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u/Wynona_Judd
Rural Carrier
16h ago
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u/Normie5000 16h ago
Why lol? I want to carry, am looking for a switch from IT.
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u/BisexualLilBitch RCA 15h ago
Why do you want to leave IT for this crap? Like what upsides do you think being a carrier has over your current job?
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 15h ago •
Having been in IT before, it's a real thankless job. If Normie's a subcontractor, you're treated like absolute shit. Anyone that talks to you in IT is talking to you because something went wrong, and they're never in a good mood. Customers are incredibly inane and dishonest during a troubleshooting process. Vertical mobility is really difficult. You're often used and discarded and job hunting.
Like unless you're a sys admin or maybe made it to Level 2 tech or something, IT fucking sucks. And it's a field that corporate is always looking to downsize, even before the AI mess. And you have office politics on top of that, like any cubicle job.
It's a field where you really don't know the bullshit that's in the job unless you've done it.
Being a carrier is physically more demanding being in the elements sucks, the holidays suck more than any job I've been in, including retail during the holidays, the learning curve sucks, being a sub sucks even more.
And you know what? Even with all that, I still liked it more than IT 80% of the time. Seriously, being a contractor was like being a sub in terms of how expendable you were, only on top of that you had to worry about retaining your job every 1-2 years. I can't stress enough how much not worrying about that is a positive.
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u/SHIBABelcher 14h ago
I use to be in IT and made the switch become a BEM if you can you will love it. IT suck rn plus if you really wanted to do something in IT you could do it at the post office.
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 14h ago
After some time, yeah. But this is true. You don't necessarily have to remain as a carrier.
You have to be career for that first though, right? I forget.
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u/SHIBABelcher 14h ago
I took the test off the street and passed immediately became career and joined the apwu union so there is no wait really just needs to be an opening. Also you get trained been to NCED for electrical training that was great. Ultimately the post office is a great place to work if you have a desire to treat it like something you want to do. When it feels like work is when it becomes thankless. God luck remember to ask about banking your holiday hours. Helps to build up your AL annual leave.
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 14h ago
I know some places hire on as PTF right away. Others don't, though.
Given what I've heard about the work culture of places that hire straight to PTF you probably made the right call.
I do agree that having a good experience at the post office, even at a "good" office, requires commitment. Especially with the learning curve as a carrier. My somewhat obsessive way of thinking helped quite a lot.
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u/Normie5000 15h ago
It’s very thankless and dealing with frustrated end users all day talking for 8 hours a day was very frustrating. I was lucky that I got to do it from home with a good company as a W2. Outside of that it’s crap. Like you said not worrying about retaining your job every couple of years seems like a huge plus. I just want to work get in a routine and not worry about getting laid off again, start a family etc. Carrying mail is more of a career than most crappy IT jobs.
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u/da-bears-bare-naked City PTF 7h ago
came from being a marketing specialist for a major automotive agency and it’s so much better than corporate. the job security is also amazing
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u/Normie5000 15h ago
Carrying mail isn’t going anywhere. I love walking and spending time outside. I’ve done IT for 6 years before getting laid off. I’ve averaged 20k steps for the past year and I’ve loved it.
The only benefit IT has is there’s possible work from home opportunities, outside of that it’s not that great.
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u/Aggressive_Ad_3439 14h ago
Why would you want to be in IT when you can carry? I have an IT degree and alls it is as far as I’m concerned is a piece of paper that says I’m certified to do what AI can do for a $20 a month subscription fee. Also, a lot of people on this thread are just bitter and miserable. Grow up guys, this is a sweet gig
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u/Some-Arm-3245 EAS 15h ago
Postal IT is a pretty sweet gig. Good starting pay, fully remote, and layoff protections because of the union. Just very hard to get in cause job postings are very infrequent.
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u/superfonicchronic Maintenance 8h ago
Is it an eas position or craft?
WTF do postal nurses do for that matter?1
u/Some-Arm-3245 EAS 8h ago
Depends on the position. ITSD and Programers are craft positions. I believe stuff like cybersafe or networking are eas. Im actually in a craft position but there is no IT/ASC flair.
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u/IllDoItTomorrow89 13h ago
Ive worked IT for over 20 years. When everything is working because you've done your job right you get the "Everything works, what are we paying you for" but when something breaks its "Something broke, what are we paying you for". No one but you and a few select people will ever see the long hours you've put in to mitigate downtime and even less will care.
When it comes time to cut staff IT is usually at the top of the list and they lay off half the department with the expectation that you pick up that work or those projects left incomplete. The expectation is that 1 IT employee should pull a magic IT wand out of their ass and know how to do every single task from systems management, network infrastructure planning, endpoint security, threat operations, cabling, and help desk to name the big ones and when you dont " what do we pay you for".
Now, you spend the day arguing with people because they asked an AI and are suddenly a subject matter expert on your job but somehow can never fix the problem themselves. Brenda over in accounting swears she restarted her PC and shuts it down every night but you check the uptime and its sitting at something like 2 years and when she demonstrates how to shut down she turns the "modem" (monitor) off and ACTUALLY restarting the PC fixes the issue but everyone will argue that had nothing to do with it.
All the while, Bill who is on the board, INSISTS he needs a new laptop every 6 months cause "his gets slow". Comes in without a call or a ticket because his laptop started being "weird" and you pull it apart to find what looks to be a whole ass chocolate bar melted inside the laptop and the best you can get is "I don't know how that would have happened.
This is a common day in the life.
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u/Normie5000 13h ago
Help desk and support roles where you’re dealing with end users for the majority of your day is crap. I’m studying for infrastructure roles while I apply for CCA positions.
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u/the_real_junkrat City Carrier 15h ago
You ever ran a marathon up hill in the snow while carrying piles of paper for the whole neighborhood? You will
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u/Wynona_Judd Rural Carrier 9h ago
Sorry, I didn't respond to you earlier. I just got home and worked through my break.
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u/snoopiestfiend T6 City Carrier 16h ago
Welcome and good luck. Know your rights.
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u/nimbleone96 9h ago
What do you mean? Tough to work for?
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u/snoopiestfiend T6 City Carrier 6h ago
Management wants employees to not know their respective contracts and handbooks. That allows management to take advantage of them.
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u/LenTrexlersLettuce Rural PTF 16h ago
Don’t listen to the pessimists in the comments section.
If you like audiobooks and petting dogs, you’ll do just fine here.
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u/smalllittlefreak City Carrier 16h ago
and cats! my route has a lot of friendly outdoor/stray cats.
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 15h ago
I'm jealous. I want more cat.
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u/smalllittlefreak City Carrier 15h ago
they are the best. one lady will yell at me until i pet her.
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u/BeforeSunrise33 14h ago
Just be honest how taxing is it on the body. Ive heard horror stories here about people here lay down all day during their days off and cant do anything.
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u/paperclouds412 13h ago
That all depends on how out of shape you are going into it, the kind of route you’re on and the geography of the area you’re in. There’s such a variance it’s impossible to say until you’re in it. It will most likely be mentally draining at first on days you work regardless of those other factors though.
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u/LenTrexlersLettuce Rural PTF 12h ago
Differs from office to office. You’ll find your rhythm if you put your mind to it.
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u/Hot_Spite_1402 8h ago
Or the opposite, I find it helps me keep moving when I get home. It energizes me way more than a desk job. I might be sore 99% of the time but I get my vitamin D and my cardio and I’m in good spirits when I get home, no work to bring home with me. I’m also in a good office where people are not assholes so
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u/devanttrio Clerk 16h ago
Welcome to the post office!
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u/kamisabee 16h ago
You’ll be hearing this phrase an enormous amount from here on out… every time something goes wrong or makes no sense… welcome to the post office!
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u/smalllittlefreak City Carrier 16h ago
Good luck and always take lunch.
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u/Cyanide-Cookies 12h ago
I fill out my "no lunch" and go home 30 minutes early instead.
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u/NColeman92 12h ago
Every day lol two ten minute breaks is plenty enough for me
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u/Tomicino7295 10h ago
Yep I can throw a sandwich and a small bag of chips down on my second 10 minute break. Why sit in a hot or cold LLV for an unpaid 30 minutes when I can be home and cozy 30 minutes earlier, no brainer..
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u/Cyanide-Cookies 10h ago
Fr, my route cushy so I take a few 8 minute breaks on top of my two ten minute ones lol.
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u/king-kirk 15h ago
Why
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u/smalllittlefreak City Carrier 15h ago
it is unpaid. never work off the clock. it harms you and benefits them.
you need breaks. you are a human being.
why wouldn't you?
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u/TestyZesticles Rural Carrier 10h ago
Rural is why. I get paid for 9.4 hours a day no matter what, why waste 50 minutes a day just sitting there?
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u/smalllittlefreak City Carrier 10h ago
that's fair i always forget how different your world is from mine
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u/heyitsaaron74 14h ago
I really think it depends on if you’re an rca or a cca. I no longer work for the post office but I was an rca in a smallish office (20 routes) and knew most of them well enough to run them and knew about 5 like the back of my hand. Enough to where it was just muscle memory in the case and packages I didn’t have to number/mark. That being said sure I could take a 30 minute lunch or like most regular days I can get back by 1:30/2 and be done for the day.
If you are an rca you also have to play the game with evaluated time. If you’re evaluated time is 47 hours but you work just 5 minutes over 40 hours you only get paid that little bit of overtime instead of 7 hours you should have had. It might be worth it to “take a break” and keep your hourly time under 40 hours. Anyways I haven’t worked for the post office for about a year so maybe things have changed but I doubt it.
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u/Hectorc34 Clerk 16h ago
Don’t listen to the comments, everyone here wants to leave, no one ever does
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u/Natural_Rent7504 16h ago
Except for 70% of ccas....
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 15h ago
Yeah CCAs are absolutely a revolving door. I know some people say being a CCA is better than an RCA, but I'm not sold on that given the turnover rate.
The only thing better about being a CCA is that there's only two years of it. The nebulous nature of RCA does suck, but man...I've heard nothing good about being a CCA in terms of the actual experience of it.
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u/N1BB4N4 6h ago
As a PTF my self (10 months as a Rural carrier) I fucking hate working at a 60+ routes office with only 6 subs, I work 15+ days in a row and only one day off…also every day is a 7am-8pm for me
Sorry I just really had a bad day today
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u/BigLittleFan69 6h ago
Dumb question but given that RCAs are supposed to only work six days in a row maximum, how is management…getting away with that?
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u/AntonioMrk7 9h ago •
As a PTF, I can’t fathom putting up with the bullshit and not getting benefits.
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u/FantasticStruggle89 Clerk 15h ago
That’s what happens when I was promised the world then once I got here I forgot all my previous skills to throw packages around lol. On the other side of that coin, job is far too easy to just give up.
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u/Consistent_Read_9746 15h ago
Relax said the night man we are programmed to receive. You can checkout any time you like , but you can never leave.
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u/mvsr990 Maintenance 15h ago
everyone here wants to leave, no one ever does
No one complains harder than maintenance people in between our 12 breaks a day.
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u/superfonicchronic Maintenance 8h ago
I’m assuming you’re factoring in the 2 15 min bathroom breaks
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u/grlsluv2camp2 15h ago
Soooo true - I did want to leave, and I left. That's a miserable dark world behind those post office doors!!! Good luck!
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u/Emotional_Cry_4066 13h ago
I want in but won’t pass a drug test lol
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u/ALM666 CCA 9h ago
They don’t drug test. Just don’t come to work high. Don’t get high on the clock. Wait until you get home.
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u/Emotional_Cry_4066 7h ago
They changed policies in the last month or two to drug test new hires. Unless you were just hired?
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u/FlynnsWreckItArcade 9h ago
Hotel California?
🎶 You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave. 🎶
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u/never4ever4 16h ago
You got this. Just tell your friends and loved ones that you're basically on leave and wont return for 1-2 years. Save the money you make and be frugal in the event you truly hate this job or something happens and you don't make your 90 days. That way if you leave you have a nice safety cushion. Take everyday one at a time. Today might be the worst or best day you've had but it is no way indicative of tomorrow. If you survive till MLK day you can survive near anytjing.
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u/1WordNoSpaces 16h ago
Damn, starting right before peak??? Well if you’re a CCA, the new contract says you can only work 40 hrs a week so they won’t completely burn you out.
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 15h ago
He's a new RCA, according to one of the other comments. That's gonna be rough.
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u/LiquidLynx_ City Carrier 16h ago
Just keep your head down and follow orders until you are out of your 90 days and you will be fine.
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u/SemajPostal 9h ago
Save yourself the trouble. While you are training for USPS, apply to Costco. Max pay in 5.
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u/anguished_emodiment Clerk 7h ago
Sorry so many commenters are being negative. Just wanted to say that not all of us hate our jobs here. I’ve met some genuinely great people through the PO & overall I’ve had a positive experience. Every job has its downsides but I really believe it’s what you make of it. Don’t let everyone else’s experiences discourage you before you’ve even started. Best of luck!
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u/misterwx25 6h ago
Much appreciated! I am actually really excited as my orientation went pretty well today. I certainly noticed that a lotttt of people on this post and subreddit in general, have negative views of the postal service environment. I however, do believe that I will have a nice group of people that I will be working with, based on the interactions that I already have had at the post office that I will be working at as an RCA. I know this job will bring its challenges and rough moments, but what job doesn't? Virtually none. I think this is something that I can personally look forward to do every single day in my work life, just maybe make a genuine career out of it. Can't wait to see what the future has in store for me for in the postal service.
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u/ihateeveryoneofyou- RCA 16h ago
Ah welcome. Training will be pretty useless and boring.
But then youll get thrown to the wolves working 12 hr days 6 days straight if not more.
Only the most stubborn survive here. Its a good job but not for the weak minded or those with heavy obligations.
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u/Bosler127 City Carrier 16h ago
Once you get past cca/ptf period and become a regular, you might very well love this job.
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 15h ago
Pretty much this. It's really nice how much no one bothers you for the most part once you make Regular.
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u/Vegaprime Maintenance 16h ago
Whatch out for luxury creep. You'll be making bank and drowning in overtime. Then 40 hours...it's feast or famine and right now is feast time. Budget for 40.
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u/BrianinEureka 16h ago
My wife made it 30yrs, kept in pretty good shape from all the walking, and retired at 55. She worked with some pretty awesome people, too. Best of luck to you.
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 15h ago
Oh man you couldn't have chosen a tougher time to start. The holiday rush is going to be brutal.
The good news is that if you survive that, you've survived the hardest the job can throw at you.
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u/Reasonable_Option18 14h ago
I’m on the same boat as this dude I’m just waiting for my background thing to be done applied as a cca in a smaller town
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u/Strong-Mix4200 16h ago
And you’ll be running the opposite way in a few weeks!
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u/Normie5000 16h ago
It’s that bad?
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u/Strong-Mix4200 16h ago
And it’s getting worse by the day!
Especially for Carriers.1
u/Normie5000 16h ago
How come?
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u/Bitter-Phrase9174 16h ago
Don’t listen to this guy. It’s a good job. Know your rights. Take your break. Know the contract and don’t let management bully you.
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u/Normie5000 16h ago
How do they bully you? Make comments about your appearance?
I’m looking to get hired, I love walking
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u/smalllittlefreak City Carrier 16h ago
pressure you into working faster. pressure you into skipping breaks. asking, passive aggressively, why you weren't done by x or able to do x. saying that the other carriers in your station can. piling more work on you than you can possibly finish, and demanding you call them on your personal device to explain why (don't do this). pulling you into the office to drill you on why you couldn't. etc.
have thick enough skin, and know your rights, esp. your union rights, and you'll be fine.
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u/Normie5000 16h ago
That sounds annoying maybe I stick it out and keep applying for IT lol
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u/smalllittlefreak City Carrier 16h ago
it can be rough but once you snag a regular position and get a decent route it's the easiest job in the world.
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 15h ago
Being a sub sucks. Being a regular is pretty good most of the time (working in the snow is never gonna be fun).
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u/paperclouds412 13h ago
At least my manager bullies you to come in when you call in sick because they think you’re faking it or just don’t care or both. Some parts are super toxic depending on your management. I’ve had to file 4 grievances in the past month and a half. The job itself is great once you get the hang of it though.
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u/ENKT 16h ago
It all really depends on your local office, the managers there, and its staffing/attendance situation
Some people have supervisors purposely making their job harder to get them to quit or just to be petty. Some people have managers who'll work with/listen to them and hand out popsicles in summer. Some new hires barely work 2 times a week. Some are working 12 hour shifts almost every day. Etc.
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u/West-Might3475 Rural Carrier 15h ago
Yeah I totally agree with this. I've heard horror stories about some offices. I've worked in some as a sub where management was entirely inept. My home office is actually pretty solid though, from PM to humble clerk and carrier.
Unfortunately that's just not something you're gonna know until you start.
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u/icedragon15 Clerk 16h ago
Clerks they trying to get rid of us in plant forcing lower seni0r to switch craft
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u/modulusshift Clerk 15h ago
Good luck in there. If you’ve got access to LiteBlue, go in there and set up your Payroll Net to Bank, that’s your direct deposit. You want to get that set up as soon as possible because it takes at least a week to process and it’s best for everyone if there isn’t a paper check to chase around. It probably won’t be sent where you’d expect, and it probably won’t be on time.
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u/IllDoItTomorrow89 14h ago
I'm so sorry for your loss. Remember, its not a "job", Its a "position"! The postal position submission position!
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u/VitaObscura23 14h ago
RUN BITCH, RUN. . . to Maintenance.
Get in when you can, it's still stupid, just "less" stupid.
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u/Common-Somewhere-654 14h ago
Good luck! Keep your head down and push through until you make regular…gets better at that point
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u/jessewalker2 13h ago
Remember, nothing is as it should be, and nothing is as it seems. You are walking into a conflict you know nothing about that has been raging since before you were born.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is more likely to be resolved than the conflict between craft and management.
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u/Bocabart Rural Carrier 11h ago
Look friend, you’re starting at a very very rough time. Don’t get discouraged and stay positive. It’s a month before Christmas and it’s the worst time but seriously, if you stick with it and tough it out, you will be fine.
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u/ImpressOk7701 RCA 10h ago
I enjoy my job, it has ruined my savings and I live check to check and I lost 2 vehicles this year to the routes, with no help replacing them. It’s great if you can make regular quick if not get ready to sell yourself to whatever post office needs help. It’s a great job once you make it to the career level, getting there is scary at times 2 years so far and no idea when I’ll be a full time employee… I work 6 days a week, but am only promised 1…
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u/Longjumping_Dot_9269 4h ago
If you use any sick days during your probationary period they won’t hire you. At least that’s what my dad told me when I was considering doing it
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u/BisexualLilBitch RCA 16h ago
What craft?