USPS hits mail carrier with immediate suspension after he exposed their lack of a snow emergency plan during Winter Storm Fern

Mail carrier Jason Thompson recently went viral for describing what he saw as unsafe and completely disorganized working conditions at the Fairfield U.S. Postal Service (USPS) office near Cincinnati, Ohio. Thompson claims that after his Facebook post gained traction, USPS officials warned him to delete it or face serious consequences, and they followed through shortly afterward, placing him on emergency suspension.

Thompson’s main complaint wasn’t that the job was hard; he emphasized that carriers routinely deliver through “heat waves, blizzards, storms, and emergencies.” The issue this time, he argued, was that the situation felt completely different because there was zero plan in place to deal with Winter Storm Fern. As a result, there was zero work to do.

In his video, Thompson detailed a logistical nightmare at the Fairfield facility. The parking lot was barely plowed, and crucial USPS delivery trucks were sitting under what he estimated was “2 to 3 feet of snow.” Despite the conditions and the lack of accessible vehicles, carriers still risked their safety to report for duty.

It wasn’t only about inaccessible vehicles

“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. Instead of hiring professionals to clear the facilities, management expected carriers to do the “extreme hard work to dig ourselves out.” Despite his grievances, Thompson wasn’t trying to throw his direct supervisors under the bus. 

Thompson noted they lacked the necessary authority or guidance to prioritize safety. The lack of clear guidance meant that management told workers they would have to burn their personal sick or annual leave instead of simply sending them home. His goal with the video was to get to the heart of the system failure: “Why isn’t there a plan for a level 2 to level 3 snow emergency?” He lamented, “We’re sitting here with our hands tied.”

Thompson claims the warnings came just five hours after his initial critique went live. He updated his post, writing, “NOW IM GETTING THREATENED THAT IF I DONT TAKE THIS POST DOWN I COULD LOSE MY JOB!!!” Just an hour later, that threat became reality. He announced, “I have now been notified that I am on Emergency Placement with no pay!”

Despite the personal setback, Thompson says he’s been “humbled” by the massive outpouring of support from his community and colleagues. With recent reports about Healthcare shipping scams and a USPS driver’s overzealous attitude towards protecting his mail, Thompson’s attitude towards his role is commendable and reassuring.