NPR reports that an influx of mail is still backlogged for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from the holidays. The agency has seen slower retrieval times the last year because of the impact of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the growth of e-commerce.
USPS has resulted in putting a disclaimer on their website stating that it is “experiencing unprecedented volume increases and limited employee availability due to the impacts of COVID-19."
According to NPR, employees have been putting in 12-hour days and adding extra shifts to their current workflows in order to make a dent in the letters and parcels. Meanwhile, union officials estimate that nearly 14,500 postal employees have been placed in quarantine.
Per NPR:
- Union officials say the Postal Service is maintaining 10,000 temporary workers to help clear the backlogs.
- The Postal Service is also reportedly finalizing a deal to add 10,000 new jobs at processing plants.
- Most postal workers are included in the next wave to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
