Tipping your garbage guys and mail delivery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we tip the garbage men. They leave a little slip in our mailbox in case we want to tip. They ask that we mail the tip not tape it on the garage cans (due to theft). They specifically state that they cannot accept alcohol.

This leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I'd honestly be less inclined to tip.

We're in MoCo and our garbage men do a wonderful job. They haven't ever left envelopes, thank goodness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not tip government employees, and would certainly not expect a tip if I were a government employee. I realize fully that the person delivering my mail is a real live woman with children who does a good job (in rain and sleet, etc etc), and who would probably gratefully accept a tip at Christmas time. I just can't do it. I cannot give any tip (even cookies) to a person who has taken a job in the public sector. I absolutely believe there should be a training at every application session for the public sector, "Why you cannot ever accept even something SEEMING like a tip from the people you serve." I don't think you should take a job in the public sector if you don't understand the importance of providing equal service to everyone and that a tip (in any form) corrupts the system.

The USPS is now a private company. (If that changes anything for you.)

No it is not. It is a self-funding Government agency. Carriers are not allowed to accept tips (I'm not saying everyone follows the rules) They can accept items that can be shared with fellow employees (cookies).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, you people suck. I tip because I want to show my appreciation for a job well done. I don't care whether it's public/private, $24K/$240K. I'm grateful for all these people who make my day a little easier.

Wow. You are unable to think through the bigger argument about public servants receiving tips. They make your day easier because it's a public sector purchase paid for by your taxes. If you think they deserve more, lobby for their salary increases. If you think one particular employee deserves more, write to the post office/dept of sanitation and express your gratitude. I'm sure that will go farther to achieve what you want than your tip.

I'm pretty convinced none of you have ever lived outside the United States (or, apparently, read about a country outside the United States). Because you are unable to think through the broader ethical argument about corruption, you think people suck.

Actually princess, not only was I born abroad but I spent the first decade of my life in Europe. And I find tipping's a lot easier than lobbying last time I checked. I don't see how tipping my mailman or garbage collector is corruption. It's my way of thanking them and enjoying this time of year but you have fun with your mug o' bitters! Do rooms turn colder when you enter them?

[Anonymous]

So sad. Not only do we tip our mailperson and garbage people, but in the summer when it's hotter than the surface of the sun, we offer them a soda. It's called being human. These people do their jobs regardless of the weather condition and they are required to be OUTSIDE almost the whole time. Yes, we all go to work, yes we all do our jobs. Have a little space in your heart for the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY. JEEZ PEOPLE!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So sad. Not only do we tip our mailperson and garbage people, but in the summer when it's hotter than the surface of the sun, we offer them a soda. It's called being human. These people do their jobs regardless of the weather condition and they are required to be OUTSIDE almost the whole time. Yes, we all go to work, yes we all do our jobs. Have a little space in your heart for the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY. JEEZ PEOPLE!!

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

If anyone is interested in actual wage data for occupations discussed, for the DC Metro area....

"Garbage men" in this area seem to be making more than the $24,000 everyone is spouting. Not saying $36,440 is a whole lot, but just thought I'd throw some actual figures into the mix courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.



Area: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division
Period: May 2009
Occupation (SOC code) Employment(1) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage(2)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education(252011) 8700 14.65 $30470
Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary School(252041) 4340 (4)- $72170
Child Care Workers(399011) 6070 11.87 $24700
Postal Service Mail Carriers(435052) 5010 23.86 $49630
Parking Lot Attendants(536021) 3730 10.17 $21150
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors(537081) 2180 17.52 $36440
Footnotes:
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by 2,080 hours; where an hourly mean wage is not published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(4) Wages for some occupations that do not generally work year-round, full time, are reported either as hourly wages or annual salaries depending on how they are typically paid.
SOC code: Standard Occupational Classification code -- see http://www.bls.gov/soc/home.htm

Summary data for Refuse Collectors, in particular, is available here:
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes537081.htm

[Anonymous]

Well let's see...today I took my kids to a class, when I got home, the trash had been picked up and the trash cans were thrown across the end of the driveway on their side so that I had to get out of the car and move them before I could pull in. But, they were kind enough to tape their tipping instructions to one of the cans. I think I'll pass.

The mailman, who is always friendly to me and my kids, will be getting a nice bottle of wine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well let's see...today I took my kids to a class, when I got home, the trash had been picked up and the trash cans were thrown across the end of the driveway on their side so that I had to get out of the car and move them before I could pull in. But, they were kind enough to tape their tipping instructions to one of the cans. I think I'll pass.

The mailman, who is always friendly to me and my kids, will be getting a nice bottle of wine.

Yeah, I'm sure the wind had nothing to do with it today. Not at all.

[Anonymous]

My mailman does, indeed, work for the govt. In fact, when they didn't need him and his military buddies in the Navy Yard anymore, they gave them an option of 'wait and see if we can find you something else with the Navy' or 'be a postal worker'. I kid you not. And we both get paid from DFAS and USPS benefit plans are posted on OPM's web site. Yup, federal employees.

I'm perplexed about the garbage men. Where we live, there are 3 sets of trucks - paper recycling, glass/plastic/metal recycling, and then trash. How I would even go about finding them (they come anywhere from 4am until 9am) and giving them their tips just perplexes me.

[Anonymous]

We have a lot of international folks on this board. I'd be interested in hearing what you do in your home countries. I hear tipping is largely an American custom. True?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If anyone is interested in actual wage data for occupations discussed, for the DC Metro area....

"Garbage men" in this area seem to be making more than the $24,000 everyone is spouting. Not saying $36,440 is a whole lot, but just thought I'd throw some actual figures into the mix courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.



Area: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division
Period: May 2009
Occupation (SOC code) Employment(1) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage(2)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education(252011) 8700 14.65 $30470
Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary School(252041) 4340 (4)- $72170
Child Care Workers(399011) 6070 11.87 $24700
Postal Service Mail Carriers(435052) 5010 23.86 $49630
Parking Lot Attendants(536021) 3730 10.17 $21150
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors(537081) 2180 17.52 $36440
Footnotes:
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by 2,080 hours; where an hourly mean wage is not published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(4) Wages for some occupations that do not generally work year-round, full time, are reported either as hourly wages or annual salaries depending on how they are typically paid.
SOC code: Standard Occupational Classification code -- see http://www.bls.gov/soc/home.htm

Summary data for Refuse Collectors, in particular, is available here:
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes537081.htm

$36k. Wow. Yes, I will make sure I give a bigger tip this year.

Meanwhile we have a thread explaining why people can't make it here on $250k a year.

Thank you for this info. I will make sure all my neighbors know - most of us assumed they made way more money than this.

[Anonymous]

Funny this was posted, about a week or so ago we got our Sun. WaPo and in it was a holiday card from the carrier and an envelope w/ a stamp w/ his name/address on it, so he's basically asking for a tip! We only get the Sun. paper and we don't have extra $$ to tip everyone. In this economy I think he's not gonna get much this year.