UPS driver gets pink slip over pot parcel

“Good things come in small packages,” so the saying goes, but that apparently was not the case for a former United Parcel Service Inc. driver.

Steven Mojica has filed suit in Michigan asserting that he was fired after failing to deliver a suspicious package in July that later was determined to contain marijuana, according to news reports.

Mr. Mojica had a next-day package from Arizona to be delivered to a house in Pontiac, Mich., but said in the court complaint that he decided to hold the 4-pound parcel out of concern that he could be in “harm's way.”

According to the Detroit News, Mr. Mojica said in his complaint that he was going to contact police about it when a supervisor ordered him to deliver the package even if it contained illicit drugs.

At that point, he said he opened the package and found sealed bags of what appeared to be marijuana, but continued his route another two hours before turning it over to a UPS loss prevention employee.

UPS contacted the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and reported Mr. Mojica was involved in a drug transaction. He was suspended and later terminated.

The 17-year ex-employee is suing Atlanta-based UPS for reinstatement, lost wages, and damages for mental and emotional distress.

“It's nice to know UPS can guarantee delivery to drug dealers and fire employees that refused to deliver their drugs,” Mr. Mojica's attorney told the newspaper.

A UPS spokeswoman said the company had not been served with the lawsuit and would not respond to its allegations. However, she added, Mr. Mojica's discharge “was reviewed and upheld by a panel, which is part of our collective bargaining process.”

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