An Ohio mail carrier says he was suspended without pay after publicly criticizing the U.S. Postal Service’s handling of the recent major winter storm.
Jason Thompson, who works out of the Fairfield Post Office near Cincinnati, went viral on Facebook after describing what he called unsafe and disorganized working conditions during Winter Storm Fern. This includes being required to report in person despite buried vehicles and no mail to deliver.
Hours later, Thompson says USPS officials warned him to delete the post before placing him on emergency suspension.
"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," he told the Daily Dot via Facebook message of where things currently stand regarding the company, though added he was "humbled" by the amount of support he received from his community.
"My personal experience from within the post office has been nothing but positive and extreme support from all of my fellow mail carriers and clerks, rallying me on for the cause!"
"Placed in harm’s way with nothing to do"
On Monday morning, Thompson posted a lengthy message criticizing how USPS handled operations during the storm. He wrote that carriers routinely delivered through "heat waves, blizzards, storms, and emergencies." Thompson claimed that this situation felt different because there was no plan in place and no work.
According to Thompson, the Fairfield facility’s parking lot was barely plowed. Meanwhile, USPS delivery trucks sat buried under "2 to 3 feet of snow." Although carriers traveled from surrounding states to get to work, no mail or packages were waiting for them.
"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 wrote.
“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,” he asked.
Rather than sending workers home, Thompson said management told workers they would have to use sick or annual leave.
"This is not how the hardest-working men and women of the USPS should be treated," he wrote.
Although Thompson praised his direct supervisors, he said they lacked authority and guidance from above to enable carriers to do their jobs. Because of that, he argued, safety decisions fell apart.
He also pointed to the lack of clear protocols. "Why isn’t there a plan for a level 2 to level 3 snow emergency?" Thompson asked. "We’re sitting here with our hands tied."
Suspension followed warnings to delete the post
Later that day, Thompson said USPS officials contacted him about the post. Five hours after publishing it, he claimed he was warned to delete it or face consequences. Shortly afterward, he said those warnings escalated.
"NOW IM GETTING THREATENED THAT IF I DONT TAKE THIS POST DOWN I COULD LOSE MY JOB!!!" Thompson wrote in an edit to the post. An hour later, he announced he had been placed on emergency suspension without pay.
"I have now been notified that I am on Emergency Placement with no pay!" he wrote, adding that he hoped the situation would bring change.
USPS did not comment directly, though a spokesperson told WXIX that safety remained a priority.
"USPS has emergency plans in place and employees are updated about any operational changes," the USPS spokesperson said. "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."
Jason Thompson did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via Facebook DM.
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