Native American Heritage Month, which honors American Indians and Alaska Natives, begins Nov. 1. The observance is held each November to celebrate the cultures, histories, traditions and contributions of American Indians and Alaska Natives. USPS employs more than 4,000 individuals who identify themselves as American Indian or Alaska Native. The American Indian and Alaska Native […]
Postal Service employees who want to save money for future medical expenses have several options during this year’s open season, which runs from Nov. 12-Dec. 10. If you enroll in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP), you may be eligible to contribute to a health savings account (HSA). An HSA allows you to pay for current […]
October is one of the seven months that has 31 days. Except for the year when it had 32 days — at one Post Office in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. That office was the Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, branch of the Honolulu Post Office, which was located on an island of the same name. […]
Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan is praising USPS and Postal Inspection Service employees and calling for continued vigilance following the Oct. 26 arrest of a suspect in connection with the suspicious packages sent to high-profile figures this week. Brennan issued the following statement: Over the past week, the men and women of the U.S. Postal […]
I ordered three each of the Alzheimer’s and Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamp T-shirts highlighted in Link this week. […]
Tuscola, IL, Rural Carrier Patricia Wilson was recently delivering mail in an Amish community when she spotted flames shooting out of a barrel near a customer’s home. Wilson stopped to investigate and found that the fire was spreading to a nearby shed and the house itself. She pounded on a door but got no answer, […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blank: The American Postal Workers Union represents more than (blank) USPS employees, including clerks, mechanics, custodians and some workers in administrative positions. a) 1,920 b) 19,200 […]
Extended deadline. Postal Service employees have more time to order a USPS-approved shirt to promote the Alzheimer’s semipostal stamp. The new deadline is Sunday, Oct. 28, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. The vendor is slated to ship orders before Friday, Nov. 9. A shirt to promote the Saving Vanishing Species semipostal stamp is also available […]
A new video shows highlights from the Postal Service’s recent Hot Wheels stamps dedication ceremony. The stamps, which feature 10 of the iconic cars, were dedicated last month in Fort Worth, TX, to honor the 50th anniversary of Hot Wheels’ debut. “As miniature works of art, they capture the thrill and excitement of these legendary […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees how to deal with suspicious mail and packages. Although these incidents are not common, USPS wants employees to recognize suspicious items by paying attention to characteristics such as these: • Shape. Is the item lopsided or uneven? Rigid or bulky? • Appearance. Are there unusual stains or discolorations? Does […]
USPS recently recognized two more Los Angeles District employees who’ve each logged more than six decades of service. Leroy Brown, a Los Angeles International Service Center clerk, will celebrate 63 years as a postal employee in December. Willie Campbell Jr., a maintenance supervisor at the Los Angeles Processing and Distribution Center, has 61 years with […]
The Postal Service is offering employees more guidance on the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act is a law that prohibits postal and other federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty, while wearing a uniform, while on federal property, or while inside a federal vehicle. In a new message, USPS highlights the real-life […]
The Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) have agreed to extend contract negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. Although the contract with the APWU expired at midnight Sept. 20, USPS and the union extended the negotiations deadline to Oct. 20. The Postal Service and APWU have mutually decided to extend negotiations […]
Thank you, Link, for your informing and motivating daily news reports. […]
Baxter, MN, Rural Carrier Associate Ryan Rieger was recently delivering mail when he came upon the scene of an accident involving a customer and her 1-year-old grandson. The woman and the baby — whom she’d been pushing in a stroller near her home — had been struck by a vehicle backing out of a driveway. […]
Life is getting back to normal in the rural community of Pahoa, HI, which came under threat when fountains of red-hot lava began erupting from the flanks of Kilauea volcano in May. The eruption pumped out tons of lava from 23 fissures for more than 90 days, wiping out hundreds of homes and affecting thousands […]
More than 400 Postal Service employee attended a recent career conference in Coral Springs, FL, where they showcased their skills and received tips to advance their careers. “I gained tools to improve my communication skills, how to make a lasting impression and learned that if I apply myself, no goal is unobtainable,” said Ronneka Montgomery, […]
The Postal Service wants you to remember that counseling and other services are available through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). If you need to talk to someone, you can call EAP’s toll-free number at 800-327-4968 (800-EAP-4YOU). The TTY number is 877-492-7341. Counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The EAP site offers other […]
Rural Carrier Joshua McGlone was delivering mail on a July day in Wheelersburg, OH, when he spotted the wooden front porch of a customer’s home engulfed in flames. While the homeowner’s sister-in-law — who was there by herself — called 911, McGlone quickly located a cooler and filled it with water from an outdoor spigot. […]
I agree with Brand Marketing Executive Director Chris Karpenko’s comments in “Dress for success” about the importance of proper attire. As he said, each interaction with a customer is an opportunity to represent the Postal Service. […]
The Postal Service’s newest employees in Pacific Area are learning about the importance of Informed Delivery as soon as they begin their USPS careers. The area’s Informed Delivery ambassadors are visiting orientation classes for new hires to tell them about the mail notification service and its importance to the organization’s future. “Informed Delivery is a […]
The Postal Service requires all employees to provide a current mailing address. If you need to update your information, five methods are available: • LiteBlue. Use any computer to go to liteblue.usps.gov and enter your employee identification number and password. Select the “Change of Address” option in the rotating carousel in the center of the page. Select […]
FOIA awards. The Postal Service recently honored two individuals for their efforts to respond to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Marthea Hodge, a purchasing and supply management policy specialist, and Mary-Lynne Bratton, a mail and package information technology contractor, received the recognition. Hodge and Bratton work at USPS headquarters in Washington DC. They each […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. True or false: More than 301,000 USPS employees receive an annual allowance to purchase uniforms from authorized providers. a) True b) False 2. Fill in the blank: USPS recently […]
It’s wonderful to read the “On the job” stories about members of our postal family. I especially enjoyed the profile of Chris Hubble, the St. Petersburg, FL, letter carrier who delivers mail and packages by bicycle. […]
Letter Carrier Garrett Rhodes was recently delivering mail in Grand Rapids, MI, when a 12-year-old boy crossing the street at an intersection was struck by an oncoming car. While 911 was called, Rhodes and another passerby — a nurse — stopped to help the child. They rendered first aid until emergency responders arrived. Paramedics took […]
Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday that is more than 2,000 years old, was honored Oct. 16 at the dedication of the Postal Service’s newest holiday stamp. USPS and Israel Post jointly issued the stamp, which features artwork created using the techniques of papercutting, a traditional Jewish folk art. Judge Gary Shapiro, the Postal Service’s judicial officer, […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.36 percent during the week ending Oct. 12, down from one week earlier. Dakotas (98.91 percent) topped the districts, while Eastern (97.75 percent) led the areas. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail, and it helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
Postal Service employees enrolled in a health care flexible spending account (FSA) program through FSA Feds have until Dec. 31 to incur claims. However, you can carry over as much as $500 in health care FSA funds into next year if you re-enroll in the FSA program for 2019 during the annual open season enrollment […]
USPS has updated the Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler, a tool that allows customers to go online or use a mobile device to schedule first-time passport application appointments at participating Post Offices. Here’s what you’ll see: • The tool now has a look and “feel” like other usps.com applications. • The confirmation page presented to customers […]