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Maloney, Connolly Seek Briefing from Postmaster General DeJoy on Alarming Number of Coronavirus Deaths and Infections Suffered by Postal Workers

Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy seeking a briefing on whether the Postal Service is effectively mitigating coronavirus infections across its workforce and to press the Postmaster General to more transparently report on employee infections and deaths. 

 

“We are writing to request a briefing about alarmingly high numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths suffered by postal workers during this pandemic,” the Chairs wrote.  “We also request that you take proactive steps to provide greater transparency and more effective mitigation of the health risks faced by the postal workforce.”

 

According to the Washington Post, “coronavirus infections among postal staff have spiked.”  The article continued, “More than 16,000 employees are under quarantine this week after testing positive for the coronavirus or coming in contact with someone who had.”    

 

Postmaster DeJoy also admitted recently that the Postal Service lost 119 postal workers to coronavirus and more than 14,000 employees have contracted coronavirus nationwide. 

 

On November 20, 2020, the Postal Service Inspector General found that the Postal Service was falling short on its implementation of preventive and treatment measures for its workforce.

 

Chairs Maloney and Connolly requested the Postmaster General provide a briefing no later than March 1, 2021 on these troubling reports, his efforts to provide greater transparency about the toll of the pandemic on the Postal Service, and his progress on implementing recommendations from the Inspector General. 

 

Click  here to read the letter to Postmaster General DeJoy.

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