The Postal Service is reminding employees that they can seek second jobs, but certain types of supplemental employment are not permitted.
Federal ethics regulations prohibit USPS employees from engaging in outside employment that conflicts with or affects their postal duties.
Additionally, Postal Service employees cannot:
• Work for a commercial mail receiving entity such as the UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc. or FedEx Office Print & Ship Center;
• Receive compensation from an outside source for teaching, speaking or writing about matters related to their official USPS duties;
• Receive compensation from any foreign government;
• Perform consulting work — solo or for a company — on postal operations, programs or procedures; or
• Work in any capacity for a commercial entity such as Amazon, UPS, FedEx or DHL that delivers mailable matter that could otherwise be sent via U.S. Mail.
An employee can work for an Amazon subsidiary that does not deliver mailable matter — such as Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh or Twitch — but the employee must obtain prior approval from the USPS Ethics Office.
Also, if your supplemental employment involves appearing before, dealing with or making a representation to the Postal Service or any other federal agency on behalf of another person or business, you must contact the ethics office before taking any action.
Employees also cannot do any selling, fundraising or outside business activity while on duty, in uniform, at USPS facilities or using postal equipment.
Employees with questions can email the ethics office or call 202-268-6346. The Ethics Blue Page contains additional information.
