Canada Post wants your medical history
Posted August 14, 2014 6:39 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – You might have to fork over a doctor’s note if you’ve told Canada Post you won’t be able to pick up your mail when home delivery is phased out soon.
The crown corporation has started sending out questionnaires and is asking for medical information from anyone who says they are physically unable to get their mail from a community box and in some cases doctors’ notes will be required.
The crown corporation is calling it a “personal approach” because there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Canada Post says it’s looking at different options for different individuals and that includes everything from continued home delivery to adjusting mailbox heights and access.
The company’s John Hamilton says they will also consult disabled and senior organizations. “What they told us loud and clear is that there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach, you need to be able to tailor your solutions to an individual’s circumstances. The information will help us have a conversation and figure out what makes the most sense for those people who may face challenges when we convert [to community boxes].”
The phasing out of urban home mail delivery starts next year and is expected to be completed by 2019.
“We’ve dedicated a group that will handle all the discussions and make sure the information is kept private, but also to have conversation and understand. To tailor assistance to an individual you have to have an understanding of that individual’s circumstances. We start with a questionnaire but it’s the conversation after that where we find something that makes sense. Our goal is to make sure everyone continues to have access to their mail,” adds Hamilton.
Last December, the national mail service announced it would be making cuts because of rising costs and falling mail volumes that had made it difficult for the company to continue with normal operations.
Between 6,000 to 8,000 positions will be eliminated over the next few years, while the company expects up to 15,000 workers to either retire or to leave the crown corporation on their own.
