The Postal Service is improving the way employees’ leave data is displayed on their pay stubs to make the information clearer and easier to understand. Leave data includes the amount of annual leave and sick leave available to employees with leave-earning status. Improvements include the addition of new information, including the line “Earned AL Balance.” […]
A British girl who wrote a letter to Google’s chief executive officer received an unexpected surprise in her mailbox recently. Andy Bridgewater told his daughter Chloe about the company’s workplace amenities, including beanbag chairs, slides and go-carts. This sounded like fun to the 7-year-old, so she wrote a letter to Sundar Pichai — addressing her […]
Benjamin Franklin Bailar, Postmaster General from 1975-1978, died Feb. 20. Bailar, who was 82, led the Postal Service in the early years of its formation, after enactment of the Postal Reform Act of 1971. He was a proponent of ongoing postal reform, focused on mail service quality and cost controls. “Benjamin Bailar was a pioneer […]
“It’s important to be knowledgeable about our products and services and to fit them to each customer’s needs.” […]
Read More… from Prairie, MS, Retail Associate Cathy Robinson
A typical day at the Whittier, NC, Post Office was recently interrupted by an atypical customer problem: A woman came into the office and said she couldn’t remember how to get home. Retail Associate Susan Thayer printed out directions and went over them verbally, too. But at closing time, Thayer found the woman in the parking […]
I love the addition of the Link “News quiz.” It’s a fun little extra on Friday mornings. […]
A Postal Service retail associate is making news after marking his 50th year on the job. Washington, DC, Retail Associate David Gaskins was honored with a surprise party this month after a customer found out about his golden anniversary. “I appreciate being appreciated,” Gaskins said. “I just try to follow the golden rule and treat […]
Two USPS managers recently completed a master black belt certification program from Ohio State University, joining a growing list of employees who are deepening their knowledge of Lean Six Sigma process improvement principles. Enterprise Data Management Manager Lek Udomsawat and City of Industry, CA, Acting Plant Manager Michelle “Mia” Alfonso completed the four-week program, which […]
During American Heart Month, the Wellness team reminds you that knowing your cholesterol numbers can help you manage your overall health. The terms “good” and “bad” are commonly used when referring to cholesterol. Experts say your high-density lipids (HDL), or good cholesterol, should be higher than 60 mg/dL, while your low-density lipids (LDL), or bad […]
The “Cold front” picture was almost Rockwellian. […]
Mail delivery time turned out to be a critical moment recently for a customer in Lincoln, NE, who was having complications from surgery. When Letter Carrier Zachary Paremske saw the man on his porch, he was clearly in pain and whispered two words: “Help me.” Paremske called 911 and stayed with the customer until emergency […]
“Engaged employees experience lower stress levels, lower levels of anxiety and depression and even lower bad cholesterol. From an organizational standpoint, absenteeism and accidents decline, retention rate goes up and productivity improves.” […]
Read More… from Capital Metro Area Employee Engagement Ambassador Rosemary Martin-Fountain
The Postal Service has renewed its Air Cargo Network contract with FedEx. The four-year renewal extends the contract through Sept. 29, 2024. The contract began Oct. 1, 2013, and provides domestic air transportation for U.S. Mail, Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express. This contract modification aligns capacity with postal demand, provides operational flexibility and service […]
To help mark African-American History Month, “The list” looks at five notable African-American postal workers from the 19th century. 1. William Cooper Nell. Nell was a civil rights pioneer and the first published African-American historian. He’s also the earliest known African-American civilian employee of the federal government, having been appointed a clerk at the Boston […]
Knowing your BMI, or body mass index, helps you manage your overall health, experts say. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9 for adults. A BMI over 25 puts you at higher risk for developing weight-related conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. To mark American Heart Month, the Postal Service is encouraging you […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News quiz,” a new feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Who among the following did not speak at the recent Oscar de la Renta stamp dedication? a) Michael Bloomberg b) Anderson Cooper c) Hillary Clinton d) Tim Gunn 2. […]
USPS boosted both its overall participation rate and national score on the most recent Postal Pulse survey, according to data released Feb. 15. More than 292,000 employees — or about 49 percent of the postal workforce — participated in the survey, which was conducted last fall. This is up from the previous survey, which was […]
The National Postal Mail Handlers Union membership has ratified a new 40-month labor contract with the Postal Service. The contract covers approximately 45,000 employees represented by the union. “This agreement is fair and responsible, and it’s in the best interest of our employees and customers,” said Labor Relations VP Doug Tulino. The new agreement, announced […]
Customers received tens of millions of holiday mailpieces Dec. 22, which was expected to be the Postal Service’s busiest delivery day of the year. The deliveries included an estimated 30 million packages — a significant chunk of the 750 million parcels that USPS expects to deliver during this year’s peak season. Throughout the holidays, employees […]
Customers across the nation turned to the Postal Service to handle their holiday needs Dec. 19, which was expected to be the year’s busiest mailing and shipping day. Approximately 611 million cards, letters and packages were expected to be processed, and about 12 million customers were expected to visit the nation’s 31,000 Post Offices and usps.com. […]
President Obama has ordered flags returned to full-staff, effective Dec. 17 at sunset. Flags began flying at half-staff Dec. 9 to honor John Glenn, who died this month at age 95. Glenn was honored at a series of memorials during the weekend and will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in the spring. Glenn — a […]
USPS and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) have reached a tentative agreement on a new 40-month labor contract covering approximately 45,000 employees represented by the union. “This agreement is fair and responsible, and it’s in the best interest of our employees and customers,” said Labor Relations VP Doug Tulino. “Through the terms of […]
President Obama has ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor retired astronaut and U.S. Sen. John Glenn, who died Dec. 8. Flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of interment, which has not been announced. Link will share additional information when it becomes available. To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag […]
The Postal Service is inviting employees to share some cheer with their colleagues throughout this year’s holiday season. Employees are asked to write their personal holiday hopes and wishes on a postcard and mail it to a special address. USPS will collect the messages and share highlights on internal communications and social media channels. “We […]
The following message is from PMG Megan J. Brennan: As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I would like to thank each of you for all you do every day for our customers, co-workers and our organization. I am continually inspired by your collective efforts on behalf of the Postal Service, and I commend your dedication to our […]
If you have feedback on Link stories, let us know. Email your compliments, complaints and other comments to uspslink@usps.gov. Your messages could be published in our Mailbag column. We also use your feedback to strengthen our coverage of the Postal Service. Our goal is to make Link a daily conversation with our readers, so tell us what’s on your mind. […]
PMG Megan J. Brennan thanked employees for delivering exceptional customer service during a recent visit to Dakotas District. The PMG toured five Post Offices, including the Great Falls, MT, Post Office, a national leader in “lean mail delivery,” an approach that reduces waste and boosts efficiency. “This team does a great job delivering for their […]
The Postal Service is continuing to deliver mail in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, the powerful storm that killed at least 36 people as it churned across the Southeast last weekend. USPS facilities in the flooded areas of the four hardest-hit states — Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina — are re-opening as local […]
President Obama has ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor victims of the July 17 attack on police officers in Baton Rouge, LA. Flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset July 22. To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an instant and then lower it to the half-staff position. […]
An arbitration panel informed the Postal Service July 7 of an interest arbitration decision and award. The award is intended to resolve the differences between USPS and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) that resulted from an inability to reach a negotiated collective bargaining agreement after the prior agreement expired. The award, which was the […]