New England Mail Processing Centers Still Seek Extra Holiday Hires Events in Providence, Wallingford, Boston set to boost applications
October 10, 2018 Ahead of what promises to be another record-breaking package shipping holiday season, the Postal Service across New England is expanding its seasonal hiring, seeking hundreds of holiday positions now. Pay ranges from $16 to 17.50 per hour.
To assist potential candidates for the positions, three distribution centers will stage Holiday Jobs Open Houses on Friday, October 12. Postal officials will be on hand to answer questions and guide applicants through the online job application process. Those sites are:
- Providence Main Post Office and Mail Processing and Distribution Center, 24 Corliss Street, from 10 am to 2 pm
- Southern Connecticut Processing and Distribution Center, 24 Research Parkway in Wallingford, from 10 am to 2 pm
- North Reading Mail Processing Center located on 76 Main Street will be the focus of a hiring event in the Boston Mail Processing Center, 25 Dorchester Avenue, on Friday from 1 pm to 2:30 pm
Postal officials indicate that the Southern Connecticut processing center is seeking 275 seasonal hires while Providence is looking for an additional 140 workers. In New Hampshire, the Nashua Logistics and Distribution Center at 10 Celina Avenue is still looking to book more than 220 workers for the holiday period. No hiring event is planned for that location yet, postal officials note.
Hiring events are held before the actual work of a seasonal postal employee begins.
“You can sign up this week and report to work after Veterans Day,” explained the acting Manager of the Providence Mail Processing and Distribution Center, Lawrence Crosby. “This is strictly inside work, working evenings and nights, in the prime holiday processing season. Someone looking for extra holiday cash, a short-term second job or students who need income for next semester are some of the people we hope to see.”
A holiday jobs event held on Columbus Day in Springfield MA at the Postal Service’s Network Distribution Center netted 118 applicants which, when paired with online applications through the usps.com/careers site, puts that facility at about the halfway mark to reaching a goal of 500 holiday workers for the coming season.
Attendance at a job fair is not required but does provide personal contacts who can address questions and concerns that many applicants may have.
During a work day, tasks for seasonal postal employees may include loading and unloading trucks, sorting large packages or sacks by hand, moving equipment or sorting bundles or packages by ZIP Code. Seasonal employees also receive paid training to learn functions of their work and how to use postal scanning equipment.
Work assignments include evenings and nights, up to six days a week, for the prime Christmas mailing period that runs November 10 through January 4.
“Some of our seasonal workers return for the holiday period for years and some have found a pathway to permanent postal employment through the contacts they have made here as well,” added John Wezenski, the Senior Plant Manager for the Connecticut Valley District which includes the Wallingford-based Southern Connecticut Processing Center as well processing centers in Hartford and Stamford.
Postal officials note applicants must meet these minimum requirements:
· 18 Years at time of appointment
· US citizen or permanent resident
· Ability to pass criminal background check, medical assessment and drug screen
· Registered with Selective Service, if applicable
Lifting up to 70 pounds and working holidays is to be expected.
Those interested in applying who cannot attend an Open House are encouraged to use the Postal Service’s website at www.usps.com/careers. Postings for all positions across New England are placed on this site and are updated regularly. Candidates for employment are encouraged to monitor the site by state.