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A workplace safety dispute at the United States Postal Service has hit the headlines after an Ohio mail carrier said he was suspended without pay for raising concerns about working during a historic winter storm.
Jason Thompson, a Cincinnati mail carrier with more than two decades of service, said employees were expected to report to work during severe snow conditions that affected 24 states and more than 200 million people. The January 24–25 storm brought record snowfall and dangerously low temperatures to the region.
In a Facebook post that quickly gained attention, Thompson described workers traveling long distances despite hazardous conditions, posting: "Carriers are driving in from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and surrounding areas - risking their lives just to get to work - only to be told there is no mail and no parcels.”
Thompson said he was required to report to the Fairfield Post Office in northern Cincinnati despite being snowed in. After arriving, he said he found delivery vehicles buried in snow and no mail available.
“I left extra early, it took me 45 minutes, usually takes 20. Roads were snow-covered and dangerous. A lot of people aren’t aware of what we experience every day. That’s fine as carriers, we are kind of used to the expectation.”
Storm planning and employee safety concerns
Mail carriers often work through extreme weather, including “heat waves, blizzards, storms, and emergencies,” Thompson said. He said the incident was different and criticized what he viewed as limited planning and communication.
Thompson said USPS carriers typically clear snow from their own vehicles, but conditions during the storm created additional strain.
“If it’s two feet on the sides, we’re buried. We need more resources. A shovel isn’t going to do. It’s strenuous on men and women of different ages to accomplish it. Why aren’t we hiring a professional company to come in and dig all these companies out? Instead, you got carriers doing extreme hard work to dig ourselves out.”
Thompson also raised concerns about contingency planning during snow emergencies.
“Why isn’t there a plan for a level 2 to level 3 snow emergency? We’re sitting here with our hands tied.”
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Roughly five hours after publishing his post, Thompson said (in capital letters) that he was contacted by supervisors and warned to remove it.
“NOW IM GETTING THREATENED THAT IF I DONT TAKE THIS POST DOWN I COULD LOSE MY JOB!!!”
An hour later, Thompson said he was placed on emergency suspension without pay.
“The supervisors within my station have only responded vaguely thru text and seem to be limited to even engaging and little to no response about scheduling a meeting to address the concerns surrounding the events.”
USPS response to safety questions
USPS has reiterated that safety procedures exist during extreme weather events: “USPS has emergency plans in place, and employees are updated about any operational changes.
"During extremely cold conditions, employees follow established safety precautions, including wearing appropriate cold-weather gear, taking warm-up breaks as needed, remaining alert to icy or hazardous conditions, adjusting work practices when necessary, and maintaining communication with local management.”
In a statement to People, aUSPS spokesperson said the Postal Service "does not publicly discuss internal administrative actions."
