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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
Bert Backelboppel
Jun 20, 2020
Your Comment
Thank you! It arrived. USPS never updated their tracking info so it appeared to have been stuck in customs perpetually
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The Mommom
Jun 18, 2020
Your Comment
Yesterday the postal carrier handed mail to my husband instead of her putting it in the curbside mailbox! Neither was wearing a mask!
I am horrified. I’m immunocompromised and can’t feel comfortable now in my own home.
  
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Jamie
Jun 20, 2020
Your Comment
At least they will deliver your mail. My PO is making up its own rules and not delivering mail to COVID-19 positive patients. They just refuse to.
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Tomas Aaron Martinez Estevez
Jun 18, 2020
Your Comment
Are you accepting packages from China?
Your Name
Kansas
Jun 17, 2020
Your Comment
Could you please provide a statement regarding the Chicago ISC facility and what is being done to ensure the backlog of packages are being moved? I've had an item at this facility since mid-April. I'm not necessarily in a hurry to get it, but some clarity on whether or not it will arrive at all would be helpful.

I think as an organization you could avoid a number of calls and bad reviews if you would just provide some sort of communication about the delays.
  
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OIG Moderator
Jun 19, 2020
Your Comment
Hello Kansas. Thank you for your message. Regarding your concern, for questions or concerns about delivery during the pandemic, please go to usps.com to track mail or to get information from the USPS Coronavirus FAQs page. You can also contact your local Postal Service Consumer Affairs Office at https://postalpro.usps.com/ppro-tools/consumer-affairs.
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JJ
Jun 16, 2020
Your Comment
Hope to shed some light and offer some hope for delayed packages. I've had dozens of domestic and international shipments to and from the US, Asia and Europe in the last 3 months. Things from China in March have slowly trickled in. Several from France and the Czech Republic were processed with almost no delay while others have languished in ISC NY, NJ and Miami. Japan Post has shipped nothing since April. Singapore Post seems similarly paralysed, probably due to lack of commercial flights to put cargo on. NY must be a real mess. I've had items en route to LA routed to MA, FL, ME with weeks-long stretches with no scans or activity before finally being sent on their way. I started one case for missing mail, package could not be found, case closed and it turned up a week later. The backlogs, rerouting, staffing issues, safety issues must be insane. I'm thankful for the work the USPS is doing and honestly hope they receive more funding and support to deal with this situation.
  
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Anonymous
Jun 16, 2020
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Update today, 6/16, things in Tokyo have begun moving, possibly onto a plane. First update since 4/24, fingers crossed.
     
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Anonymous
Jun 18, 2020
Your Comment
Sad this is this isn’t happening international, its domestic packages too, mine just sit in detroit and im like 30 mins away
        
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Jamie
Jun 20, 2020
Your Comment
Oh it’s not just happening domestically. S. Korea’s version of the USPS (EMS) has been completely suspended for probably a month now. I buy a lot of skincare from there and what is normally free but slow, isn’t too bad (3 weeks from the time of order, half of that being processing!). Now they are having to use companies similar to UPS and Fedex (DHL), so what would normally be free is at least $18, and up to $32 for “express mail” which is supposed to be 3-5 business days to the US, could be fast if the companies shipped out their orders in a timely manner). So it’s definitely not just us.

The only COVID related nail issues I have had is the local branch not wanting to deliver mail or packages ever, or answer their phone. I haven’t gotten mail since the 9th and can’t get a hold of anyone. I requested a mail re-delivery. They didn’t do it. I called the 800 number, they sent out a case to my local branch who was supposed to contact me on Monday, and nothing.

I do truly wish that I could pick where my tax money went (Ha) and give a good percentage to USPS. It truly boggles my mind that they don’t get government funding. I’d be willing to pay them monthly. I just want my mail.
  
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Alison
Jun 19, 2020
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Hi JJ - have you had any shipments from Australia or anything sitting in Los Angeles. I have had a package sitting in customs in LA since the end of May.
     
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JJ
Jun 22, 2020
Your Comment
Hi Alison - Out of 2 Australian shipments to the US, one (with tracking) arrived with little delay in mid-May, the other has not been heard from since April 23rd. Larger tracked parcels seem to be having better luck than small letters. Nothing gone missing officially yet - just crazy delays. Good luck!
     
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JJJr
Jun 25, 2020
Your Comment
I had a package from Australia and it took 24 days to arrive to me! That is a little slower but it did make it. Seems it got stuck in San Francisco CA for days!! I have mailed a package to Australia on 1st June, and it's still in Miami as if this moment! Hopefully it will get on the move soon.
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Serene Orlick
Jun 16, 2020
Your Comment
Package arrived from Switzerland to the ISC in Chicago on June 11 2020 and has not moved on any further to its destination. Is this due to issues caused by the Covid pandemic or some other issue?
  
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Sue
Jun 18, 2020
Your Comment
I have this same issue. All tracking stops June 10th in Switzerland. The message reads “origin post preparing shipment” I contacted usps and they said they have no record of it in US. Any help/update would be appreciated!
     
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Donald
Jun 18, 2020
Your Comment
I have the same issue. Left Switzerland and tracking has reflected "processed through our facility in ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) at 6:45 pm on June 11, 2020." Getting concerned as well.
        
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Laura
Jun 19, 2020
Your Comment
If it is helpful -mine has been sitting in Chicago from Denmark since May 22. Every inquiry i have put in says they can’t give you any updates other than that it can be up to 45 days in customs right now . So fingers crossed. Won’t be getting here for Father’s Day! I ordered it first week of May.
           
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steve
Jun 23, 2020
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did you end up receiving it? waiting on an imortant package from Sweden and has been stuck in chicago 10 days so far
        
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Douglas
Jun 20, 2020
Your Comment
I have same issue, left Switzerland and was scanned into ISC Chicago on June 8, 2020 at 6:10pm. I wish they would just notify us with some kind of update
        
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Anastasia
Jun 22, 2020
Your Comment
Do you have any updates?
  
Your Name
Anastasia
Jun 20, 2020
Your Comment
Do you have any updates on your parcel? My two packages same status :
Your item has been processed through our facility in ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) at 8:38 pm on June 11, 2020.
And 9:38 pm
     
Your Name
Anastasia
Jun 29, 2020
Your Comment
My parcel moved today! 29 June. But another parcel from 11 June still not update
  
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Oregon
Jun 21, 2020
Your Comment
Same here with a inbound package from Canada. I assumed there was a hold time because of all of this but its been about a month now and no updates.
     
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Oregon
Jun 26, 2020
Your Comment
My package finally arrived today!!! Thanks to everyone involved!
  
Your Name
Shaun
Jun 26, 2020
Your Comment
I have a package that has been stuck in the Chicago customs with no updates since the 14th and the delivery date was over a week ago. I reached out to usps and they said customs can take up to 5 weeks or something like that to process it. That’s insane! There has to be something going on at customs in Chicago because I’ve read about many people having their mail stuck there indefinitely..