During staff shortages and missing mail, the USPS is hiring, averaging $21 an hour
Earlier this month residents in Ferndale and other Whatcom County areas reported missing mail, including medications and primary ballots that were not delivered.
As calls and emails to the Seattle U.S. Postal Service went unanswered, the postal service blamed staff shortages for the delayed services.
There have been 1,500 new hires a week and over 100,000 new hires in the last two years, according to Post Office Jobs Center, an independent organization separate from the USPS that aims to assist those pursuing jobs in the postal service.
The agency is currently hiring for various positions throughout Whatcom County and advertises an average pay of $21 an hour with no diploma or degree required.
According to the USPS jobs website, entry-level mail carrier positions can earn as much as $19.62 in Washington. On average, USPS mail carriers make $22.01 in Washington state, according to Indeed.
Other entry-level positions include part- and full-time mail carrier, mail handler, mail processor and window clerk positions, as well as seasonal positions.
As it takes many types of job positions to deliver mail to your home, hourly pay greatly varies between positions.
Postal workers can earn an average of $72,320 annually, along with federal benefits and pension, according to Post Office Jobs Center.
If you are interested in working for the Postal Service, you can apply online directly through the USPS career page, or through the Post Office Jobs Website.
This story was originally published August 29, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
CORRECTION: Additional information about Postal Service hiring was added Sept. 2, 2022.
