Tipping RCA's During the Holiday's
- Thread starter PandaSharks
- Start date
Shannonboy
Well-known member
Hey.... Hit up Ruralcarrier1985...I'm pretty sure he wears Grinch shirts year around. I'm also sure he's got spares...
Exactly this, most my customers are understanding once I explain I could be fired for taking money. Have received a lot of baked goods, honey, canned garden goods so far. Most has gone to the one rca who helps me daily and has run my route. I kept the honey for myselfI never kept money but, I did give my rcas gift cards as appreciation. Some I never gave anything to. They got paid the same as I and never did the job with any interest. I would bring in office goodies or cater occasionally. Always according to ELM. I dealt with difficult leadership and wasn't going to give anyone a chance to get me fired for taking money or liquor. Not worth my retirement check.
It did piss off many people who worked routes after I did and customers no longer have gave because I had returned it.
. What that sub doesn’t get clerks in my office do. Even shared some with new management, believe it or not they are good ones.
Haygrrl
Well-known member
I hold a " subs " for subs party the last Sat before Xmas
My advice: play it straight. A few bucks isn't worth job risk.I never kept money but, I did give my rcas gift cards as appreciation. Some I never gave anything to. They got paid the same as I and never did the job with any interest. I would bring in office goodies or cater occasionally. Always according to ELM. I dealt with difficult leadership and wasn't going to give anyone a chance to get me fired for taking money or liquor. Not worth my retirement check.
It did piss off many people who worked routes after I did and customers no longer have gave because I had returned it.
My customers? IF asked I tell them they can give me a Christmas present every single day! Just keep the approach to their mailbox clear for me. Seriously. I can't tell you when a sub works my route they're amazed at how quickly they can deliver because there are far fewer obstructions every day.
DB.Cooper
Well-known member
I always wonder how many carriers have ever been fired for accepting some $$$$ cash at Christmas.... I mean, I never heard of anybody, and I'm pretty sure many are getting some $$$$ scratch pretty regularly every December.... but I dunno... maybe it's a big thing....
I had over 250 cases at step 3 for this type of thing. OIG doesn't mess around with mistakes in procedure like mgmt do. Some came back, many resigned, some were terminated. I can think of at least 8 that were actually criminally charged and ended up with sentencing.I always wonder how many carriers have ever been fired for accepting some $$$$ cash at Christmas.... I mean, I never heard of anybody, and I'm pretty sure many are getting some $$$$ scratch pretty regularly every December.... but I dunno... maybe it's a big thing....
It's not worth it in my book. I understand many feel it is their due but, is it worth losing the job and the benefits? Or your self respect? In that type of situation, there is only yourself to blame.
It does seem as if more recent carriers are of the " gimmie" type.
The recognition is the nice part. Time a customer took to write a card. Awesome. They want to do something, $10 coffee card. Legal, no issues, above board. Rarely do you have to let a customer know they've gone overboard, maybe once or twice ever (or maybe it's just me...) I REALLY would prefer keeping my delivery entry clear to anything they could give me.
People are incredibly stupid at times. Christmas of 2023, a carrier was caught by OIG for taking money and booze from customers. Want to know how they caught her? She was using rural reach and carrier pickup every time a customer gave her something. Verifying the gps so OIG could get statements from customers.
Sometimes, I am absolutely gobsmacked by how greedy and stupid people are.
DB.Cooper
Well-known member
You know, if my memory serves me correctly, I'm pretty sure I got some "gifts" and tips via my PM.... instead of leaving stuff in the mailbox, some of my peeps would come to the PO window and leave the tips and gifts there.... they just put them on my case.... I once even had a PM who lived on my route, and pretty sure they at least gave me a restaurant gift cards in excess of $25.... so, maybe it varies by location, but I never heard of it around here.... I am sort of curious how one would even get turned in for such a thing.... I mean most probably come in a card with some cash in it.... who would know there was cash in a card, or not???? How would something like that be proven???? Seems like a stretch to me.... but I guess anything is possible....
DB.Cooper
Well-known member
I don't remember the exact wording of the prohibition, but I think even gift cards were technically against the prohibition.... I think most just see it as another Grinchy thing the PO does to try to suck all joy from a carrier's life.... Ho, Ho, Ho.... Merry Grinchmas....
DB.Cooper
Well-known member
Technically, if you get a card from the customer that says Mailman on it.... and there is NO stamp on it.... you should return it to them as postage due, and not even open it.... hails fire, make them put a stamp on it... LOL.... try it sometime and see if you get anything back....
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Customers leave stuff in the boxes for other friends to pick up often out our way. ONLY a card with the specific instructions to carrier would be touched. It's not unusual to have to remove two or three items in the box, place the mail in, and return the items to the box for the customer.When I was a reg carrier, if something was in the box, & my name, carrier, etc was not on it, I would leave it. No chz balls for me!
I dealt with a lot of very high income areas. The reason this carrier was caught was because she took a bottle of 15 yr macallan intended for the regular. When the the regular said they didn't get it, the customer called office...which initiated an investigation. She also stole a bunch of gift cards out of the mail. She was a 11 year RCA. Old enough to know better. Just criminally stupid.You know, if my memory serves me correctly, I'm pretty sure I got some "gifts" and tips via my PM.... instead of leaving stuff in the mailbox, some of my peeps would come to the PO window and leave the tips and gifts there.... they just put them on my case.... I once even had a PM who lived on my route, and pretty sure they at least gave me a restaurant gift cards in excess of $25.... so, maybe it varies by location, but I never heard of it around here.... I am sort of curious how one would even get turned in for such a thing.... I mean most probably come in a card with some cash in it.... who would know there was cash in a card, or not???? How would something like that be proven???? Seems like a stretch to me.... but I guess anything is possible....
With the AI tracing on pretty much everything now, it's not hard to build a case on who was last holding the goodies. Especially, with cameras out everywhere.
In the Midwest and south it's more an unofficially accepted thing. Most definitely not on the coasts.
I never took cash. In kind gifts were common but, I pretty much left everything at the office if it was food or candy. Didn't want most of it and it's not the healthiest.You know, if my memory serves me correctly, I'm pretty sure I got some "gifts" and tips via my PM.... instead of leaving stuff in the mailbox, some of my peeps would come to the PO window and leave the tips and gifts there.... they just put them on my case.... I once even had a PM who lived on my route, and pretty sure they at least gave me a restaurant gift cards in excess of $25.... so, maybe it varies by location, but I never heard of it around here.... I am sort of curious how one would even get turned in for such a thing.... I mean most probably come in a card with some cash in it.... who would know there was cash in a card, or not???? How would something like that be proven???? Seems like a stretch to me.... but I guess anything is possible....
The clerks enjoyed it or anyone feeling sad could grab some candy.
I did used to get collector silver bells every year from a certain customer. They weren't more than $10 but, very cool for your fireplace. I still have them and remember that customer friendly. She was a doll.
I think people should just weigh the possibilities before acting. Choose well.
DB.Cooper
Well-known member
Yeah, it must vary by locations.... I've seen many on here talking about divvying up their cash with the subs.... so wth, apparently that means they're receiving and pocketing it.... I say good for them.... hopefully it won't result in some negative outcome for them.... back in the day, in Christmas's now past for me.... I was always so busy at Christmastime; I usually just grabbed the cards and gifts and would jot the address on them and throw them in a tub.... that evening I'd go thru them and write thank you cards to the peeps.... until then I had no idea what was even in them.... I'm sure many others do likewise...
Beanut
Well-known member
What is your office dynamic? We can’t seem to keep a sub. I’d love to know if I could grieve for a PTF position. We have a k route and H route and an Aux.
We’ve had 2 RCAs for less than a month and one quit today, the other is considering quitting. 1st on was going to end up fired anyway (he was terrible). But 2nd one has only been here 4 days and is very promising but doesn’t want to work over 40 hrs. He already has 40 hrs in 4 days. He talked with me today and said this job might not be for him.
That's actually how many got their jobs back. Mgmt would confront them leaving with unopened letters from customers. You can only be complicit if you know what they gave you.Yeah, it must vary by locations.... I've seen many on here talking about divvying up their cash with the subs.... so wth, apparently that means they're receiving and pocketing it.... I say good for them.... hopefully it won't result in some negative outcome for them.... back in the day, in Christmas's now past for me.... I was always so busy at Christmastime; I usually just grabbed the cards and gifts and would jot the address on them and throw them in a tub.... that evening I'd go thru them and write thank you cards to the peeps.... until then I had no idea what was even in them.... I'm sure many others do likewise...
Remind them it is the holidays. Hours will shift dramatically after Xmas. In a small office, they could get the hours they hope for.
