To Sabbath Or Not To Sabbath
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A former USPS mail carrier argues that he should get to keep his job while refusing to work on Sabbath. Of course it's not just about Sabbath, it's about the extent of religious accommodations by employers. The case is on its way to SCOTUS.
wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 11:52 last edited by@Axtremus said in To Sabbath Or Not To Sabbath:
The case is on its way to SCOTUS.
Good.
Hopefully a host of other "religious" exemptions/demands/requirements will be addressed as well.
In this particular case, it strikes me as odd that an organization as large as the USPS can't make scheduling accommodations to meet his requests. When I worked at a larger institution, the Jews worked on Easter, Christmas, and the Christians, Mohammedans worked Passover, Rosh Hashonna, etc.
We had a very devout Orthodox Jew who wouldn't take call on Shabbos. He would trade into Friday nights, so that he could be home on Saturday.
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wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 12:55 last edited by
Not a big deal. USPS works on Sundays now. Give him Saturdays off and work him every Sunday.
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Not a big deal. USPS works on Sundays now. Give him Saturdays off and work him every Sunday.
wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 13:06 last edited by@Jolly said in To Sabbath Or Not To Sabbath:
Not a big deal. USPS works on Sundays now. Give him Saturdays off and work him every Sunday.
Actually, the guy who brought the lawsuit has been refusing to work Sundays (his religion considers Sunday Sabbath). It’s all in the article.
The article also outline various arguments for and against the complain, with commentaries from different parties talking about whether certain accommodations are reasonable or not when applied to the facts of this case. Worth a read.
@George-K , the USPS has been accommodating him for many years. For a time the guy even transferred to another USPS office that did not do Sunday deliveries. More recently, after signing a contract with Amazon.com to also deliver Amazon packages on Sundays, and the staffing shortage got worse during/after the pandemic, it got to the point where the USPS (perhaps just that branch or just that manager) refuse to accommodate his “no work on Sundays” position anymore.
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wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 13:12 last edited by
Good. Then work him every Saturday.
This ain't rocket surgery.
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wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 13:48 last edited by
This seems ridiculous, employers need to learn flexibility and a bit of respect for their people.
Assuming, of course, that there isn't more to this dismissal than he's claiming.
the staffing shortage got worse during/after the pandemic
So, the solution is to force people to quit? That's just dumb.
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wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 13:51 last edited by
OT in the USPS... Mandatory OT can be enforced in the USPS by redlining an employee. That's a term that goes back to paper schedules, when a postmaster would take a red pen to mark through an employee's pass days and assign him an extra day. But redlining is only done after a postmaster exhausts the voluntary OT list.
Secondly, there's another way to get the king's shekels worth out of the employee. The postmaster can make them work turn-arounds. You get through with your route and then you go finish another person's route.
If you want to slack-jack and deliberately slow down on your route, the postmaster can request a ride-along. The carrier will get to deliver his mail accompanied by an Assistant Postmaster wielding a timer. Too slow, and you get a letter. I think it's three letters and you no longer work for the USPS.
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This seems ridiculous, employers need to learn flexibility and a bit of respect for their people.
Assuming, of course, that there isn't more to this dismissal than he's claiming.
the staffing shortage got worse during/after the pandemic
So, the solution is to force people to quit? That's just dumb.
wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 13:53 last edited by@Doctor-Phibes said in To Sabbath Or Not To Sabbath:
This seems ridiculous, employers need to learn flexibility and a bit of respect for their people.
Assuming, of course, that there isn't more to this dismissal than he's claiming.
the staffing shortage got worse during/after the pandemic
So, the solution is to force people to quit? That's just dumb.
This is the USPS, a governmental agency. Substitute the word "Army" for "post office" and you'll get it.
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OT in the USPS... Mandatory OT can be enforced in the USPS by redlining an employee. That's a term that goes back to paper schedules, when a postmaster would take a red pen to mark through an employee's pass days and assign him an extra day. But redlining is only done after a postmaster exhausts the voluntary OT list.
Secondly, there's another way to get the king's shekels worth out of the employee. The postmaster can make them work turn-arounds. You get through with your route and then you go finish another person's route.
If you want to slack-jack and deliberately slow down on your route, the postmaster can request a ride-along. The carrier will get to deliver his mail accompanied by an Assistant Postmaster wielding a timer. Too slow, and you get a letter. I think it's three letters and you no longer work for the USPS.
wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 13:53 last edited by@Jolly said in To Sabbath Or Not To Sabbath:
If you want to slack-jack and deliberately slow down on your route, the postmaster can request a ride-along. The carrier will get to deliver his mail accompanied by an Assistant Postmaster wielding a timer. Too slow, and you get a letter. I think it's three letters and you no longer work for the USPS.
A friend spent some time working for USPS while in college. He was TOO good, and finished his route too quickly. He was admonished by his co-workers to not be so good at it.
- I would make them look bad.
- If he got REALLY good, they'd give him another route for the day.
Pace yourself, man.
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@Jolly said in To Sabbath Or Not To Sabbath:
If you want to slack-jack and deliberately slow down on your route, the postmaster can request a ride-along. The carrier will get to deliver his mail accompanied by an Assistant Postmaster wielding a timer. Too slow, and you get a letter. I think it's three letters and you no longer work for the USPS.
A friend spent some time working for USPS while in college. He was TOO good, and finished his route too quickly. He was admonished by his co-workers to not be so good at it.
- I would make them look bad.
- If he got REALLY good, they'd give him another route for the day.
Pace yourself, man.
wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 13:58 last edited by@George-K said in To Sabbath Or Not To Sabbath:
@Jolly said in To Sabbath Or Not To Sabbath:
If you want to slack-jack and deliberately slow down on your route, the postmaster can request a ride-along. The carrier will get to deliver his mail accompanied by an Assistant Postmaster wielding a timer. Too slow, and you get a letter. I think it's three letters and you no longer work for the USPS.
A friend spent some time working for USPS while in college. He was TOO good, and finished his route too quickly. He was admonished by his co-workers to not be so good at it.
- I would make them look bad.
- If he got REALLY good, they'd give him another route for the day.
Pace yourself, man.
So true.
But...mail carriers that show initiative are approached to take administrative jobs. Problem is, those jobs don't enjoy union protection. OTOH, those jobs advance to postmasters and those guys make good money, even in a small post office.
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wrote on 13 Apr 2023, 14:00 last edited by
My SIL is a postman. There are days I could cheerfully kill him and leave the body out for the crows.
He's been approached more than one time for administrative jobs and turned them down. He's a rebel without a clue...
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wrote on 29 Jun 2023, 17:58 last edited by
Unanimous SCOTUS decision:
Supreme Court backs Christian postal worker who wanted Sundays off in ruling that may affect employers
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wrote on 30 Jun 2023, 02:28 last edited by
Good.