Anthony Puccio is about to reach two impressive career milestones with USPS.
The New York City letter carrier marked 60 years as a postal employee in December. He’s also on track to soon have almost 4,200 hours of accumulated sick leave.
“I’ve been blessed with relatively good health,” said Puccio, who only uses his leave when he’s ill.
He’s been careful not to fall into bad routines.
“There were mornings I didn’t feel like coming in, but I told myself not to get into that habit because it’s contagious,” he said.
Puccio has served the same route — a nine-building housing development in East Harlem — for his entire career.
“I’ve had opportunities to advance, but I felt I could do more good being in the streets,” he said.
Puccio said he encourages his co-workers to also be mindful of their attendance.
“When the new ones come in, I tell them to think about their retirement now,” he said, adding that he has “seen a lot of people abuse their sick leave, and when something happens, they have no time.”
Colleagues appreciate Puccio’s work ethic.
“He is at work like clockwork — every day at 5 a.m.,” said Customer Services Supervisor Madeline Biaggi. “He always instills knowledge to all the carriers and myself as well.”
Puccio said there’s a key success at the Postal Service.
“You have to enjoy what you’re doing,” he said.
“When the new ones come in, I tell them to think about their retirement now,”
When is this going going to think about HIS retirement? Working for peanuts and blowing what little time we have on this Earth by working this old. I guess he has no other life.
We have a MH at our P&DC who’s been here since ’74. He’s exhausted all his SL…so he’s been paid about 2 and a half years for calling out over the course of his career.
In today’s wages that would be $150,000 worth of compensation!!!… that SOB knew how to game the system.
Could of had a cheap Chinese Retirement Watch by now. Hey, if you like what you do, then keep on doing it. Just keep your breaks to 15 minutes and 30 minute Lunches. You don’t want to cheat the PO. Right!
A carrier that starts at 5am, really!!!!!!!! fake news. Our district starts at 8:30 and later, management prefers we deliver in the dark, so we have an excuse for all the misdelivered mail
Hey, congrats Tony! Obviously, it ain’t about the money for him! He enjoys the job, nothing wrong with that. His choice to continue working, so enjoy Tony!.
With 60 years of service, it looks like Tony used 2040 hours of sick leave during his career.He used on average 34 hours of sick leave a year. He should be considered an abuser.
Some things are more important to some people than money. It seems like his work ethic is more important to him than getting more money out of the USPS. That’s admirable!
Can someone please talk to this man. He is loosing thousands of dollars in retirement. He is indeed making less than 5.00 per hour.
I had two years of sick leave accumulated at age 56. On my 56th birthday I went on sick leave for a year. Nothing wrong with me. Now let’s say your salary was 50,000. That one year I stayed home was worth 50,000 to me. Plus a years annual and another years sick leave plus 11 holidays Plus another year towards retirement. Lets say I retired with that years sick leave. I’d get another 2 percent to my retirement or 1000 dollars a year more. I’d have to live fifty years to get back in retirement what I got by using my sick leave.
A true Living Legend.
Responsible for getting more co workers sick at work than any other carrier in the country. Good job.
Post Office will probably give him a pin worth about 3 dollars.
God blessed this fellow with strength.
Unfortunately sir, you are working now for $5.00 an hour or so. With your 82% of your high three years, your pension should be in the $50,000/yr range.
It’s admirable you have such dedication, but you may be giving the USPS most of your pension, even with a survivor benefit.
Good luck.
Think of this ever since he hit his 41 years 11 months (CSRS MAX) the amount towards his retirement which they take out every pay period is frozen into an account plus interest, then upon retirement he will get paid out for every pay period since then so do the math and this man will be a very lucky man. 19 years times 26 pay periods plus interest could be close to 50 grand they will owe him. If you don’t believe me read the CSRS retirement handbook.
God bless you Tony. This man knew my grand parents Elmore and Evelyn Williams, my granddad had the dog that loved everyone and everyone loved, Queenie. I bet Tony remembers her. They raised my brother David and myself Denise in 2369 1st ave where Tony later on met our children.
His picture should be under the slogan rain, snow, sleet or hail. I am so happy God has blessed you with good health and you are still around! Love, hugs and kisses!
To bad, he will not get his money out of that sick leave, should have retired years ago, and enjoyed Life,
“You have to enjoy what you’re doing,” he said.
So he’s the one, must have good drugs.