In June of 2020, the Postmaster General position was taken over by Louis Dejoy. With the shift in leadership, the United States Postal Service experienced a series of shocks and changes, ultimately causing a series of unfortunate ramifications. The changes made to the USPS system not only delay the shipment of vital prescription medications but have also greatly affected small businesses.

          So, what changes did Dejoy make to the United States Postal Service? Dejoy made policy changes which had the effect of limiting late deliveries, and diminishing overtime pay. These shifts have resulted in copious delays within the system. The changes made have attracted criticisms from both lawmakers and customers alike.

          One story that best encapsulates the negative effects of the changes to the USPS is the tale of NobleSpirit. NobelSpirit is a small business based in New Hampshire owned by Joe Cortese. Cortese has noticed that the sales of his company have significantly diminished since Dejoy seized leadership of the USPS. Cortese reported that “packages that would take two, three, or four days were literally taking three weeks, even four weeks.” He cites this as the cause for his company’s recent reduction in sales. He believes that the delay in shipment has made customers concerned and weary about making a purchase.

          Another business owner reflected similar concerns about the negative effects companies will feel. Joseph Cobb, the owner of a company called Cobb Co. Tech & Hobby, fears that the holiday season’s uptick in package orders will lead to many more problems. In a statement, Cobb said “my biggest concern is customers will place orders at the beginning of December, and they will be told they won’t get it until after Christmas, and all those orders will get refunded.” He continued to say that “ a lot of people just associate the retailer as the source of the problem, and the customer notes a bad review about the seller, not the shipper.” Cobb’s statement rings true for many small businesses.

          But beyond business, the changes to the USPS can have a significantly negative impact on many other facets of society. There are many concerns about the fate of mail in ballots for the approaching election. If the USPS cannot be trusted to deliver packages on time, how will mail in ballots be affected? It is important for our democracy and economy for the problems associated with USPS to be amended soon.