New members - Commonly asked questions.

(Repost from thread I made earlier)


Hello, I am a loader and I have a few questions:
  1. When UPS says I receive health benefits after a year, do they mean a year from my hire date (1 full calendar year including weekends), or 365 working days (assuming no leap year)?
  2. How do I obtain a copy of my contract? I would like to understand the full extent of my rights on the job and from the research I have done, I get conflicting information. For example, I see some people saying "RTS" is meaningless and others insisting "RTS" on every document given by management.
  3. I know that I should be keeping records of my hours worked, but what other things should I be documenting and how?
  4. Are missed salts weighted more severely than normal misloads?
Thank you for your time.
 
My apologies, in this context, I mean "Refused to Sign".

My confusion stems from:
  1. some people who claim that signing RTS is meaningless and
  2. another group of people who claim that you must RTS everything management wants you to sign.
 
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UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
My apologies, in this context, I mean "Refused to Sign".

My confusion stems from:
  1. some people who claim that signing RTS is meaningless and
  2. another group of people who claim that you must RTS everything management wants you to sign.

RTS is meaningless and may actually work against you if you were at a disciplinary hearing and the company produced a stack of documents which you had written RTS on each one as it would have shown an unfavorable pattern.
 

NewjackNY

New Member
Re: For all new members, a help page

Interview Package Handle

Also If you are wondering about the Tour/Interview processes you will be taken on a tour of the facility. The person will describe the job to you. It is a hard job for the pay and they will ask you what makes you want to continue the processes. If you do not like what you are seeing or hearing you can leave. After the tour is done they will take everyone with you to a room and talk about the benefits seniority and all the in and outs of the job. After this you will be called in one by one to get some basic information. Such as are you a student what brought your attention at a job at UPS. What are you looking for in this job. After this you will be told that you will get a call or to come back another day for a second interview. If you are told you will be called and are not do not feel bad call them yourself. When I was contacted by Human Ressources and was not able to reach them back I kept calling them 2 or more times a day trying to get in contact with someone. This shows them that you are persistent about getting a job. Second interview will be like the end part of the first one where they will ask you why are you interested if you are a student if you have reliable transportation. If everything goes well here they will tell you to come back for the third time here you will need to bring you Drivers Licence and Social Security card. At this time they will tell you when you training will start.

Work Wear

You will need a hard toe shoe not necessarily a steel toe but not a tennis shoe because if one of those packages falls on your foot it will hurt. This is also what the HR people told me is a must from what I have seen people to wear tennis shoes but imagine you are told to wear a safety shoe/boots and you show up in tennis shoes to your training. Also invest in a pair of gloves Mechanics brand gloves are great and I recommend them to all. They are 20$ tho but gloves will keep your hands from drying out and will also help you grip the boxes.


Best of Luck
Iggy
By the way at this time im still not an employee but will start on the 8th.
Hello all, I'm brand new, I just passed my road test today. How many days a week do new drivers get, are Saturdays O/T, or do you get another day off during the week.
Thanks for your help!
 

silenze

Lunch is the best part of the day
Hello all, I'm brand new, I just passed my road test today. How many days a week do new drivers get, are Saturdays O/T, or do you get another day off during the week.
Thanks for your help!
7 days in a week. Been that way my whole life.
 
Hey everybody. I'm a new member here and sort-of new to UPS, so I figured it couldn't hurt to tell my story.

I worked peak for 3 years before being hired Feb 1st this year.

For peak, always try to get hired as close to the beginning of the month as you can. I interviewed late Oct, but was hired Nov 1st that year, and it upped my weekly bonus from 150 to 275.

I was asked simple questions. Why I want the job. If I have anything in the way of 9am to 9pm as driver helper, or 8pm to 8am if I wanted seasonal indoor work (which I wasn't offered until my 2nd peak, but you sure can apply for seasonal package handler not seasonal driver helper). I always liked driver helper. It's a job that will always hire you. If you're internal and learn unload and scanning or loading or splitting and just right out the gate good, you're more likely to get or keep your job at the end of the season.

If you can show up every day that's great. If you can't, having the drivers cell number for meet up helps. I always get mine in the first three days or week. If I ever had a family matter or unexpected day, I'd let my driver know the second I knew so they could expect a cover helper as you hope and pray they go to bat for you to keep you on.

If you have a decent driver, listen to what they are saying. They don't talk to just talk. Get yourself 3 points of contact entering and exiting the truck and if it's icy hang on until you have solid footing. Walking in snow is easier than walking on ice. Bring a sack lunch and appropriate gear (a change of clothes never hurts but keep in your car). You'll be parking and meeting at the same destination every day so secure your valuables and make sure you don't get towed. If it's snowing hard enough that the plows will tow you, have your driver call the center manager. They can't just stop their route. But at that point they'll likely be pulled off the road but still.

If you are a good worker, your driver will likely keep you. Having a steady driver through peak means steady pay and all bonuses. You won't be working in January, but call every single day until the 15th or whenever your contract ends. Always speak to the helper dispatcher. He or she will know your name and what time you call every day. Meeting them a few times and learning their name is a plus. You might work that hub or center again. At the end of the day remember you're replaceable. Last year, people who didn't call every day of January didn't get their 1500 bonus. I saw a grown man break down in tears in the parking lot.

It is temporary work. But if you have a shred of labor intensity and commitment in you, it is doable and easy. If you treat your driver right and aren't completely daft, he or she may teach you basic functions on the DIAD. This makes your days go quicker.

Anything after 5 hours is overtime, but milking the clock during peak will have you passed around by a few drivers and suddenly you have no work. Listen to all safety and tips and advice the driver gives you. They are not talking for the sake of talking. These things will help you become a better worker, again; putting you a step ahead should you pursue the company. Never leave on a bad note thinking you'll come back next year. It might be a new peak but it's the same people, and names and faces are remembered either for good or for bad. They also have the option to flag you as no rehire.

Get ready to be in shape. If you can safely jog it, do it. Don't be a sissy. And don't whine. Don't talk about your personal life or complain about UPS. Especially when your driver has to concentrate, aka, all the time. Don't obstruct his or her view. If you don't know how to help someone back a large vehicle in, don't bother trying to help.

Onto the next..

You wanna work at UPS after peak? Good luck. There's a crowd of seasonals looking to get in. My first two years I didn't get in despite having 15 years in shipping and warehouse businesses.

It took 2 weeks for me to be cleaned out of the system so I could reapply as a part timer. Half of what you're told during the interview likely isn't true. So, join the union and read your contract when you get it.

Join upsers.com with your employee ID number located on your paycheck. This is where you'll get a lot of information and more importantly, the internal job posting board. As a current worker you're a step above anyone off the street.

Management folks aren't your friends. The less information you can give them the better. Always think of things as to how they could be used against you for discipline. I've seen some people disqualified (fired before first 30) for being disingenuous idiots. You're not gonna win anyone's heart until you prove you're a hard worker. Don't just say you are; be the hard worker you know you can be. Don't call out or be late before your seniority (70 working days in first 180). When HR asked you what commitments you have, they wanted an honest answer. Save your frequent callouts for later when they can't fire you. Generally, don't be a :censored2:up.

You can't change shifts or hubs until you reach your seniority. That being said, expect six months to be in that position. I've heard of people with 65 days being dragged out on hours until their last week of work to get their 70.

Expect to wash cars. Expect to do the stuff no one wants to do. Listen when instructed. This is incredibly important. You'll be lucky to get 2 minutes training out of anyone, so listen to what they say and learn the "UPS way", aka, how they're gonna ask you to work when safety auditors and OSHA come in.

Make friends. Yeah, none of us came to work to make pals, but your coworkers are the ones who are going to help you the most. Learn how to do things to the best of your ability. Find out who's been there the longest or ask who can help with basic questions, and go from there. I still buy my "mentor" a coffee every Friday.

The second you can learn about the union, do it. Contact them or stop by and at least put a name to your face. They will be the ones who save your job when UPS makes an error.

Try and learn as many positions as you can. If you only know how to do one job, you'll be the last to be called in if there are callouts. Learn the cars, learn belt, learn unloading and scanning. If you have a position that doesn't give you a workout, hit the gym as a work investment. Nothing will ever prepare you for unloading trailers for 6 hours and then air and probably some package cars.

If you're unloading, be nice to your scanner. If you're scanning, help out other scanners. Work as a team on the belt. It makes everybody's jobs easier. They will thank you for it and make your life easier, and since people talk.. well, you get it. Don't skimp on cleaning trucks. Everyone will hear it. You get paid the same and it's easy. So just do it. Washing cars is a luxury compared to unloading trailers in 45m, especially trailers that are all over 70 up to 200lbs and irregular shaped.

Go to morning safety if you have it. As far as I know it's not mandatory, but it'll help you both as a person and make you ready for when management jumps on you for 8 keys of lifting and lowering. Fail safety quizzes enough you'll get booted. Learn how they want you to do it, not how they actually want you to do it.

I hope this isn't the blind leading the blind. A few peaks helped me learn organizing cars which you're not supposed to do as a driver helper, but may, and it helped me a lot. Just telling that and a few other safety things and odds and ends got me 2 dollars above starting. It matters.

No drug test for seasonal helpers or part time package handler. Here, anyway.

Work hard enough within reason and stay safe. Learn things. Work hard so you and other workers share the load. Picking up someone's slack gets old. People talk.

Hope this helps. This has been my experience thus far.

* Edit: Never drug tested during 3 peaks or for rehire. We live in a legal state, but during the first interview before a tour of the facility, you'll be told they follow federal law. UPS has a 5 to 10% retention rate. They aren't gonna test 10 people to save 1 who may end up quitting and having to start the whole thing all over again.
 
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armyvet

Active Member
Hello! I'm a new hire "casual" driver and have a quick question. I am about to go to some training facility here in upstate New York, and I am wondering if its difficult and what should I expect? Thanks.
 

burrheadd

KING Of GIFS
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Does anyone know what its like to work at the Tinton Falls NJ hub??
 

Avi

Member
Re: For all new members, a help page



Totally agree.
At our center, tennis shoes are prohibited.

The advice I would give regarding shoes is after you find out what is approved footwear for your facility, is if its at all possible..give yourself some time to break those shoes/boots in before your first day on the job. Your feet will thank you.
They may write me up constantly if i worked there. i like wearing my running shoes if i am active or moving around
 

Stovy4x4ing

Green Ranger
Love the terminator gift.

Hi y all. New guy. Recently had my info interview last. 3 other people were in it.

How does ups determine or what do they look for in new hires ? I've been working for GP for three last 6 years. Looking for a chance. My current job is a forklift driver. It's a super fast pace job. Either you keep up or fall behind. Time managment is key. Lol. Anyways glad to know you all.

Locates in Green Bay , wi
 
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