How UPS Has Supported Me as an Employee With a Disability

For the past six years I have been working at UPS. It all started in September of 2011 when I applied to be an intern in the Human Resources department. It started slowly at first. I filled in spreadsheets, sat in on interviews and gained experience sitting at the front desk. There were no guarantees I would remain on the job, as I interned on and off for a period of over six months. At first it was disheartening. I really wanted a stable place to work, and I wasn’t sure I was going to get it. However, after I prayed to the Job Gods that I would get hired and waited patiently — the key word being “patiently” — I got hired in June of 2012. I was hired on as a part time supervisor, which required a multitude of duties that I will explain
later.

The Chicagoland Regional College Program allows people who want to work at UPS to earn $10.35 an hour while getting the chance to attend two classes per semester. They have to achieve at least a 2.0 GPA and work the night or sunrise shifts. The sunrise shift hours are 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. while the night hours are 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. The hours fluctuate depending on the workload and are usually three and a half to five hours depending on the workload. The hours can increase during peak season, which requires more packages per hour (PPH) and can be quite stressful on the worker and the supervisor. However, the ones who truly want to succeed find a way to balance schoolwork and the job, even though it’s stressful and taxing on their body.

I appreciated getting to meet the students and setting up their meetings to be a part of the program. I valued the opportunity to give back to people who needed it and I valued knowing I was a valuable member of the team. I would like to thank Vicki, Sevelure and Doug for believing in me and giving me the chance to prove myself. I started working for the CRCP in June of 2012 and I still work for the CRCP today in an Administrative Assistant capacity.

I didn’t officially start working in the UPS offices until 2015, because I was working and assisting with the CRCP at the time. When I started working in the office, I felt a sense of independence because I was by myself for the first time. My job was basically to call all the new employees, make sure they were having a good experience and note any struggles adjusting to the job or sleep schedule. Most of the time my job was easy because people enjoyed working at UPS, and knew that we promote from within and offer medical, dental and vision benefits. My main goal is to be an interviewer/recruiter as I like interacting with people and want to make sure we hire the right people for the job. It can be strenuous and difficult at first, but  rewarding when you keep progressing at your work. I hope to be there for a very long time!

I would like to thank all my supervisors and my coworkers who have made my six years at UPS a success. You guys all rock and make my environment most pleasant and successful. I wouldn’t be where I am without you. I’m thankful for UPS every day, and indeed brown has done a lot for me.