Several Postal Service customers had newsworthy interactions with the mail this year. Tom Brady, this year’s Super Bowl MVP, sent a letter to the parents of Calvin Riley, a college athlete who died unexpectedly. Another letter was credited with helping Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Sidney Jones get drafted to the NFL despite suffering an injury. The […]
Postal Service employees offered lots of colleague-to-colleague advice through “Best practices,” a periodic feature that Link introduced this year. Here’s a sampling of the wisdom they shared: • On customer service: “Many customers just want to know you’re listening.”— Melville, NY, Retail Associate James Toolan • On the value of networking: “Reach out to others […]
Link is looking back. We’ll spend the next few days reviewing 2017, including a four-part series that highlights the Postal Service’s major headlines. We’ll also feature stories about employees and customers who made news this year, as well as special year-end editions of regular columns like “Heroes’ corner,” “Best practices,” “The list” and “News quiz.” […]
A customer who recently suffered a seizure at the Belleville, IL, Post Office received compassionate first aid from two concerned employees. Retail Associate Kimberly Francis saw the woman collapse and alerted Customer Services Supervisor Nancy Isselhard. While Isselhard called 911, Francis rushed to the woman’s side to protect her head during convulsions. Isselhard soon assisted […]
Read More… from Kimberly Francis and Nancy Isselhard, Belleville, IL
Mary Field’s bio has hung in my office for years. I encourage everyone to learn about her. Her work ethic was amazing. […]
USPS is once again delivering dreams through Operation Santa. The annual program allows Postal Service employees and customers to help families in need by “adopting” their letters to Santa Claus and granting their holiday wishes. “Operation Santa is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season,” said Washington, DC, Mail Handler Stephen Pearson. “It […]
In a new animated video, one of the Postal Service’s top leaders shows employees how to report suspicious emails. The segment highlights the “Report to CyberSafe” button, which is featured on the Microsoft Outlook toolbar on ACE computers. Employees can use the button to quickly report phishing attempts and other suspicious emails to the CyberSafe […]
Mail fan. Former newspaper reporter Tim Johnson recently decided to shun social media for a while and set a goal for himself: write 108 letters to people he knew or used to know. For three months, the Burlington, VT, resident composed and mailed letters to former friends, colleagues, teachers, neighbors, crushes and anyone else who […]
An older Postal Service customer in Calverton, NY, recently got life-saving help from an attentive rural carrier. Terry Dion was delivering mail to the man, John Stippell, when she noticed that he seemed unwell. Dion called 911 and stayed with Stippell until emergency responders arrived and took him to a hospital for treatment of a […]
The “Shipping Tips” videos mentioned in “Need to know” are awesome. […]
Prosper, TX, Postmaster Jim Spradley will soon receive a rare honor: The community is naming a school after him. Jim Spradley Elementary School will open next August. “Having a school named after one’s family name is one of the most honorable and prestigious things that a person could have bestowed upon him,” he said. Education […]
Making comparisons. Reminder: USPS employees can use Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans to compare the benefits available during this year’s open season. Checkbook has information about all plans available through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The comparison tool can help you find the right health plan for you and your family. Information on prescription […]
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. In a recent viral video, which Michael Jackson song did John Lawless dance to? a) “Remember the Time” b) “Rock with You” c) “This Time Around” d) “You Rock […]
It brightens my day every time I read a Railway Post Office article like “Past life.” Don’t let these workers become forgotten. […]
Brodhead, WI, Letter Carrier Brent Penniston had grown accustomed to seeing an older customer at mail delivery time. Penniston usually spotted the man sitting in his living room, so it was worrisome when the customer’s mail piled up over several days recently and he was nowhere to be seen. The Postal Service employee got no […]
Sears isn’t the only company in the catalog game this holiday season. Neiman Marcus, Toys R Us, Wayfair and other retailers are also using the publications to cut through email clutter and social media saturation. “The ability to stand out in that physical mailbox is easier than it was 10 years ago. Marketers are taking […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.64 percent during the week ending Nov. 24, down from one week earlier. Dakotas (98.96 percent) topped the districts, while Western (98.05 percent) led the areas. To see the latest results, go to the Enterprise Analytics site and select “Analytics Tools,” followed by “DES 2 — Scan Performance.” […]
USPS is expanding its test of Expected Delivery (ExD), a new feature that provides customers with a two-hour estimated delivery time frame for some packages. ExD is part of the Postal Service’s efforts to grow its package business and help customers better plan for deliveries. The tests, which began in September 2016, covered nine ZIP […]
The importance of flexible spending accounts (FSAs) is explained in a newly updated video from the Postal Service. FSAs, one of several options available to employees during the open season benefits enrollment period, can help participants reduce their taxable income and save on yearly health or dependent care costs. The 4-minute video explains the two types of […]
Letter Carrier Brian Cossel was delivering mail recently in a Wapakoneta, OH, neighborhood when he spotted a 4-year-old boy wandering alone outside, wearing only a diaper. Cossel called the child over and asked him where he lived, but he didn’t respond. The concerned Postal Service employee thought he’d seen the boy at a nearby apartment […]
“Following Footsteps” was such a touching story about Owensboro, KY, Letter Carrier Josh Hayden following in the footsteps of his late grandfather. The picture was amazing. […]
In times of crisis, EAP is there. The USPS Employee Assistance Program provides free, confidential counseling for postal employees and their families — including on-the-ground services for employees affected by emergencies like the recent hurricanes in the south and the mass shootings in Nevada and Texas. “The scope of EAP is we’re everywhere after everything, […]
The Postal Service is providing mail processing and delivery employees with two new mobile applications to improve scanning, tracking and barcode diagnostic capabilities during this year’s peak delivery season. The apps are: • Mail History. This program allows employees to use their USPS mobile devices to scan barcodes on containers, mail-handling units and single mailpieces […]
You have two more weeks to change your health coverage or enroll in a new plan. Open season, the annual period when USPS employees can make benefits changes, ends Monday, Dec. 11. Employees can choose from a variety of health, vision and dental coverage through the following programs and plans: Federal Employees Health Benefits Program […]
Custom-made honor. Charles Wiggins recently received a gift most sports fans can only dream of: an NFL jersey made just for him. Wiggins, a 100-year-old World War II veteran and former postal employee, was honored by the Pittsburgh Steelers this month as part of the team’s salute to service members. Coach Mike Tomlin was joined […]
Letter Carrier Rene Brown was recently delivering mail in Williamsville, NY, when she spotted a man facedown on a front lawn. Brown rushed over to check on him, and as he looked up and mouthed the word “help,” she realized two things: He had apparently suffered a stroke, and he was a fellow letter carrier […]
On days when you’re doing all that you can and you think it’s not enough, remember the “War hero” story. […]
Customer Connect is continuing its hot streak. The program, which encourages letter carriers to identify new business opportunities for the Postal Service, produced more than 50,000 leads for USPS during the fiscal year that ended in September, up 6.7 percent from one year earlier. Customer Connect also generated more than $160 million in estimated annualized […]
A Louisiana Post Office and its leader were recently honored for displaying resilience following a major disaster last year. In August 2016, prolonged rainfall in parts of Louisiana resulted in catastrophic flooding that submerged thousands of houses and many businesses. Several area Post Offices, including one in Greenwell Springs, were forced to temporarily adjust their […]
Open season resources. USPS is offering managers and supervisors a convenient place to learn about this year’s open season benefits enrollment period. The open season toolkit has information on employee benefits, Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans and more. There are also promotional videos, pamphlets and FAQs, all geared toward simplifying the process for employees. The […]