Worker Shortage Leaves Eatontown Residents Without Mail For Days

EATONTOWN, NJ — Some Eatontown and Tinton Falls residents have gone days without mail Friday. The local post office has faced a worker shortage associated with the coronavirus pandemic, but it has residents and politicians looking for solutions.

Mail carriers have performed a difficult but essential job during the pandemic. But their absence can leave residents without important mail, such as documents from the Department of Labor and health providers.

"I understand we are flexing our available resources to match the workload created by the impacts of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic," said Ray V. Daiutolo Sr., a U.S. Postal Service spokesperson. "We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis."

Daiutolo understands the situation in Eatontown is improving, he told Patch. He added that the worker shortage is "not related to budget issues."

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Three members of the state legislature urged Congressman Chris Smith and Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez to work with USPS on a solution.

"It is critical—and even more so in the midst of a pandemic—that our residents can rely on the USPS to deliver their correspondence," said the letter, dated Monday, from State Senator Vin Gopal, Assemblyman Eric J. Houghtaling and Assemblywoman Joann L. Downey.

The post office in zip code 07724, serves parts of both Eatontown and Tinton Falls.

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