to do correctly, any PO box mail should never even touch your hands.
*end edit*

Rcflyn · Aug 29, 2019

The_Postal_Void said:
Rural carriers do not keep track of when PO boxes are opened & closed or who is currently deliverable. That is a clerk function. If there isn't a point of delivery that the piece is street-addressed to than NMR is accurate. If a clerk would like to take your endorsed pieces and put them in valid PO box then that is their choice.

All you need to do keep the edit book correctly identifying that street address as a PO box.
*edit*
By all rights, if everyone is doing what they are supposed to do correctly, any PO box mail should never even touch your hands.
*end edit*

Your edit just helped me make my point. We’re all only human. Each and every one of us makes mistakes..... the day you don’t make a mistake is the day the coorinor will declare you dead.

Haychica · Aug 29, 2019

DB.Cooper said:
I'm guessing this new "policy" is not in writing anywhere... what do you suppose the reaction would be if someone asked for it in writing???

I'd like to see the reaction of the pm when someone calls the oig