Mailwoman Demanded a Couple Install a Curbside Mailbox — Can She Do That?

Think of all the times that the weather was really bad, but you still got your mail that day. USPS workers are our unsung heroes for continuing to work, no matter what the weather may be. They never seem to put their foot down, even when the forecast isn't the best.

But surprisingly, postal workers will put their foot down and refuse to deliver mail to your home if the location of your mailbox isn't adequate.

Below, one woman explains how she and her husband were forced to install a new mailbox on their curb at the request of their mailwoman. Had they not complied, they risked not receiving mail delivery. Keep reading as we unpack this unique situation.

A TikTok creator named Maegan (@maeganadler) shared a video on the platform where her son and husband can be seen installing a mailbox on the curb.

"The mail lady told us that she's not going to deliver our mail if we don't put our mailbox on the street," she said in the video adding, "Like what the heck? We just moved into this house. We have a mail letter box outside. All of the homes do on the entire street. Nobody has them out on the curb."

Maegan explained that she felt like she and her husband were being singled out since they were new to town. However, they felt obligated to comply because they didn't want to risk not getting their mail.

In total, Maegan added that they spent "$150 to $200 on this stupid project."

In a follow-up video, Maegan also showed the mailbox that their house came included with, which was mounted on the house's exterior near the door, and looked fully functional.

Several users took to the comments to share their thoughts on Maegan's debacle. Some folks believed that the USPS worker was being lazy.

A former mail carrier wrote that their mailwoman wasn't allowed to refuse mail delivery if there was a mailbox already available.

But others tried to reason with the mailwoman's logic, claiming that her request may have been due to new laws passed.

While it's unclear where Maegan resides, there may have been legislation passed in her area requiring homeowners to move their mailboxes to the curb. However, the people on her block may not have had to oblige because of a grandfather clause, which allows people to follow old laws, even when a new law has been passed.

Since Maegan and her husband are new tenants, they wouldn't be protected by the grandfather clause.

Other users suggested that maybe the past owners of the home were handicapped which allowed them to keep their mailbox at the door. But since Maegan and her family are able-bodied, USPS doesn't want them using the built-in mailbox anymore.

And other folks shared similar stories of how they also were asked to move their mailboxes.

So, what's the answer? It's unclear. Rules are confusing and differ by area. But the mail woman who asked Maegan and her husband to install a mailbox on the curb likely has a valid reason other than just being "lazy."

Hopefully, Maegan and her family will receive clarity on the situation soon.