Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Office and administrative support / 43-9051.00

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. Time-stamp, open, read, sort, and route incoming mail; and address, seal, stamp, fold, stuff, and affix postage to outgoing mail or packages. Duties may also include keeping necessary records and completed forms.

US jobs
55,230
Median wage
$39,280 a year
Job family
Office and administrative support

Can agents do the work of mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Office and administrative support:

  • Task levelStrongOn computer-use and office-task benchmarks, top agents pass most tasks: 90.2% on OSWorld-Verified (humans: 72.4%), 83.1% on SpreadsheetBench, and 63.3% on WorkArena L1 under the standard protocol. Limits: many top entries are self-submitted and not re-run by the maintainers, and on TheAgentCompany's multi-step workplace tasks the best agent resolves 42.9%.
  • Project levelPartialOnly adjacent evidence. OpenAI reports that GPT-5.5's GDPval deliverables won or tied against professionals' work in 84.9% of comparisons, but GDPval tasks are one-shot and fully specified. No benchmark in our collection tests multi-day administrative work, such as running a calendar or a purchasing process.

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in office and administrative support, not always this occupation's tasks.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Lift and unload containers of mail or parcels onto equipment for transportation to sortation stations.
  • Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing.
  • Clear jams in sortation equipment.
  • Place incoming or outgoing letters or packages into sacks or bins based on destination or type, and place identifying tags on sacks or bins.
  • Release packages or letters to customers upon presentation of written notices or other identification.
  • Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures.
  • Determine manner in which mail is to be sent, and prepare it for delivery to mailing facilities.
  • Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary.
  • Weigh packages or letters to determine postage needed, using weighing scales and rate charts.
  • Fold letters or circulars and insert them in envelopes.
  • Seal or open envelopes, by hand or by using machines.
  • Accept and check containers of mail or parcels from large volume mailers, couriers, and contractors.
Other job titles for this occupation (56)

Insert Operator · Inserter Operator · Mail Clerk · Mail Handler · Mail Machine Operator · Mail Processor · Mail Sorter · Mailing Equipment Operator · Mailroom Processor · Postal Clerk · Addressing Machine Operator · Addressograph Operator · Advertising Inserter · Canceling Machine Operator · Dead Mail Checker · Direct Mail Clerk · Distribution Clerk · Envelope Sealer Operator · Express Clerk · Hand Inserter Operator · Inkjet Operator · Inserting Machine Operator · Mail Associate · Mail Caller · Mail Censor · Mail Distributor · Mail List Processor · Mail Opener · Mail Processing Clerk · Mail Reader · Mail Room Clerk · Mail Services Associate · Mail Services Clerk · Mail Technician (Mail Tech) · Mail Weigher · Mailer · Mailer Apprentice · Mailing Clerk · Mailing Jogger · Mailing Machine Assistant · Mailing Machine Helper · Mailing Machine Operator · Mailing Specialist · Mailroom Assistant · Mailroom Associate · Mailroom Clerk · Mailroom Specialist · Office Copy Selector · Packaging Clerk · Parcel Post Clerk · Registered Mail Clerk · Sealing Machine Operator · Slot Tag Inserter · Trust Mail Clerk · Warehouse Mail Sorter · Wrong Address Clerk