US Postal Service hiring 40,000 seasonal workers for 2021 holidays

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Postal Service is hiring more than 40,000 seasonal workers in preparation for the 2021 holiday season as the agency and other shipping companies anticipate another record year. 

Seasonal opportunities include city and rural mail carriers, mail handlers and drivers. Those interested can apply online at usps.com/hiring and see open positions in their community.

The agency is also hosting 58 hiring fairs in cities across the U.S. where interested individuals can immediately apply for opportunities. Pre-registration, social distancing and face masks are required to attend.

"Our entire organization is focused on delivering a successful holiday season," CEO and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement. "To make this happen, we need great people to join us to deliver for our local communities and our nation."

FILE - Priority Mail packages await shipment at the Indianapolis Mail Processing Annex on Dec. 15, 2014, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

DeJoy said a seasonal role can often lead to a career with U.S. Postal Service, which offers "competitive compensation packages" and on-the-job training for employees. 

As the agency readies for the 2021 peak holiday season, USPS said it’s also leasing millions of additional square feet of mail and package sorting facilities and installing new processing equipment to accommodate higher mail and package volumes.

UPS also announced last week that it plans to hire 100,000 seasonal employees for another "record peak holiday season." The shipping and delivery company is looking for full- and part-time package handlers, drivers, driver helpers and personal vehicle drivers.

UPS expects the crush of holiday orders to begin as early as October and last through January 2022.

"With COVID-19 continuing to impact Americans, our services are more important than ever," Nando Cesarone, UPS president of U.S. operations, said in a statement.

Last winter as the U.S. faced a winter surge of COVID-19 cases, both UPS and FedEx ramped up their staff to get ahead of the holiday rush when more consumers were relying on online shopping than ever before.

This story was reported from Cincinnati.