Service Dog Discrimination & USPS Misconduct in NYC

On Friday, October 7, 2011, Luis Carlos Montalvan and his service dog walked to the Cathedral Post Office (USPS) on 104th Street. Prior to entering, he noticed a sign on the door (see photograph below) indicating, "No Pets (Except Those Assisting The Handicapped)." Montalvan and Tuesday, his service dog, walked inside and stood in the package/parcel pick-up line. The line was long and the service was slow. After waiting approximately 40 minutes, they finally got to the front counter.

Instantly and without provocation, a female USPS mail handler shouted, "No dogs in here! Didn't you read the sign outside?!?"

Montalvan was taken aback by her abrasive, rude and discriminatory behavior. He informed her that Tuesday is his service dog and that he had indeed read the sign on the exterior door of the post office.

Then he asked her what the sign read, and she replied, "No pets!"

"No," he told her, "It says, 'No pets, except those assisting the handicapped.'"

Subsequently, another employee also asked Montalvan if he had read the sign. Bewildered, he said, "Yes. I've read the sign."

Mr. Montalvan then asked the male postal worker for his name. The postal worker said his name was "Brooks." The female postal worker refused to give her name and walked away from the counter and into a backroom area.

"Brooks" then said, "The sign says, 'No Pets!'"

"No," Mr. Montalvan replied. "Do you know what a service dog is? Do they train US Postal Workers on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?"

Brooks became silent and ordered Montalvan to sign for his mail in a gruff and impolite fashion.

"I'd like to speak with a supervisor, please."

"There is no supervisor here," said Brooks.

"Well, call one then. Because I'd like to make a complaint."

Meanwhile, half a dozen people in the Post Office began complaining (vocally) about the outrageous and discriminatory behavior of the postal workers. Several of them gave Montalvan their names and contact information because they were disgusted with the incident and agreed to be witnesses for the formal complaint.

Brooks then told Montalvan to wait at window eight for a manager.

Approximately twenty minutes later, a manager arrived. Montalvan asked him who he was. He said his name was Colin Craigwell. Montalvan asked for his card:

Colin O. Craigwell
Manager, Customer Services
Cathedral Station USPS
email: Colin.O.Craigwell@usps.gov
212.662.9194 fax: 212.932.3276

Instead of listening to Mr. Montalvan's complaint, Mr. Craigwell acted smugly and as if the incident didn't happen. Another witness in the post office captured a short video exchange (see video) -- where Montalvan tells Mr. Craigwell how unprofessional his approach to the complaint is.

Mr. Craigwell did not seem to care whatsoever that his employees had acted unprofessionally and discriminatory.

Mr. Montalvan asked Mr. Craigwell for his boss's name and he wrote, Pasquale Vechiarrelli, Manager of Customer Service Operations, on the back of his card.

Then, Mr. Montalvan informed Mr. Craigwell that he would be filing a complaint and that Mr. Craigwell has failed to train his staff on the rights of people with disabilities -- concerning access and assistance dogs.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Service Dog
• Discrimination
• NYC
• ADA
• Assistance Dog
• Disabilities
• People with Disabilities
• Invisible Disabilities
• Misconduct
• USPS
• Postal Service
• Post Office
• New York
• New York City

[SightNSoundBand]

I am shocked at the dispicable behavior of these usps workers...it was obvious that this dog was a SERVICE dog...I can't comprehend this callous behavior that this veteren and his service dog had to be subjected to...I pray that more people are educated to the fact that a service dog is allowed anywhere...those postal workers and manager need to be relieved of their duties...

[NKL1956]

This is the type of discrimination that makes me so angry I can barely speak. There is no excuse for any public employee to talk to a customer the way you were talked to. You at no time became confrontational, you held your head high and handled the episode with dignity.

[stephenmaxingad92s]

@mudge1946 Well said and done. I agree with your last line especially. People need to be accountable for their actions and words. There are so many ignorant people in this world not to speak of rude and insensitive. Hope they get taught a lesson in this messed up situation.

[stephenmaxingad92s]

Whenever I hear of and now see video of how disrespectful people are to someone with a disability I get so angry. It is a good thing I was not in this Post Office while this was happening. If you see a CLEARLY marked vest on a service dog why would you even question it?? But here are people in the Federal Government (who should be aware of the disability act) treating a customer in this manner, This goes for any customer for that matter. It is inexcusable and downright ignorant.. WAKE UP PEOPLE

[mudge1946]

The treatment of this America hero is appalling, and I am outraged. This man served our country honorably for 17 years, and is disabled because of this service.

Do you believe that yelling at and disrespecting any customer is acceptable? I am ashamed of what you have become.

Do you think service dogs are handed out like candy on Halloween? Use a service dog for a day and see what it's like.

I advise strong disciplinary action to all involved - up to and including termination.

[stephenmaxingad92s]

Whenever I hear of and now see video of how disrespectful people are to someone with a disability I get so angry. It is a good thing I was not in this Post Office while this was happening. If you see a CLEARLY marked vest on a service dog why would you even question it?? But here are people in the Federal Government (who should be aware of the disability act) treating a customer in this manner, This goes for any customer for that matter. It is inexcusable and downright ignorant.. WAKE UP PEOPLE

[BCadvocate]

The actions of the the Cathedral Post Office serves as a record that the workers at USPS are not properly trained concerning Service Dogs and the laws that protect the people they service. A dog wearing a clearly marked vest that says "Service Dog" should never be questioned, let alone call them a "pet". The actions of this particular office have been noted and are being referred to members of Congress and the Senate to that actions take place to make needed changes to the system.

[Amesve1966]

I find the absolute ignorance of the staff at the Cathedral Post Office to be inexcusable. No customer should ever be treated in this manner, but the fact that the staff (including a manager) treated Cpt Montalvan with that level of disrespect is appalling. I am a manager within the federal government and I can tell you that if any one of my employees treated a customer in this manner it would result in nothing short of immediate disciplinary action. USPS, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

[SaraMiko]

As a disabled person, I go through discrimination daily in one way or another. It might be a look, a stare, a comment, etc. I also work in a retail environment. For the USPS workers at this facility to not even understand the signage in front of their door is inexcusable. They are supposed to have gone through all kinds of customer service training for all different types of people - disabled or not. For those workers to not even have compassion or understanding of other people is disgusting.

[amckc]

The manner in which Mr. Montalván and his service dog Tuesday were treated is despicable on multiple levels, and makes me question whether “duty, honor and pride” has been replaced by “ignorance, disrespect and unaccountability.”