BrownCafe

A local community outreach program headed by a UPS worker named James Joseph, but who is widely known as ‘Big Brown,’ will be leading coronavirus relief efforts that are set to begin Friday, July 10.

Big Brown Reaching Back announced Wednesday that it received a donation of 6,000 masks and will be delivering the protective gear throughout the state.

In addition to this, the organization will provide local schools with up to 350 masks as well as a $1,200 check to assist in the purchasing of school supplies.

Dive Brief:

• An employee’s demotion wasn’t retaliation because, among other factors, it took place almost a year after the employee engaged in protected conduct, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled (Williams v. United Parcel Service, Inc., No. 19-1004 (9th Cir., June 29, 2020)).
• Cedric Williams worked for UPS as a labor manager, representing the company in grievance proceedings. After alleged performance deficiencies, he was placed on a performance improvement plan and eventually demoted; he sued, claiming race discrimination and retaliation. He argued that his previous participation in a race discrimination grievance proceeding was the real reason for his demotion, noting that the ultimate decision makers — an HR director and district president — knew about that protected activity.

A former UPS employee is seeking more than $1 million in her suit against the company claiming she was discriminated and retaliated against for taking medical leave because of her disability.

Alicia Thomas filed a complaint July1 in Harris County District Court against United Parcel Service Inc., alleging violation of the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act for disability discrimination.

Thomas worked for UPS from Oct. 17, 2017, through Aug. 15, 2019 when she alleges in her suit that she was wrongfully terminated. Thomas has a “seizure disorder” which causes her to have vertigo and claims that she has required medical leave because of the disability.

If you’ve been waiting weeks — or even longer — for UPS to deliver your packages, you are not alone. Hundreds of unhappy UPS customers have been lining up at distribution centers in recent days trying to find packages that are lost, unaccounted for, and long overdue. Complaints are pouring in to 7 On Your Side.

7 On Your Side has been hearing from viewers around the Bay Area desperate to get their deliveries — some as crucial as life-saving medicine. And in many cases, UPS can’t say where their items are or when they’ll be delivered.

The line is long outside the UPS distribution center in Oakland — customers hoping to find their missing packages.