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UPS work injuries: The 21st Century’s Version of Salt Mines

Written by jeffreyhoward on . Posted in Coffee Talk, North Carolina Law Blog.

I have represented many, many UPS employees in workers’ compensation claims.  Like many, I had always heard about how awesome the pay was for UPS workers, but it wasn’t until I started handling these on-the-job injury claims that I realized what a dangerous job these folks have.

The drivers have a reputation for being very well paid, but there’s a reason.  They are under extreme pressure to be on time and they are doing a myriad of tasks:  driving, navigating, getting in the truck, getting out of the truck, opening the door/closing the door, picking up little boxes, picking up big boxes, walking up stairs, dodging dogs…you name it.  There’s no end to the way they can get hurt.  What I see most are back injuries and dog bites.  It’s very likely that a back injury will end your career in that business.

The guys in the warehouses slinging boxes are normally waiting for a driver position to open up so they can get a piece of that pie.  But in a way they are trading up for a more dangerous job.  The repetitive lifting leads to many injuries in their warehouse duties and puts a lot of wear and tear on their bodies.  Then when they get on a truck, they are more likely to be injured.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-court-pregnant-ups-20150325-story.html

Here is a story about a pregnant woman who wasn’t accommodated during her pregnancy during her time at UPS.  It’s a California case that went to the Supreme Court.  Without weighing in too much on the legal analysis, this is an example of how UPS often treats its employees.  If they won’t take it easy on a pregnant lady, how do you think they treat the other workers? I know from personal experience how unfairly they treat their workers, regardless of pay.  It would be nice if they would recognize how much money they are making on the backs of these hard workers, but like many businesses, they see these workers as just another commodity, and when one falls, there’s another one waiting to take his or her place.

If you are injured at work, you should seek an attorney’s advice immediately.

Call me: 919-929-2992.