A flexible spending account may be a good option for Postal Service employees who wear eyeglasses, visit the dentist more than twice a year, or have other needs. Flexible spending accounts, or FSAs, allow employees to set aside money on a pretax basis to pay for health care and dependent care expenses. USPS employees can […]
Here’s a look at Postal Service employees who received appointments or recognition recently: • Allen Mitchell, the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center’s plant manager, was named the Milwaukee Processing and Distribution Center’s acting plant manager. • Dapo O. Oladeji, the Champaign, IL, Processing and Distribution Center’s plant manager, was named the Carol Stream, IL, […]
In a new video highlighting the importance of the Combined Federal Campaign, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy stresses the spirit of service that runs through USPS. “Serving the public is the foundation of our work, and the CFC is an opportunity to do even more for the communities we serve and the causes we care about,” […]
It’s the season of giving — and of ethics reminders about gift exchange among Postal Service employees. A gift is considered anything that has monetary value. Items not considered gifts include food and drink that are not part of a meal (soft drinks, doughnuts and the like) and items intended for presentation, such as cards […]
Letter Carrier Jacob Leas was delivering mail recently to an apartment building in Akron, OH, when he heard a cry for help. Leas went down the hallway knocking on doors until he identified the source of the sound. He asked to enter the apartment and then found an 89-year-old customer trapped underneath her refrigerator. The […]
Postal Service employees have two more weeks to change their 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 options through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, the […]
Angela D. Lawson has been appointed technology applications vice president. Lawson has held the position on an acting basis since June 30. She succeeds Garrett Hoyt, who retired. In this role, Lawson is responsible for planning, developing and maintaining software that achieves organizational objectives and improves the customer experience. She is also responsible for modernizing […]
Here’s a look at Postal Service employees who received appointments or recognition recently: • Steven A. Grant, the Queens, NY, Processing and Distribution Center’s plant manager, was named the Brooklyn, NY, Processing and Distribution Center’s acting plant manager. • Sheila M. Smith, the West Palm Beach, FL, Processing and Distribution Center’s plant manager, retired Oct. […]
The Postal Service wants employees to understand the four types of health plans available during this year’s open season. The plan types are: • Health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, which provide care from in-network physicians and hospitals located in particular geographic or service areas; • Preferred provider organizations, or PPOs, which offer fee-for-service plans that […]
Roman Martinez IV was reelected chairman of the USPS Board of Governors on Nov. 14. The governors also elected Amber F. McReynolds as vice chairman. Martinez joined the board in August 2019 and is serving the remainder of a seven-year term that expires in December 2024. He was elected the board’s 25th chairman in January […]
Rural Carrier Juan Ocasio was delivering mail recently in New Port Richey, FL, when he spotted smoke rising from behind a customer’s residence. Ocasio checked the rear of the home and saw a tree, shed and the back of the residence enveloped in flames. As a neighbor called 911, Ocasio ran to the home’s front […]
Many people are confused by health insurance terminology. To help USPS employees navigate their way through this year’s open season benefits enrollment period, here are some important definitions: • Copayment: This is a fixed amount paid for certain covered health care services. • Coinsurance: This is similar to a copayment but refers to a percentage […]
A federal ethics document for USPS employees was revised recently for the first time since its introduction in 1995. The revisions took effect Sept. 7. Many guidelines in the Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the United States Postal Service address outside employment and business activities. Some rules have been eased. Employees may […]
The Postal Service has reported its financial results for fiscal year 2023 (Oct. 1, 2022-Sept. 30, 2023). Here are the highlights: • Revenue. Total operating revenue was $78.2 billion, a decrease of 0.4 percent from the previous fiscal year. First-Class Mail revenue increased 2.1 percent, while Marketing Mail revenue decreased 5.8 percent. Shipping and packages […]
Here’s a look at some recent changes in the Postal Service leadership ranks: • Frank S. Cetta Jr., Arizona-New Mexico District’s Post Office operations manager, was named acting postmaster for Tucson, AZ. • Jeffrey L. Moline, the Portland, OR, Processing and Distribution Center’s maintenance manager, was named the San Jose, CA, Processing and Distribution Center’s […]
Postal Service employees can participate in a virtual benefits fair throughout open season, which runs from Nov. 13 to Dec. 11. The fair is on a platform that has 2024 benefits information accessible in a single location. Employees can browse exhibits and view and download brochures. There will be five live chats over four days. […]
Letter Carrier Craig Blackwell was recently delivering mail in Chicago when he was approached by a man who asked about the packages he was carrying. Blackwell did not provide him any information. Later that day, the man approached him again and attempted to take the packages. Nearby residents heard the commotion and gathered nearby, causing […]
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar on diabetes. The session, “Thriving With Prediabetes/Diabetes,” will be held Nov. 15 at noon Eastern. Representatives from Kaiser Permanente, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will offer tips on managing the disease with lifestyle changes, healthy eating, exercise and stress management. Participants must register […]
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar on technology’s effects on health. The webinar, “Digital Detox,” will be held Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from Kaiser Permanente, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will offer tips on how to keep technology from taking over your life and how to […]
The Postal Service wants employees to be aware of fall driving hazards. Leaves can pose a risk when wet, becoming a potential cause of driving and walking accidents. Falling leaves can also cause visibility problems. Lane lines and other road markings can be concealed and road hazards such as potholes can be camouflaged. Here are […]
Tractor Trailer Operator Michael Dunn was recently parking a postal vehicle in the back lot of the Trenton, NJ, Processing and Distribution Center when he spotted a fire. It started in machinery on the facility’s dock. As soon as Dunn saw the flames, he notified his supervisor, who called 911. When Dunn determined it was […]
Open season, the annual period when USPS employees can make benefits changes, begins Nov. 13. Employees can choose from a variety of health, vision and dental coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program and flexible spending accounts. Eligible noncareer employees can choose the USPS Health Benefits […]
Three USPS employees — two in Utah and one in California — have deployed their artistic talents in service to veterans. Norah Strebel, a mail handler at the Salt Lake City Processing and Distribution Center, worked as a graphic designer for 18 years before joining USPS last year. She is a veteran of the Army […]
City Carrier Assistant Kristian “Krissy” Shows was delivering mail recently in Ferriday, LA, when she spotted a house on fire. The Postal Service employee called 911 to report the blaze. No customers were home at the time. Emergency responders credited Shows’ quick action for helping to prevent the fire from spreading to the other homes […]
The Office of Personnel Management has extended the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) contract with the John Hancock Life and Health Insurance Co. for seven years. Under the new contract, a rate increase will be needed for many current enrollees because the current FLTCIP premiums are not sufficient to meet the program’s future […]
The Postal Service honored more than 170 employees with stellar safe driving records at the organization’s National Logistics Symposium in Kansas City, MO, last week. The event, held Oct. 24-26, also featured safe driving demonstrations, educational sessions and training to promote safe driving practices. “We want our drivers to return home to their families every […]
Letter Carrier Tommy Howe was delivering mail in Taunton, MA, last summer when he spotted an older customer lying near the side of the road. The man, who was barely breathing, was next to a lawn mower that was still running. The customer had been stung multiple times after the mower struck a beehive. Howe […]
The latest Delivering for America postcard was recently mailed to employees’ homes. The card touts the Postal Service’s carbon reduction efforts, including deploying electric delivery vehicles, consolidating trips, moving volume from air to ground shipment, and modernizing facilities with energy-efficient lighting and equipment. In addition to being sent to employees’ homes, Delivering for America postcards […]
The Postal Service wants to remind employees that they have access to licensed professionals who are available to provide confidential counseling, consultation and coaching services to help manage life’s challenges. The USPS Employee Assistance Program is a free, voluntary resource that offers assessment, referral, short-term counseling and more to postal employees and their families. EAP […]
Yancy Still, a highway contract route driver, was recently delivering mail in Sharon Springs, KS, the day after a tornado hit the area. He checked on one of his older customers, who lives in a rural location, and discovered that the man had been stuck in a chair all night surrounded by debris from the […]