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Pushing the Envelope Blog

Operating During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Date: 04/06/20 | Category: OIG

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has impacted our country in ways that were unimaginable months ago. It is changing how people across the U.S. and around the world are working, shopping, even interacting with one another. States have ordered many stores and businesses to close. Businesses that continue to operate are faced with protecting their employees and customers, while coming up with creative ways to market and deliver their products.

The Postal Service continues to serve the public, operating on the front line, fulfilling the universal service obligation to deliver to every house and business every day. USPS is finding itself serving a population that is relying on it now more than ever. For many home-bound and quarantined people, home delivery is the only source for medicine and other vital supplies. During this time, the Postal Service has also prioritized the safety of its employees and customers.

We recognize the reality of the pandemic and have adapted our operations to maintain continuity while ensuring the safety of our employees. We are taking abundant care to minimize exposure to both our employees and Postal Service employees, using technology whenever possible. As we have told our employees, we also ask you to follow CDC guidelines, remain home as much as possible, and stay safe.

For questions or concerns about delivery during the pandemic, please go to usps.com to track mail or get information from the USPS Coronavirus FAQs page.

Postal Service employees, for work-related complaints or issues, please use our Hotline to let us know.

Leave a Comment

        
Your Name
Dee
Oct 2, 2020
Your Comment
You are correct. The cloth masks don't protect the wearer, but it does protect to some degree everyone around the person wearing a mask. Hence why it only works if everybody wore a mask in public when asked. I'm glad the employees weren't forced to serve that customer.
        
Your Name
Truth
Nov 5, 2020
Your Comment
That's not true. I have lung issues with my auto immunity issues. You are very safe to wear them for short amounts of time (half hour - hour ish) to no restrictions. (It took longer &exposed you more to not wear one. ) I have a feeling your making up illnesses. Even some friends I have in support groups need oxygen (one thanks to covid now) & can wear them too. I guess you'd rather lie &risk yours &others lives? I can't imagine anyone with a disease as such wanting anyone to similarly suffer their fate when it can easily be helped to be prevented as much as possible.
           
Your Name
chysubs
Nov 25, 2020
Your Comment
That's YOU. I know it's hard for some people to grasp, but different people have different experiences and situations. Accusing someone of making something up because your personal experience is different is self-important and ignorant.
Your Name
Lily Riggs
Sep 17, 2020
Your Comment
The item was ordered at the start of August, and has been in transit to the next facility since the 17th of August. I can understand if international shipping is delayed due to the pandemic but it would be nice if the information was updated more regularly. As I've had packages come from the US that arrived in a matter of days that came from the same location, just not sure why it would take a matter of months for it to not even move.
  
Your Name
Justice
Nov 14, 2020
Your Comment
Have you gotten your mail delivered yet? Mine is a week and and it's yet to be updated since 5 days now
Your Name
Aimy Tran
Sep 16, 2020
Your Comment
A customer did not have a mask on in the post office
I asked him to put a mask on or leave.
None of the post office workers said anything to him even after I pointed him out and continued to assist him without a mask!

Who is supposed to enforce the mask rule?
Your Name
Nancy Parshall
Sep 16, 2020
Your Comment
Neither of the USPS employees at the Charlevoix Post Office were wearing masks. 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16th. Zip code 49720.
Your Name
Lefty Karropoulos
Sep 16, 2020
Your Comment
I mailed a package to Greece on Aug 7th. I paid for 4-5 days delivery, almost $80. USPS sent my package to Canada by accident as the lady said on the phone. Then they brought it back to Chicago on Aug 26th. It had cleared customs on that day. Chicago International distribution Center did not scan my package until yesterday Sep 15th, and saying on its way to destination. That's already 1 1/2 month late from what I paid for. They are disgraceful and incompetent. If they can't do it because of a pandemic (yeah ok), then they should have told me that when I was about to pay my hard-earned $80, instead of the lady at the counter promising me 5 days. My 6 year old son is more competent than them. A bunch of arrogant and incompetent lazies that get paid to waste people's time, money and mail.
Your Name
Lui
Sep 15, 2020
Your Comment
Ridiculous, since July 22nd my package hasn't moved. It's been on "inbound into customs" nearly 3 months already. It's the 15th of September. I understand that there's a pandemic and sure y'all are being held back ot whatever but 3 months?
  
Your Name
Michelle'
Sep 22, 2020
Your Comment
My pkg has sat inbound out of customers.since July 6. 3 months. Rediculous...
Wth is going on. It passed customs no problem. So wth is ir
Your Name
T
Sep 11, 2020
Your Comment
So I guess my package being stuck at JFK for a little over 3 weeks does not seem that uncommon. The seller is trying to insure me that it will get delivered eventually and not to worry, that shipping takes a lot longer since covid-19. I can understand a 2 week quarantine since it is coming fro china , but all other items I have ordered from china made it to me within a month of being shipped in the past. Issue I have and don't like is you have 90 days from the time of order to cancel a purchase with aliexpress, with 8 weeks to manufacture my purchase (custom order) and now another month since it was shipped (8/10). I am already over the 90 day time frame from my purchase date on 6/9. From what I have read below it could be up to 90 days till customs would indicate any issues. At this point all I can do is be patient, I did contact the seller to indicate the delay and tell them I did expect a full refund if the item does not arrive. Of course they said that was not an issue, but you know how that goes.

Christmas is coming , LOL !!!!!
  
Your Name
B
Sep 24, 2020
Your Comment
I ordered from two AliExpress companies in August & received all of those packages within 4 weeks but I ordered 2 items from another AliExpress company in July that hasn't arrived yet. The tracking shows that it's still floating out in the ocean somewhere but when I contacted the company, they said it was in the Chicago Customs office. I emailed USPS & they confirmed that it's there somewhere & had been for a month! I don't know why some of the packages from AliExpress made it but others have not. These are just diamond painting kits so they can't be all that exciting to Customs so let me have them already! After this amount of time, I wonder if they've been lost in the shuffle somewhere I'm out of luck...and money!
Your Name
Marcia
Sep 10, 2020
Your Comment
Has anyone actually received their packages after being "in transit" for a month or more? I have been waiting for a package that has been on its way for well over a month. My husband thinks it was stolen and I will never see it. Just curious if I will really ever see this package, or if I am just out the $$$. I understand a delay, but this is getting ridiculous.
  
Your Name
MoonshineDragonfly
Sep 12, 2020
Your Comment
Over the past month, all of my orders from Asia that were placed in April and May have been delivered. The delay isn't fun, but packages ARE slowly making their way to their people!
  
Your Name
Shari
Oct 10, 2020
Your Comment
I've received packages from a relative in Greece three times since March 1st. Longest wait was three months, but I finally got it. Problem isn't with Greece, it made it through customs in just a couple of days.

The problem appears to be with the US postal system, fewer available employees and no contingency plan for a situation like this. There are very few planes and ships transporting mail now, so I'm thinking they hold the mail until overseas transport is a available.

So don't give up yet. Suggest tracking numbers on anything of importance, although they are skipping the scanning at some stops along the way, I think to save time.
Your Name
Anonymous
Sep 10, 2020
Your Comment
This is becoming rediculous, I have a package that has passed customs and is at the ISL Chicago location...

August 5, 2020 at 9:17 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Has been over a month with no update. I've opened a case and still only response was "sorry due to COVID we have been experiencing delays"
  
Your Name
Marla
Sep 18, 2020
Your Comment
My package arrived from Europe to Chicago Distribution Center on the same day as yours. I also opened a case, as did the seller. The only response I received is that "It's in Chicago customs." Very frustrating.
Your Name
Sara
Sep 8, 2020
Your Comment
UPDATE: My package from Chicago to Switzerland took exactly 2 months to be delivered to it's destination. That is really unacceptable.
Your Name
Tonya
Sep 8, 2020
Your Comment
I sent a package Priority Express international on 8/14. On 8/16 it was scanned that it left my city on its way to Chicago for processing. It hasn't been scanned since. My local post office said the truck arrived (with my package) on 8/17 however no scan reflects that. There has been nothing else. The toll-free number has been no help. They tell me I have to file an international inquiry which I have done but haven't heard a word. It is a LARGE box and weighs 30 pounds. It had lots of labels all over it with address of where it needed to go as well as all the custom forms. There is no way this box could have been just "lost" but trying to find someoen to assist me is next to impossible. I understand that this is unprecedented times with Covid, Riots, and Chicago has always been a mess!!! I can understand delays and would be fine having to wait as long as I had some sort of reassurance that it is in fact a delay and not a stolen package that will never arrive. There were too many irreplaceable items in that box. Please assist!
  
Your Name
Ivy
Sep 9, 2020
Your Comment
Tonya, My package reads exactly like your package. Why are they just sitting inside the truck for days and weeks? When will they be scanned that they arrived at ISC and when will our packages be delivered? Has your tracking info. been updated since? Has your package arrived yet? If so when?
     
Your Name
Tonya
Sep 10, 2020
Your Comment
ivy. Just today I received two updates almost back to back. One saying it arrived at chicago international distribution center and then 10 minutes later saying processed through chicago international distribution center. I spoke with a supervisor here at my local post office. She informed me that Chicago is really backed up and not to be alarmed the packages are there but will not be scanned until they start processing your package. Once processed (meaning gone thru customs for clearance on outbound mail) it will have to wait for a plane which also has backlog. So just be patient but rest assured its not lost. I'm still nervous as a nun in a cucumber patch until its delivered. Hope this gives you some hope.
        
Your Name
Ivy
Sep 14, 2020
Your Comment
Hi Tonya, Our packages are definitely together. I also received a tracking update on 9/10th at 7:31pm stating that my package had arrived at USC Chicago IL (USPS). However, still not at the Chicago International Distribution Center like your package. Thank you for the update. It was very reassuring to hear that our packages will eventually arrive.
  
Your Name
Ivy
Sep 9, 2020
Your Comment
My package reads exactly like yours. When is ISC going to scan that they have arrived? When will our packages be delivered? Any updates on your package since?
Your Name
CR
Sep 5, 2020
Your Comment
I ordered a Wifi extender from walmarts website August 23rd. It hasnt moved an inch it appears to be stuck in California. Its been 15 days, are packages under a 2 week quarantine or something? This was supposed to be a quick ship and its pretty frusturating waiting for half the house to have functional internet. Would it be faster to just cancel and order one someplace better.
  
Your Name
Brent Owens
Sep 13, 2020
Your Comment
It would definitely be faster.