USPS carrier suspended, threatened with termination for criticizing ‘extreme conditions’ during Winter Storm Fern
An Ohio U.S. Postal Service mail carrier says he was suspended and threatened with termination after criticizing what he called “extreme” and unsafe working conditions during Winter Storm Fern — despite arriving at work to find there was no mail to deliver.
Jason Thompson, a letter carrier based at the Fairfield Post Office about 26 miles north of Cincinnati, shared his concerns in a Facebook post on Monday. He said carriers reported to work during severe winter weather only to discover that the parking lot had not been properly cleared and that delivery trucks were buried under two to three feet of snow.
“Our letter carriers deliver in heat waves, blizzards, storms, and emergencies — and today they showed up again — only to be placed in harm’s way with nothing to do and nowhere to safely operate,” Thompson wrote.
According to Thompson, carriers traveled from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and surrounding areas in dangerous road conditions, only to be told there was no mail or parcels to deliver.
“Carriers are risking their lives just to get to work — only to be told there is no mail and no parcels,” he wrote. “This is not our fault, and this is not our situation to handle.”
Thompson questioned why professional snow removal crews were not brought in, saying carriers were instead expected to dig out their own vehicles.
“Why aren’t we hiring a professional company to clear these lots?” he asked. “Instead, carriers are doing extremely hard labor just to dig ourselves out.”
He also said employees were told they would need to use personal sick or annual leave if they chose to leave early — despite having no work available.
“This is not how the hardest-working men and women of the USPS should be treated,” Thompson said.
Thompson added that there appeared to be no clear emergency plan for severe snow conditions.
“Why isn’t there a plan for a Level 2 or Level 3 snow emergency that districts can hand out saying, ‘This is what you do’?” he wrote. “We have none. We’re sitting here with our hands tied.”
Butler County, where Fairfield is located, received more than 13 inches of snow over the weekend, according to WHIO-TV.
While frustrated, Thompson praised his immediate supervisors, saying they cared deeply but lacked proper authority or guidance from higher management — creating what he described as a serious safety concern.
His Facebook post included photos of snow-covered delivery trucks, an unplowed parking lot, and locked post office doors.
“I left extra early — it took me 45 minutes instead of the usual 20,” Thompson told WXIX. “The roads were snow-covered and dangerous.”
Several hours after the post went live, Thompson said USPS management warned him to remove it or face consequences.
“I’m being threatened that if I don’t take this post down, I could lose my job,” he wrote. “Please help us be heard.”
About an hour later, Thompson said he was placed on emergency suspension without pay.
“I have now been notified that I am on Emergency Placement with no pay,” he wrote. “I hope this brings positive changes for all.”
Thompson called on news organizations, local and federal officials, and President Trump to intervene.
The U.S. Postal Service did not comment directly on Thompson’s suspension but said protocols are in place for extreme weather and that employee safety is a priority.
“The safety of our employees is a top priority, particularly during periods of severe cold,” a USPS spokesperson told WXIX. “During extremely cold conditions, letter carriers follow established safety precautions.”
The agency added that it continuously monitors weather conditions and reinforces safety guidance to help carriers deliver mail as safely as possible while maintaining reliable service.
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