March 26, 2018 – The EEOC entered a final decision finding that the U.S. Postal Service discriminated against the Class of approximately 130,000 USPS employees when it subjected them to the National Reassessment Process (NRP) between May 5, 2006 and July 1, 2011.
The USPS employees who were reviewed under the NRP had suffered workplace injuries, and were working under restrictions in limited duty, light duty, or rehabilitation positions. The final decision found that the NRP intentionally discriminated against these USPS employees by targeting them with disfavorable treatment, canceling accommodated jobs, creating a hostile work environment, improperly using their private medical information, and forcing some to resign.
Class Member claims for individual money awards are due now. The deadline for an individual Class Member to submit a claim for money damages and other relief is 30 days from when the individual receives a written notice from the USPS about the case. To be safe, attorneys for the Class have recommended that Class Members submit a claim by April 12, 2018. If a Class Member fails to submit a timely claim, the Class Member may lose the ability to seek any individual relief in the case.
Directions for submitting claims, a sample suggested Claim Form, and more information about the case is available at NRPclassaction.com.
While it is unknown how many Class Members will file claims, Rochester, NY attorney Michael Lingle of Thomas & Solomon indicated that the law firms representing the Class have been contacted by thousands of USPS employees during the past decade in which this case has been pending.
The case was first filed by Sandra McConnell, a Rochester, NY mail carrier who had her USPS position taken away from her due to the NRP. Jeremy Wright of Kator, Parks, Weiser & Harris, in Washington, DC, noted the tremendous achievement accomplished by the Class. “The decision in this case delivers a stern warning to every employer to respect the rights of workers with disabilities, and to never treat them as second-class.”
Attorneys for the Class stress the importance of Class Members submitting claims for monetary and other relief as soon as possible. Class attorneys are available to assist Class Members in submitting claims, and the attorneys have mailed out sample suggested claim forms to tens of thousands of Class Members across the country.
The Class is represented by Thomas & Solomon LLP, and Kator, Parks, Weiser & Harris, PLLC. The name of the case is McConnell v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Case No. 520-2010-00280X; Agency No. 4B-140-0062-06. The final appeal decision in the case was issued on March 9, 2018, and is available at NRPclassaction.com.
Please Note:
Attorneys for this NRP class released the above information to PEN today – 3/26/18. We cannot answer any questions or concerns related to this class action – please contact the attorneys. You may post your additional comments at our NRP Forum.
I cannot reach ANYONE BEEN TRYING SINCE LAST WEEK> WHY NO ANSWER OR ANSWERING MACHINE FULL> PLEASE CALL ME AT 859 536 2083. Did you receive my paperwork???????
Lisa – you are writing the wrong people. You need to contact the law firm – not PEN. If you cannot get an answer over the phone then email them – that is what I had to do. Their email address is NRPclassaction@theemploymentattorneys.com
The Postal Service is guilty of cruelty against employees who were injured on the job! Guilty of so much PAIN, SUFFERING HUMILIATION and EMBARRASSMENT that is unbearable at times…however there is a GOD, and one day y’all the (USPS) will have to bow down to the Creator for the lives y’all have destroyed and RUINED!!!
Retire or quit , lost my family , afraid to leave the house . ECST YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW !! I know one thing , they did a job on me .. Prayers to all my brother’s and sister’s , we will over come ..
I was treated like crap. Management did not even call me when I was supposed to come back to work. My case worker from workman,s comp called me. I was told nothing about a lunch schedule or anything else. A lot of days I did not even get any lunch, unless someone went out and just brought me something to eat. I was supposed to just pick up two pounds and it turned out to as much as I could pick up. My shoulder did not have a choice or time to get well. I had to strain everyday until the pain was very bad. I liked 8mos. to reach my full retirement of 30yrs, but I could not take anymore of the stress and all the pain I was in because I had to do a lot more lifting and harder work than I was supposed to. It was either file for my disability or quit my job. I had to give up $180 a month to claim my disability. I could not stand anymore. I was supposed to be working 40 hours, but when the carriers were late, I sometimes was there until 7:00pm waithing on them. No extra money, just longer hours. Of course my claim was disputed. I really expected this, but I do not see how this could happen after the hell I went through. Good luck to the others that filed.
During my time with the postal service I was mistreated by the postmaster numerous times but with next to none help with our postal union I got no help . My sub continually left anywhere from 3-5 tubs of mail at my case that she did not take out , I called this to my postmasters attention and nothing was done . One morning I came in and again I had numerous tubs filled to the top of mail , some first class was also left and packages , this had been going on for over four months and I complained to my postmaster again about doing work for her and not getting help from him in overseeing this matter . A senior carrier to me was shocked and said , your not gonna take all that out are you , that was when the postmaster came to my case and stood within 3 feet of me and began yelling , cussing and threating me to ” get my mail down and get the HELL OUT NOW ” , followed by , ” DON’T YOU SAY ONE WORD ” . I did as instructed , I pulled my mail down after I quickly finished casing it , loaded my car and got in , I then broke down right in the parking lot , I have NEVER had uncontrollable bawling like that , it was well beyond crying . I tried to stop myself and pulled out of the parking lot , only to have gotten to the first boxes of my route , I was stopped by a lady who was upset about their boxes being blocked and was hoping I’d get out and give them their mail , which I did and I began bawling again , uncontrollably , I feared the lady may of thought it was because of what she said . I became VERY sick , my body began shaking horrible , I’d never felt like this before . I made it through the route and quickly dropped off my outgoing mail and went home , not wanting to be confronted again . The following day I was scared to death about what may happen again , I quickly cased my mail and loaded it , getting out onto my route and away from the office . About half way on the route I began feeling a great deal of pain in my lower back , about three quarters of the way on my route I got out to service a ndcbu when I could not lift my leg up onto the curb , I had to pull my pants to lift my leg , my back and left hip and side hurt horribly . I called the office and told the postmaster I was in a great deal of pain , not able to lift my leg and I didn’t think I could finish the route , which is when he said ” I’ve got no one here to do it so finish ” , that was the last day I worked , I went to the doctor , I was placed on light duty while taking test after test after test to see what was wrong , this went on for 2 years , I was certain I had cancer , the postal service ” separated ” me from work as I could not go back to full duty . I found out sometime after that I had fibromyalgia , something I got from my emotional break down , nerves and being knocked out earlier in the winter from a fall on concrete step while I delivered a certified letter , causing my body to go into this horrible painful disease that has no cure and causes numerous other problems along the way . I have not gotten one bit better , I would not be able to return to full duty work , the pain in my back and hip have become worst . My home life is pretty much shot , all the activities I once enjoyed are over . I once played softball on the postal team , bowling on the postal team , hiking , biking , I was a very active person on a 45k route and I was a quick worker , now I am lucky to do a little house cleaning , my yard which I took pride in has become a mess . I lost everything I was working for , I had a good career , 3 of us in our household all worked for the postal service . Now I am getting a very small check from USPS and a little from S.S.D. ! THIS is NOT the way I wanted my life to go . I find the postal service a organization of crooks and would never advise ANYONE to work for them .
25 years forced to resign with threat of being fired. My hips got my route taken away because too slow yet I tried my best. They were going to fire me, 25 years and they were just going to fire me, no respect, no respect at all lol lol…
I worked at the fortworth plant I needed knee replace ments both of my knees was grinding bone to bone they had me on the gates first 2008 they put me on the inside I could barely walk I retired last may because they was having trouble relieving me for break and lunch to much stress
Betty R. Patterson
I worked at the Denver NDC. I did not have any restrictions or discibilities, but my supervisor [name removed by PEN] gave me no respect as a person, was a bully and always tried to treat me as second-class. * would yell at me as if I was a child. barred me out of the women bathroom/ locker room, APWU the union had to retrieve my time, because * would give me lwop when I had lots of leave time. I retired before I wanted because * caused me so much mental anguish, and stress, emotional pain and suffering my hair is still falling out my head. I have to wear wigs all the time now. Plus * was always drunk.
Betty – we cannot allow personal names to be posted. Thank you for your post. PEN
I worked in the Colorado Wyoming District. I incurred an on the job injury. I was given work restrictions. The post office provided me with reasonable accommodations. Everything was going great with the reasonable accommodations. Out of the blue the Manager Customer Service Operations (MCSO) decided I no longer had a position as a certified supervisor. My reasonable accommodations were pulled. I was reassigned to a detail in Denver inspecting outlining post offices. My 8 hour work restriction went out the window. I was driving up to 150 miles or more per day. My work day went from 8 hours to at least 12 hours per day including driving from CO Springs to Denver and back. They failed to disclose my 8 hour work restrictions to the manager I worked for on the inspection team. Another supervisor took my position after I was told my position was eliminated.
I was put in a storage closet with a chair and with no ventilation ..I had fibromylgia and PTSD…I ended up taking an early out due to stress , pain, and chronic insomnia. I just received this letter today Saturday April 21. 2018…..
My father passed away in 2013. I wish he were alive to see this. They destroyed lives.
the case McConnell vs post office took close too 8 yr,s too settle how much longer before the remaining 130,000 employees/ former employees receive any justice . the old saying justice delayed is justice denied is on the mark here. how many have died since the wheels of justice have slowly moved
Good Evening Iam a class member of the Classaction just a I need a Professional asistant in this matters.
Godspeed