The Postal Service’s policy limiting business travel during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been extended to Nov. 16. The policy affects all business trips, including in-person training. Only travel that is deemed critical to the organization’s mission and trips that cannot be postponed will be approved. Some travel will be allowed to maintain the efficiency […]
Postal Service employees can participate in an upcoming webinar on preparing for retirement. The session, “Retirement 101,” will be held Tuesday, Sept. 22, at noon EDT. Susan Allgood, a federal plans team relationship manager for Aetna, will conduct the webinar and help participants understand Federal Employees Health Benefits program options, U.S. Office of Personnel Management […]
Here are five facts to help mark National Hispanic Heritage Month, which began this week. 1. National Hispanic Heritage Month traces its roots to the 1960s. The month honors the history, culture and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. The commemoration began in 1968 as […]
Letter Carrier Darla Dahlbacka was delivering mail in a Cedarburg, WI, neighborhood on a frigid day last December when she spotted an older customer in trouble. The woman, who had stepped outside without a coat in single-digit temperatures, tumbled off her front porch into bushes below. Dahlbacka rushed to the customer’s aid, helping her get […]
I loved the “To the letter” article about the Eureka, IL, public library’s program to encourage young readers to become writers by sending letters. In this time of social distancing, the library’s idea was ingenious in its simplicity. […]
An Ohio postal employee’s conversation with a theater employee has led to more than $300,000 in new revenue for USPS. Cleveland Retail Associate Glorietta Burks has a daughter who is a performer with Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, and Burks knew the performing arts center was struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic. She picked up the phone […]
My name is Mayra Elena-Hernandez and I’m a complaints and inquiry clerk in San Diego District’s Consumer Affairs office. I help to resolve customers’ problems and ensure USPS delivers excellent service. My team includes six other members. We use the Customer 360 platform to document customers’ inquiries, which include questions about packages, postage and other […]
Coatesville, PA, Letter Carrier Dion Carotenuto was delivering mail earlier this year in nearby Caln Township when he spotted an alarming sight: an undetonated pipe bomb on the ground in a customer’s yard, near a school-bus stop. Carotenuto immediately called 911. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, secured the vicinity and safely removed the explosive […]
Kudos to Keturah Winslow, the Fork, MS, rural carrier highlighted in the recent “On the Job” colum, who navigates wild boars, bears, alligators and flooded roads to deliver mail to her customers. […]
The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has approved the temporary price increases for commercial domestic parcel products that USPS proposed last month. Retail prices for parcel products are unaffected. The planned commercial price increases for Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service (FCPS) and Commercial Parcel Select will take effect Oct. 18 at 12 a.m. […]
The Postal Service has introduced two resources to help managers, supervisors and others whose jobs involve investigating workplace accidents. The USPS Accident Investigation Guide is an online publication that explains how to respond to an accident, collect data at the scene and analyze the information to prevent future accidents. Posters, checklists and an analysis template […]
The Postal Service will release its Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor stamp on Thursday, Sept. 17. The Forever stamp, which USPS announced last year, commemorates the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s arrival off the coast of Plymouth, MA. The ship, which completed its perilous voyage on Dec. 16, 1620, carried 102 English passengers who became known […]
Here are three facts about Patriot Day, which is held each year on Sept. 11 to remember the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 1. Patriot Day was first held in 2002. That year, President George W. Bush helped mark the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by proclaiming Sept. 11 as Patriot Day. Bush and his successors, […]
To Jacqueline Rimmer, the Stone Mountain, GA, rural carrier associate who aided an injured 93-year-old woman, I say: Nice job! […]
Like many USPS employees, Marguerite Hughes feels proud that she and her colleagues have served the public throughout the coronavirus pandemic. To show her pride, Hughes, a Georgetown, IL, customer services supervisor, decided to create posters that celebrate the Postal Service’s commitment to its customers. Then it occurred to her: Why not get her co-workers […]
A South Carolina letter carrier’s sharp eye has led to almost $400,000 in new revenue for the Postal Service. Rachel Bradley noticed a new business customer on her route in West Columbia. She submitted a lead through Customer Connect, a partnership with the National Association of Letter Carriers that encourages letter carriers to share sales […]
During National Preparedness Month in September, the Postal Service is reminding employees and contractors to help keep USPS workplaces safe and secure. Employees should always secure entry points when not in use, wear their postal photo ID badge and watch for individuals not wearing badges. To further protect workspaces: • Secure unattended USPS vehicles and […]
The Postal Service’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is highlighting National Suicide Prevention Week, which is Sept. 6-12. The week calls attention to the importance of mental health care, early intervention, proper diagnosing and regular treatment to prevent suicides. The EAP website has several resources, including a video on suicide prevention and a downloadable book, “Suicide […]
“On the Job” is taking a Labor Day break. The column that profiles Postal Service employees and their contributions to the organization will resume soon. In the meantime, you can use the “On the Job” archive to catch up with past profiles, including stories about Fairfax, VA, Letter Carrier Mauricio Cruz; Honolulu Mail Processing Clerk […]
I read the “Extending Mail Forwarding” article about USPS testing a service that allows customers to pay a fee to have their permanent Change of Address mail forwarded for up to 18 months. This is a good idea. For years, I’ve believed we should charge a fee for every change-of-address request we process. Even a small fee […]
Rural Carrier Patricia Stephens was delivering mail one day last winter in Lake George, NY, when a 13-year-old girl approached her for help. The barefoot teen — clothed only in shorts and a T-shirt in temperatures below freezing — was home alone and had locked herself out of her house over an hour beforehand. Stephens […]
The Postal Service wants employees who took leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to know how it will affect their retirement deductions. The law, also known as the FFCRA, requires some employers to provide employees with emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for child care. The leave benefit went […]
In a moving finale, the Postal Service concludes its “Thank You for the Thank-You’s” video series with more expressions of gratitude from customers. USPS launched the series April 8. Each weekly 30-second video shows photos of notes, posters and other messages that employees received during the coronavirus pandemic. The 20th and final video, released Aug. […]
The USPS Health and Wellness team wants to raise awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a group of developmental disorders that affect social, communication and behavioral skills. Characteristics of ASD may include repetitive movements or behaviors; difficulty relating to people, things and events; trouble with communication; and difficulty adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings or changes in […]
To help you get ready for Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 7, here are five facts about the labor movement in the United States. 1. Labor Day was first celebrated in New York City in 1882. In September that year, the city’s unions had a parade to celebrate their membership and to show support for […]
I enjoyed reading “On hand for history,” the article about Ursula Hennessy, the USPS worker who witnessed President Richard Nixon signing the Postal Reorganization Act in 1970. That history is of paramount importance and should be widely shared with our workforce. […]
Letter Carrier Simon Rodriguez was recently making deliveries in a Houston neighborhood when he grew concerned about a customer whose mail was piling up and whose car had not been moved in several days. Rodriguez alerted a neighbor, who contacted the man’s daughter. Unable to reach him, his daughter asked authorities to check on him. […]
A Texas Postmaster’s conversation with a customer has resulted in more than $700,000 in new revenue for the Postal Service. Craig Glover of Fredericksburg, TX, submitted a lead through the Business Connect program for a local company that ships vitamins and powdered drink supplements. The Business Connect sales leads program is a way for Postmasters, […]
My name is Keturah Winslow and I’m a rural carrier in Rolling Fork, MS. I spend six to seven hours every day delivering mail and packages to 305 addresses. The 150-mile round trip is the second longest route in Mississippi District. My route is a lot of middle-of-nowhere. I may be the only person my […]
Like it does every election season, the Postal Service is reminding employees about the Hatch Act’s rules on misusing their government positions. The Hatch Act is a law that prohibits postal and other federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, while wearing a uniform, while on federal property, or while inside […]