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USPS accused of retaliation and harassment after employee raised racism allegations

Carla Vinson, who worked for the USPS for 26 years, says she endured ‘intimidation and bullying’ after reporting two white co-workers who allegedly used racial slurs.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is facing accusations of retaliation, harassment and intimidation from a longtime employee who alleges she experienced racism on the job.

Carla Thomas Vinson has worked for the USPS in Gainesville, Florida, for about 26 years. Everything changed last February.

Vinson, who is African American, overheard two white colleagues in conversation. Both used racial slurs, according to Vinson and a legal filing submitted by the USPS – which one of them would later repeat to her, directly, when recounting the exchange.

In an interview with the Guardian, Vinson claimed she had been subjected to “stalking, intimidation, bullying” after she complained about the incident. “I feel as though a company that I have invested so many years in has failed me,” she said.

The USPS declined to comment. “It is USPS policy not to comment on pending litigation or internal personnel matters,” a spokesperson said.

The postal service has endured a string of crises in recent years, as it grappled with financial issues and declines in mail volume. Louis DeJoy, a former trucking logistics CEO and prolific fundraiser for Donald Trump with no prior postal service experience, became postmaster general in 2020; his plans for reform have faced criticism amid claims of slower deliveries.

Inside the postal service, meanwhile, employees have raised the alarm over alleged workplace misconduct.

People of color represent more than half its workforce, which it wants to “represent the diverse communities we serve”, according to its website. But for years, it has faced allegations of racism in its ranks.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com