How do you get a Mailman to Follow the Rules?

[JohnO]

My wife's mom lives in the next town. She is unable to walk out to the street to her roadside mailbox. My wife discovered that there is a provision for delivery directly to the house. I mounted a mailbox on my mother-in-law's house next to her front door. My wife filed the paperwork in her mom's Post Office. My wife also spoke with the Postmaster in the local office who agreed that all was in place for delivery to the house mounted box. We were told Not to remove the roadside mailbox but to put a notice inside stating, Per the Postmaster Deliver to House Mounted Box.

The Mailman who has the route at my mother-in-law's house is a SOB. He will not deliver to the house or the roadside box and in hiding mail. My wife approached him on the route and asked for her mom's mail and the Mailman claimed he didn't have it. Yet the Postmaster in his office said he had it when he returned from his route. My wife is now scrambling to pay her mom's bills on time due to the delayed mail.

My wife has talked with the Postmaster multiple times now and nothing changes. Today the Postmaster told my wife that she will contact the Mailman's Union Rep before this gets ugly. Probably because my wife started talking Federal Crime and Mail Tampering. My wife told the Postmaster she was going to call her mother's congressional office and asked for the Mailman's name.

Is this guy Untouchable? Can he just go about his merry way and ignore the rules?

[Le Français]

Probably because my wife started talking Federal Crime and Mail Tampering.

Based on what I’ve heard from a colleague who used to be a special agent with Postal OIG, don’t get your hopes up about a criminal prosecution. Many USAOs don’t accept cases where a USPS employee is opening the mail and stealing the contents for personal enrichment; not delivering correctly seems like a step down from that. USAOs can differ widely, of course.

[whomever]

My experience has been that things vary a lot from PO to PO, but in the last couple of decades at least postmasters don't have a lot of influence over recalcitrant delivery people.

For the bills, online bill pay might be the easiest fix. If Mom's computer skills aren't up to that maybe one of the kids could take over that role. We eventually did that for our mom.

If you sign up for the 'informed delivery' option you might at least know what you are missing.

[UNK]

Maybe the local news would be interested. Doesnt your bank have online banking? Or the utilities will take directly from your moms account. I dont like anyone doing direct withdrawal so I prepay mine a year at a time. Lots of options.
When my mom had alzheimers we had power of attorney then court appointed guardian. The post office refused to recognize them after my mom went down and complained. Also the drivers license office called my sister and begged her to stop my mom from calling to get her drivers license back. My Sister told them not my problem. You want hervto stop calling block her number. My mom was from Missouri. Stubborn as a missouri mule fit her perfectly.
ETA Another possible option have her mail fwd to a PO BOX and the kids go every so often and get her mail for her.

[UNK]

Double tap

[SD]

Would it be appropriate to contact the Postal Inspectors, Inspector General Office about the shenanigans ? Wonder if the persons with disabilities act at the State level could assist.

[blues]

I'd report the matter to the local news and congressional representative...especially given that the Postal Inspectors and local management may not take action.

[UNK]

My FAVORITE option....well shit that didn't work heres the link. https://youtu.be/KNUW8A_FfgE

[Borderland]

My wife's mom lives in the next town. She is unable to walk out to the street to her roadside mailbox. My wife discovered that there is a provision for delivery directly to the house. I mounted a mailbox on my mother-in-law's house next to her front door. My wife filed the paperwork in her mom's Post Office. My wife also spoke with the Postmaster in the local office who agreed that all was in place for delivery to the house mounted box. We were told Not to remove the roadside mailbox but to put a notice inside stating, Per the Postmaster Deliver to House Mounted Box.

The Mailman who has the route at my mother-in-law's house is a SOB. He will not deliver to the house or the roadside box and in hiding mail. My wife approached him on the route and asked for her mom's mail and the Mailman claimed he didn't have it. Yet the Postmaster in his office said he had it when he returned from his route. My wife is now scrambling to pay her mom's bills on time due to the delayed mail.

My wife has talked with the Postmaster multiple times now and nothing changes. Today the Postmaster told my wife that she will contact the Mailman's Union Rep before this gets ugly. Probably because my wife started talking Federal Crime and Mail Tampering. My wife told the Postmaster she was going to call her mother's congressional office and asked for the Mailman's name.

Is this guy Untouchable? Can he just go about his merry way and ignore the rules?

He isn't untouchable but it may take awhile to get this worked out. Document everything as best you can and contact someone who is in a responsible management position at USPS. Union will advocate for the employee. It isn't their job to manage USPS employees.

Start at the top of the agency. https://rocketreach.co/kelly-sigmon-email_2350713

I had a similar experience with a state parks equipment operator. I just contacted the director by email and 6 weeks later got a response from the park ranger which outlined the corrective action that the dept was about to administer. Usually these matters are passed thru the union before any action is taken. The employee probably won't like the outcome.

I worked for a gov't agency for 30 years and was a union official for about 5 of those years.

Good luck

[beenalongtime]

We had this issue with our temporary postman. Every time our usual was off, any mail (commercial building), that either was missing the STE number, or that he just decided he wanted to, was returned to sender with incomplete address or something along those lines.
This included stuff from the owners of the building, utility companies, IRS, etc. Statements from other carriers helped a lot.