The Postal Service is reminding employees that they must follow federal ethics rules even after they leave the organization.
Former employees can work wherever they choose, but there are restrictions if they communicate with USPS on behalf of their new employer.
Here are the most important post-employment limitations:
• Former employees who worked on projects, contracts or other matters involving outside organizations or individuals are not allowed to communicate with the Postal Service about the same project, contract or other matter on behalf of their new employer.
• For two years after leaving USPS, a former employee cannot communicate with the Postal Service on behalf of a new employer about projects, contracts or other matters that their subordinates worked on during the former employee’s last year of postal employment.
• Employees who retire with a salary at or above a set threshold ($195,231 for 2025) have a one-year “cooling off” period before they can communicate with the Postal Service regarding any matter on behalf of a new employer.
• Former employees are free to work for an outside employer on postal matters that they or their subordinates worked on, if they do not communicate directly with the Postal Service about those matters. However, they are prohibited from disclosing nonpublic, confidential or proprietary USPS information.
• Current USPS employees cannot give special treatment to former employees.
Employees who are leaving the Postal Service, as well as former employees, should seek guidance by emailing the USPS Ethics Office or calling 202-268-6346.
