IRVINGTON, NJ — No matter what the weather conditions, Irvington Letter Carrier Edward Fitz comes to work when scheduled. He was recently recognized at a special December 3 ceremony at the Irvington Post Office on Springfield Avenue by senior postal officials and union representatives for his near perfect attendance and earning more than 4,000 hours of sick leave in his 38 years and 11 months of postal employment.  

In addition to his coworkers, among those on hand to acknowledge Mr. Fitz’s dedication were U.S. Postal Service Northern New Jersey District Manager Michael Deignan, Acting Newark Postmaster Silvia Glover, and National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 38 President Michael O’Neill.

Full-time career postal employees earn four hours of sick leave for each full biweekly pay period. Sick leave insures postal employees against loss of pay if they are incapacitated for the performance of duties because of illness, injury, pregnancy and confinement, and medical examination or treatment.

“On behalf of the 14,000 employees in the Northern New Jersey District and the customers we serve every day here in Irvington, I want to thank Ed for achieving this major milestone in his career and recognize him for his exemplary commitment and dedication to the United States Postal Service,” said Northern New Jersey District Manager Michael Deignan.  

Edward Fitz began his postal career in January 1981. William F. Bolger was the Postmaster General at the time. Almost 39 years and nine postmasters general later, Edward Fitz has banked more than 4,000 sick leave. The Irvington letter carrier called out sick only once in his entire career. By his own reckoning, his daily work schedule over the last 38+ years included 228 snow days and 456 rain days. 

In his acceptance remarks, the affable Fitz expressed his appreciation, recognized his coworkers, extolled the benefits of postal employment, emphasized the value of saving sick leave, and shared some interesting facts to put 4,000 hour of sick leave into perspective.

The Irvington carrier said 4,000 hours sick leave equals 500 work days. It means 1,000 paychecks without calling out sick. Fitz emphasized you can even work 38 consecutive years without calling out sick and not reach 4,000 hours.

###